Niche Markets: Romance

From the direct-to-consumer marketing of Harlequin to the very top levels of sales and bestseller lists, romance is one of the most vibrant and commercially viable areas of publishing. In this course, we will explore the history and growth of the genre and its many formats, including category and single title romance and subgenres such as paranormal, contemporary, historical, romantic suspense, erotica and new adult. We will look at the editorial components of a successful romance novel; at the leading authors in the field; at the devoted romance audience and how to best reach it; at the emerging formats and digital-only focus of many romance publishers; at the marketing strategies; and at the shifting business models. Students will complete the course with a broad knowledge of how a sometimes controversial genre has helped the bottom-line of major publishing companies and launched successful careers for a wide range of authors. While the literary elements of the genre will be examined, the primary focus of this course will be on successful publishing of romance fiction.