What is conventional or traditional romance?

c.m.n. · Oct 15, 2011

I know the mechanics needed for erotic romance but, as I am new to the whole writing romance world, I'm trying to find information on conventional and traditional romances.

What are the mechanics that set each one apart from each other?

fyi: I'm trying to write erotic romance but an editor's recent rejection told me I was writing conventional and I didn't have enough emotion for traditional or erotic. I don't think emotion levels are the only think that separates the two...

sunandshadow · Oct 15, 2011

Wow, that's a weird rejection. Amount of emotion is not something I would ever thought of as a difference between one type of romance and another - they all need desire and angst and humor and anger and fear and depression in there somewhere.

scarletpeaches · Oct 15, 2011

If there wasn't enough emotion there for the publisher, maybe they didn't believe in the sexual attraction between the two main characters?

jennontheisland · Oct 15, 2011

Those are probably the editor's own personal way of describing things. I suspect if you asked for definitions of "conventional" "traditional" or "erotic" you'd get different answers from everyone here. In fact, there are already numerous threads debating the definition of erotic.

c.m.n. · Oct 15, 2011

scarletpeaches said:
If there wasn't enough emotion there for the publisher, maybe they didn't believe in the sexual attraction between the two main characters?

That is what they mentioned, actually. Something along the lines.

Sorry, could never figure out a multi-quote....

As for asking for definitions, I do know the "definition" of erotic from looking around the forums

But I've never heard of conventional romance. Google pulls up nada. I did pull up stuff on traditional romance but not a definition or what separates the types from each other.

Now I wonder if there are two??

sunandshadow · Oct 15, 2011

Conventional might be the modern version of traditional. Either way it's the general type of thing that ends with a wedding.

c.m.n. · Oct 15, 2011

Or a happy ever after type ending??

ryannj5 · Oct 15, 2011

When I think of traditional romance, I think of a novel written in 3rd person, with a virgin MC who meets a man. They don't get along a first - they have conflicting priorities, personalities, whatever, but they eventually fall for each other, then have some hot and steamy sex, then happily-ever-after, they get married.

Ann_Mayburn · Oct 16, 2011

By conventional they could be referring to the Harlequin/etc books with more closed door sex and less of it. Want to know the absolute bestest ever way to figure out what that editor in particular wants? BUY BOOKS that she's edited.

Seriously, no need to try to puzzle out what she wants when you have a back list of examples of work she's bought, edited, and helped to polish to what she considers a shine. This applies for any publisher you're thinking of submitting to. If you haven't bought at least three of their books and checked them out for content and mistakes your doing yourself a disservice.

veinglory · Oct 16, 2011

It isn't a category, it is two words referencing romance that is conventional, that is: "in accordance with what is generally done"

What is conventional or traditional romance?

c.m.n.

Beary cute ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

scarletpeaches

jennontheisland

the world is at my command

c.m.n.

Beary cute ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

c.m.n.

Beary cute ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

ryannj5

Ann_Mayburn

Smutty McTitters

veinglory

volitare nequeo