PIECE OF MY HEART

According to RIAA (the Recording Industry of America) the vast majority of songs are bought by both sexes close to 50/50 throughout life (2/3rds of the songs are bought between 10 and 45 years and 1/3rd after age 45). I have yet to discover the exact number, but I think you’ll agree that a substantial majority of songs deal with facets of love, dating, relationships or its lack.

Romance novels make up about 50% of books sold and male readers comprise conservatively 10% of the market. So why do males buy love songs but not romance novels? Are we doing something wrong?

Father’s Day is coming up, so under the cover of celebration, I'll suggest that for the 90% of men who don't normally read romances, but try one, it's a chore. It’s not only the more direct way we think (on the average), it’s the visuals we enjoy and the lack of progression in summarized thought we don't. We need arc.

Most guys hate nagging. What is nagging, if not going over and over and over again the same point? Guys don’t want to read novels that belabor the point or worse.

Great novels, no matter the genre, all have one thing in common. They hold your interest with an engaging intensity. Just like a song, they show you the way, grip you and take you for a ride.

So...guys buy love songs but not so many romance novels. They've not suddenly stopped loving the women in their lives. How can we write better romances that will retain our gal fans and pick up more guys? It's like celebrating Father's Day. Any dad wants to be shown love as if he was the hero of a great romance novel.

Janis Joplin, PIECE OF MY HEART, 1968

 

 

 

Next week, on Father's Day, I'll be interviewing a fellow author. He, Richard Brawer, writes mysteries. Let's give him a warm welcome. See you then.