Not sure this type of book exists...

bearilou said:

My biggest pet peeve with Hollywood is shoe-horning a romance relationship into the story that didn't need one. Not that sex or any interest in it isn't part of being human, but sometimes I really do wonder why this desperate need (it appears to me) Hollywood has in giving the MC a boyfriend/girlfriend when the story, or the character growth, has no need for it.

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(1) It's easy shorthand for a lot of things, primarily getting the audience to sympathize with a character, and getting believable character motivation.

(2) They think it's what sells. Because it does.

dempsey said:

(1) It's easy shorthand for a lot of things, primarily getting the audience to sympathize with a character, and getting believable character motivation.

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Yeah. Which is a shame.

dempsey said:

(2) They think it's what sells. Because it does.

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I have to wonder about that. I love action movies. Give me explosions and guns and car chases and fighting and stuff. I'll spend my money on that like crazy. If they toss in a romance because they need the shorthand to character development doesn't mean I approve or are even supporting it by spending my money on seeing it.

In other words, the relationship didn't sell me on the movie, even though it's present. I know I'm not the only one.

So I'm not convinced it sells all that much, but I can be convinced that TPTB think it does.

JJM said:

I aint very hopeful.
I'm looking for a book, or books if you know em, that are urban fantasy, and involve supernatural creatures, but there is no romance in the story, or at least if there is, the author makes an actual attempt at it. I don't want to spend half of yet another story listening to how incredible sexy this man/woman is, and people being 'mysteriously' attracted to one another.
Sex without romance being involved is...okay I guess.

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I've written one.

The feedback I'm getting from agents? "Needs a romantic angle."

PortableHal said:

I've written one.

The feedback I'm getting from agents? "Needs a romantic angle."

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I would be curious if they share their reasons as to why they think that.

bearilou said:

I would be curious if they share their reasons as to why they think that.

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Agents don't always look at what's selling and follow along like sheep. It's quite possible that the agents simply feel, right or wrong, that this particular book needs a romantic angle to make it work.

Or not. Maybe they feel it's a harder sale without one. But it's not a given that all agents are focused solely on sales and don't understand or care about how good a book is or why it "works" or not.