Yesterday I read a novel by a romance author I once loved but will probably never read again.
What did she do that was so horrible? She failed to deliver the kind of story she’d taught me to expect from her. I counted on her for straight romance, and she wrote a book in which the heroine believes right up to the final pages that she is in love with a man who is not the hero. At the last possible moment, the heroine’s eyes are opened and she and the hero have their happily-ever-after ending. Essentially, the book is a “women’s fiction” novel with a romance novel’s HEA ending - which might be fine with other readers, but it’s not the kind of book this reader is interested in curling up with. I want my romance! I want butterflies-in-the-stomach scenes and plenty of does-he-love-me-or-doesn’t-he angst.
Is this author heading in a new direction with her books, or was this a one-time deviation? I don’t know, but I’m probably not going to stick around to find out. There are too many other authors waiting to be enjoyed; lots of old favorites and some new ones I’ve been meaning to try.
I’m not suggesting that it’s wrong for an author to head in new directions. I, too, am a writer; how could I not delight in the smorgasbord of opportunities we enjoy in today’s market? But when I buy books to read for pleasure, I’m a very demanding customer. Give me what I want or get out of my way.
Romance readers are passionate people. We don’t “like” books, we love them. And when we glom onto an author, we tend to view her backlist as promises to deliver more of what we love about her. When we’re given something other than what we’ve come to expect, we might very well feel cheated rather than intrigued. While we may understand that an author might become bored with her current genre and desire a new challenge, we still want to read what we want to read. So in changing styles or switching genres, an author will lose a certain number of her readers. Of course she hopes the loss will be minimal and more than offset by the new readers she’ll pick up after the dust has settled, but it’s still a big gamble.
When an historical author I greatly admired switched to writing paranormals, she completely lost my interest. On the other hand, one of my auto-buy historical authors is now writing contemporaries, and I’m enjoying those even more than I did her old books. I can’t help wondering how successful (in terms of retaining old readers and gaining new ones) genre-jumping has been for those and other authors.
I’ve had a few pleasant surprises, but in general, my love fades dramatically when a favorite author departs for a new genre. How prevalent, I wonder, is that attitude among romance readers? Are you willing to follow your favorite authors anywhere, or are there places you won’t go, no matter who tries to lead you there?
Since I read all over the map, with romance only one of the literary nation-states I visit in a given month, I see what you’re talking about all the time in a variety of genres.
C. J. Cherryh, for example, writes amazing science fiction (start with “Foreigner”) which I love and amazing fantasy I can’t get through. The writing “voice” is there, the imagery, the characterizations … Just something doesn’t work for me. So I have to read the jacket notes on her novels carefully to see which I’m getting.
Many authors get around this by using pseudonyms. Kristine Kathryn Rusch, for example, writes science fiction and fantasy under her own name, write romances as Kristine Grayson and detective novels as Kris Nelscott. Dean Wesley Smith breaks it down even farther. He’s written over 80 novels under six different names, each specific to the genre or sub-genre he’s writing in.
Love ‘em or leave ‘em? I’m in the love ‘em camp — I like variety. But I don’t like surprises, so when they jump genre, I want to know it going in. (Genre jumpers are why accuracy in jacket notes is important.)
by KeVin Killiany February 2nd, 2007 at 6:35 amI can only second KeVin’s comment.
I’ve noticed that the most successful are those that write their new direction under a different name. Doing so prevents preconceived ideas as to how it will read.
Tara Jenzen has an A/K/A which I’d read first. I loved her as Glynnis, and I snapped up her books as Tara.
Jayne Ann Krentz does the same thing … different names for her historial vs. futuristic vs. contemporary books.
I’ve come to expect certain patterns under the different names … so, if a name equated with a futuristic writes historical … that’s a problem for me.
In a nut shell, in picking up that big dispenser on the restaurant table you are expecting sugar for your coffee - but you get salt.
*shudder*
by Michele February 2nd, 2007 at 7:32 am:mrgreen:I’d follow her anywhere, except horror, Erotica, vampires, werewolves, demons, witches, or medical romances. They all gross me out.:grin:
by Kimber An February 2nd, 2007 at 8:47 amIt’s a branding issue.
When I pick up a Coke, I expect to taste a Coke, with the same taste it has always had (remember the New Coke fiasco?).
If I wanted cherry flavor in it, I’d expect it to be packaged under a different name (Cherry Coke).
Same goes with authors.
Writing a different genre?
Put it under a different name.
You can associate the two (we all know that Nora Roberts is J.D. Robb) but keep readers happy and use different brand names.
by K February 2nd, 2007 at 9:24 am:neutral:So, you’re saying an author’s name becomes sort of a ‘brand name?’ I can see the value of that. On the other hand, what if the author of Harry Potter suddenly wanted to write romantic mysteries set in contemporary times. Wouldn’t it be more advantageous for her to keep the same pen name so she could bring the full weight of her celebrity with her when she crossed over?:???:
by Kimber An February 2nd, 2007 at 9:47 amThat’s kind of sad, actually. As a writer, I don’t want to be branded, at least not to the extent that I can never write something different, but am trapped writing the same thing over and over. But this is what everyone wants me to do. Yes, if you’re picking up an author and are led to believe that she’s writing romance and you discover it’s something else, that’s an issue. But if the books are clearly labeled, it should be easy enough to say, “Ah, one of his horror novels. Think I’ll wait for his next cozy mystery.”
by Michael February 2nd, 2007 at 10:04 amIf I love an author’s books in x genre, I’m going to read her other work too. But if you’re expecting an author to write, say, fantasy the same way she does romance, you’re setting yourself up to be disappointed.
I don’t get the idea that a writer should use a different pen name to differentiate genres. That’s what the label on the cover spine is for.
by Nonny February 2nd, 2007 at 10:06 amJ.K. Rowling writing as “Johanna Dubois” …
Now anyone who loves JK’s writing style can easily follow her into romance, and they know it’s going to be romance, with a ‘writing as’ name like that. But she still gets to play off her established fame.
When I was about 12, my mother picked up the new Judy Blume book at the grocery store because she knew I just LOVED anything Judy Blume. “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret”, “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing”. All of them… FAB-U-LOUS. I didn’t make it through the newest one my mother bought me. WIFEY… yeah, if anyone needed a PEN NAME it was Judy Blume when she wrote THAT. Great book. Not for 12 year olds.
I decided early on (read: before I ever had anything published) that I would separate my genres with pen names. Marjorie writes historicals, Starla Childs writes paranormal, and Hilliary Sinclair (as yet unpublished) will eventually write contemporary. I even have a different name for my erotica.
Authors, even though we are very human with all of the frailties that entails, are commodities. We sell things based on our name. So yes, our name is a brand name, just like Coke, Doritos, or Miller Genuine Draft.
But that’s just our name. The people we are, the complex, driven, talented women that we are, remains the same.
by Marjorie Jones February 2nd, 2007 at 10:50 amI wouldn’t follow my fave authors everywhere. There are lots of types of books, I just don’t enjoy and I’d hope the publisher would make it clear that the book was different from her normal type. And if she was truly a fave author, I would be checking out her website and blog, if she had one, so would know this wasn’t her typical type story and could make a decision whether to read the book or not.
As a writer, I don’t think writers should be pidgeon-holed into one kind of book per name or be be forced if they write something different into changing their pen names. As a reader, I think I’m smart enough to figure out what books I may or may not like by my fave authors. And the last thing I’d want to do is have to keep track of a bunch of AKAs.
by Melissa McClone February 2nd, 2007 at 10:58 amWriting might be personal and creative.
Getting published is business.
The publisher wants to make money,
the agent wants to make money,
the author usually wants to make money,
and the customer (the reader) wants satisfaction for her hard earned money.
I have authors on auto-buy
(and are not auto-buy readers the best readers to have?).
If its published under that name,
I buy…regardless of cover art, storyline, or even price.
I feel tricked when my auto-buy authors switch genres and don’t switch names, like they’re trying to pull a fast one over on me.
Pen names are basically free.
I, myself, have quite a few blogger names.
And it actually works out to be beneficial.
by K February 2nd, 2007 at 11:07 amI can run with several different groups of readers,
without losing any during the changeovers.
I can cross-promote.
That sort of thing.
No real downside
I’m mostly willing to give favorite authors a try when they jump to a new genre — unless they jump to a genre in which I don’t have any interest at all. Right now, I’m maxed out on the vampire and vampire-ish books and don’t want to read more of that genre than I already am. So, I didn’t travel with a fav historical author when she started her vampire series. I might be missing out on great reads, but there are other books that I’m anticipating that might get shunted aside if I picked up her vamps at present time.
With other authors, like, for example, Kay Hooper, I was willing to travel down the different genre road when she moved from Bantam Loveswepts to hardcover contemporary gothic-style, right into her deliciously creepy, paranormal/psychic suspenses.
Guess that makes my overall answer to your topic a definitive “sometimes yes, sometimes no”.
by Mary Stella February 2nd, 2007 at 12:00 pmWow. I have no idea how I ended up here. I started out at the Riding with the Top Down blog, then got lured all over the blogosphere by links
Anyway, I’m happy to have landed here today since it’s a great topic and one I’ve actually thought about a lot.
Having a very low boredom threshold, I’ve written all over the romance spectrum (category, glitz hardcover, women’s fiction, suspense, paranormal, erotic romance), but I believe readers can expect a JoAnn Ross book to be character driven, with strong, yet flawed women who’ve usually overcome adversity and to-die-for men, who tend to be either wounded alpha shell guys or bad boys, occasionally both. These men are always, deep down, protectors (as are many of my heroines), men driven to set things right.
My common theme, I’ve noticed, over 25 years and 90+ books, is redemption and my reluctant heroes often need to be convinced that they’re far better men than they think they are. (Though in Impulse, it was the wounded heroine who had the greater need to overcome her guilt from past behavior.)
There will also be a very strong sense of setting and a satisfying ending. Oh, and lots of hot sex. After that, all bets are off. You pay your money, you take your chances.
Seriously, although the spine might not always tell what kind of book it is, the cover, back cover copy, and first few pages will give a strong clue. (Or maybe, going along with what Melissa said about checking out a fave writer’s website, a warning.)
These days I’m writing hot romantic thrillers, and while I’ve received the occasional email from a reader complaining about my leaving family-centered women’s fiction to “jump on the suspense bandwagon,” I point out — politely! — that my first romance suspense came out in 1984 (back when the majority of editors AND booksellers were resisting the idea of romance and suspense together in the same story), and I subsequently wrote bunches for Temptation, Intrigue, and Mira during the ’80s and ’90s.
Because dueling publishers — NAL and Silhouette — insisted, I wrote my first 10 books under two different names. (JoAnn Robbins and JoAnn Robb.) But I’ve stuck with using my own name for all the others, regardless of subgenre, because I’ve lived with it a very long time and it’d feel odd to answer to — or write as — anyone else.
by JoAnn Ross February 2nd, 2007 at 12:47 pmp.s. Although my initial response already went way too long (hey, I’m Irish and live in the South. . . we don’t do succinct!:lol:) I realized I didn’t answer the question. I’m the same as a reader as I am a writer; if I enjoy a favorite author’s voice and stories, I’ll tend to follow him or her anywhere and usually enjoy the ride.
by JoAnn Ross February 2nd, 2007 at 12:51 pmI will follow an author who genre-jumps as long as the first “jump” book is good. I’ve walked away from some formerly must-buy authors whose transition books were flawed, in my opinion. In one case, I left behind my favorite author of ten years ago for about seven years after two “bad” books in a row, only to try her again and discover she had mastered that new genre on the very next book and I’d been missing out for years! At least I had some great books to catch up on.
For myself as a writer, I’ve chosen a pseudonym for erotica, but everything else I’m writing as Heather Hiestand. Of course, my career is young…
by Heather Hiestand February 2nd, 2007 at 2:06 pmI’ll give a favorite author a shot at wowing me in their new genre or subgenre. I don’t read many historicals these days but I still have a handful of favorite historicals writers. Some of them have over the past few years made the switch to contemporaries or contemporary romantic suspense. One of them, Christina Dodd, simply sucks at it, though. Her style hasn’t changed much and seems ill-suited to contemporaries. I tried two of the books and they were not good. I read some comments a month ago that pretty much mirrored my opinions. Her contemporaries seem oddly outdated.
by Barbara B. February 2nd, 2007 at 2:11 pm[...] I read a post earlier this morning on Romancing the Blog, Genre-Jumping Authors: Love ‘Em Or Leave ‘Em? Basically, whether or not readers like authors who write in multiple sub/genres or not. The comments, to be frank, fucking disturbed me. [...]
by Elisabeth Drake » Multi-genre Authors + Pen Names = We Can’t Win February 2nd, 2007 at 2:18 pmAs a reader, some authors I make the jump with, some I don’t. Charlaine Harris is a favorite of mine. I started with the Sookie Stackhouse books (paranormal) and adored them, and more and more I’m liking Harper Connelly (a bit darker paranormal) as well. Aurora Teagarden (mystery) didn’t do much for me, but I did try. I can deal with an author shifting, and I’ll give them a chance, particularly if I am as fond of them as I am of Harris.
Still, I like what many authors do in having different pen names for different genres. “Writing as …” gives an author the ability to capitalize on their well-known name while exploring a new genre audience. The danger becomes in the new audience not recognizing him/her as trying a new genre. I mean, would anyone blindly jump into a Stephen King romance without a fleeting worry that the lovers would be attacked by a rabid dog?
by Vicki February 2nd, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Personally, it doesn’t matter to me why readers prefer it one way or another. If I wanted to tell my stories only to myself, I wouldn’t be seeking publication. Since I am seeking publications so that I can tell my stories to others, I’m going to do whatever the majority of my readers want.:wink:
by Kimber An February 2nd, 2007 at 2:31 pmI read very little romance these days because so many of my faves either left historicals (Garwood) or jumped on the romantic suspense bandwagon (pretty much everyone else). If Garwood wrote good contemporaries I would still read her, but since she doesn’t, I don’t. Romance is for the most part the only fiction I read, so if a writer stop writing romances I stop reading them.
by Roslyn February 2nd, 2007 at 3:29 pmWell as a reader and aspiring Writer,if a favorite author switches genres I usually will buy the first new book in their new genre but if it disappoints, then that will probably mark the end of my relationship with that author unless she goes back to her original genre.
I’ve never given the whole pen name much thought but I suppose that would help, however I would imagine that most authors are trying to sway their loyal readers to join them on the other side and that’s why they continue to use the same name.
by HWJ February 2nd, 2007 at 3:45 pmI’m not a romance author, in fact, I used to abhor that lots of women I knew would ONLY read romance. But it’s terribly unfair to expect an author to write the same thing, and yet something shiny and new all the time. My stories span the speculative fiction genres with a dark slant, dark romance (not quite horror, more like Romeo and Juliet, deep passionate romantic love with a dark twist, or in a dark world), dark “soft” scifi, dark fantasy, dark YA (not Horror like RL Stine, books where sometimes bad things happen, like Harry Potter). I’m already stradling the lines of too-dark-to-be-romance and not-scary-so-it’s-not-horror. I don’t expect some one who doesn’t like werewolves to like a werewolf book just because I wrote it, but how do you know if you don’t try? And if you don’t enjoy it… well don’t stop buying my books. Check them out of the library, or read a few chapters in the store before buying them. I’m completely fine with people picking and choosing which series/stories they like. But don’t completely blacklist an author because of one book alone. (Unless it is really really, truly bad like a gothic vampire writer suddenly writing religious fiction. but then, that kind of major genre jump is usally pretty darn obvious.)
by Michele Lee February 2nd, 2007 at 4:47 pmI tend to follow my favorite authors wherever they lead because I read them for their ‘voice’ and storytelling abilities. I do find it distressing to know that so many readers get disappointed by authors switching genres without switching names. I’ve jumped around in genres from the beginning. Maybe that’s what my readers expect. Shrug.
by Jordan February 2nd, 2007 at 5:10 pmPerhaps it is about changing styles rather than changing genres - there’s one mystery writer who I eagerly preorder - for one of the two series she writes. The other? Well, I’ve read a couple, and will read more if they come my way, but I’m not hooked.
by Marianne McA February 2nd, 2007 at 5:36 pmOn the whole, if I’ve liked someone’s voice I’d be willing to follow them across genres - sometimes it works, and sometimes not.
It’s not only a matter of expectations - it’s also a matter of the skills the author has. She might be wickedly witty, but poor at plotting. If she writes an action adventure, it’s never going to be good.
I read through all of the comments just now, and this has been a fascinating discussion. A couple of commenters have seemed to suggest that readers’ expectations are sometimes unreasonable. As Michelle Lee wrote, “…it’s terribly unfair to expect an author to write the same thing, and yet something shiny and new all the time.”
What on earth has fairness got to do with it? A reader buys novels for entertainment. She doesn’t owe allegiance or even a “fair hearing” to any author. The time and money she spends on books is hers. She might be seduced into buying certain books, but she certainly won’t be guilted into doing so. To suggest that it’s unfair for her to demand a certain type of product from her favorite authors (or publishers or genres) is ludicrous. She wants what she wants, and the customer is always right.
Those of us who have wondered why some authors don’t take pseudonyms when genre-jumping (or why other authors do) can find the answer, I think, in these comments: Some readers will follow a favorite author anywhere and some readers won’t. Surely the decision to keep an established name or adopt a new one is difficult for any author; I think we can see from these comments why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to weigh in on this.
by Brenda Coulter February 2nd, 2007 at 7:20 pmI am willing to follow a writer to a new genre. I remember when there was a secret book that told us what other name our favorite author wrote under. If an author was good at one genre then I wanted to see what else they wrote. Sometimes I liked it and sometimes that was the end, but I really loved discovering something new.
by readerdiane February 2nd, 2007 at 10:03 pmI actually like it when a favorite romance writer switches subgenres. Particularly if they go from historicals to contemporaries, my current favorite. I’d love to see what Judith Ivory, Madeline Hunter, and Megan Chance could do with a contemporary. It would be great to see all of that intensity and angst in a contemporary setting. I somehow doubt that it will ever happen, though. They seem to be die-hard historical romance writers.
by Barbara B. February 3rd, 2007 at 3:41 am:mrgreen:Oh, yeah, Barbara, good idea. Another one I like is to take one of those Regency heroines and time travel her here to the present.
That could be a hot, funny one!:lol: I like ‘funny’ much better than dark. There’s already enough dark in the world.
by Kimber An February 3rd, 2007 at 8:24 amI’m one of the ones who tend to follow their favorite authors everywhere. I get bored when authors seem to write the same books over and over. I want surprises. I read in a wide variety of genres - romance, suspense, fantasy, mystery, historical, science fiction, contemporary (or women’s), chick lit - so authors have a pretty good chance of staying in a genre I read.
I can see why some authors use pen names, though. After all, what guy is going to pick up a thriller written by Karen Kingsbury?
by Katie Hart February 3rd, 2007 at 1:37 pmAs another poster suggested, this is probably why many authors will take a penname (or a different penname) when changing genres.
by L.K. Campbell February 4th, 2007 at 9:43 pmWhether I follow a favorite author to a different genre will depend on whether I like that genre. For instance, I don’t care for horror or excessive violence, and will likely not read it even if my favorite authors writes it.
Great website, well done to the webmaster on all his hard work!Loved the score section, a good idea. Had a good look around and enjoyed the site, will be back again in future.Best Regards ,Albert
by Albert February 21st, 2007 at 3:43 amencompas insurance