So I was at the book store today...

AngelaA · Jul 9, 2009

and was marveling at the volume of paranormal romances available. I think this is great because I love reading and writing this genre but I couldn’t help but think that it’s so flooded now that we must be reaching the breaking point.
So I’m wondering what you all think. Is paranormal on its way out? Are we nearing the end or are things now shifting to Urban Fantasy (which, to be perfectly honest is not a whole lot different).
And what are you predictions for the next trend in romance? What do the readers want more of?

caromora · Jul 9, 2009

People have been saying that the market is saturated with paranormal and trying to figure out the next big trend for the past two or three years now...and paranormal is still going strong.

The urban fantasy market is pretty saturated, too, but it keeps selling and people keep buying.

dnic · Jul 9, 2009

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that it's not. I think at one point in the past few years, it started to dwindle a little bit, but it jumped back up.

Might be staying around for a while.

brainstorm77 · Jul 10, 2009

I can't see paranormal romance dying out anytime soon.

ellisnation · Jul 10, 2009

I agree with brainstorm. It's here to stay. Even is it's not trendy, people like what they like. There will always be lovers of paranormal fiction.

DeleyanLee · Jul 10, 2009

Heh. The first time I heard that Paranormal Romance was on its deathbed was in 1997, my second year in RWA. Heh. Don't bother starting a chapter for it--it's not going to be around long enough, "they" said. Heh. Put your energies into regular Historicals because they'll be around forever. Heh.

(Heh=me trying not to ROFLMAO for the last 12 years)

Zipotes · Jul 10, 2009

I've read so much paranormal romance, but I still crave it to no end.

Irysangel · Jul 10, 2009

I heard somewhere that paranormal is pretty much a 'market staple' at this point. Not sure about urban fantasy, because I have heard that THAT particular side of the market is tight and growing tighter.

Cathy C · Jul 10, 2009

It's important to note that urban fantasies have always been around---they've just been shelved elsewhere. Charles de Lint, commonly credited with starting the genre, was shelved in either Fantasy or Horror. Emma Bull's "War for the Oaks" another genre creator, was in Fantasy. Fritz Leiber's "Conjure Wife" was shelved in SF. Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde series was in Horror, as was Simon Green.

It's always been around. We just have a new name for it presently, and it'll continue to be around long after we come up with a different name.

AllieGirl · Jul 16, 2009

My husband works for an arts/entertainment media publication and they get tons of books pre-publication for review. They don't review romance as a rule, so he brings them home to me. In the last six months, all they've gotten is paranormal romance with a couple of historicals. I thought this was so odd, but now I'm reading here that it's a hot new market. I don't know if the publishers are pushing it, which is why they're sending them all out for review, or if there's just so many of them compared to other genres.

D.Avet · Jul 17, 2009

I think the paranormal market will probably continue to go strong. I've no doubt that there are ups and downs in every subgenre. I personally love paranormal romance and would prefer to read strictly that, but since I'm a fast reader, my favorite authors can't keep up (darn it)!

I don't think anyone can predict where the market goes. New readers find their way into the romance genre every day (and after feeling around will find the subgenre that flips their twinkie) and veterans will have their favorites. Viva la paranormal!

Aileen Harkwood · Jul 17, 2009

God, I hope it doesn't die out. Besides being what I love to write, it's also the main type of romance I prefer to read.

The thing is there is so much variation within this subgenre, and so many possibilities for stories (even beyond vampires and shapeshifters), that I believe we have a lot more we can explore.

So I was at the book store today...

AngelaA

Are we there yet?

caromora

Still alive. Kind of.

dnic

Resident Lurker

brainstorm77

practical experience, FTW

ellisnation

Rhiannon Ellis

DeleyanLee

Writing Anarchist

Zipotes

Irysangel

She of Many Names

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

AllieGirl

Sin is geographical

D.Avet

Tripping the light Romantastically

Aileen Harkwood

Paranormal Suspense Writer