Historical Novels - Not Romances?

tammay · Jul 4, 2010

Hi everyone,
I've been browsing this forum and so far much of what I see has to do with historical romance. Among my WIP I have a novel that is not a romance but takes place in 19th century San Francisco and tells of the deterioration of a family. I'm curious whether there might be a market for such a thing.

I haven't done research but I do recall writing a short story for a course I took in grad school set in the early 20th century and I got chastised for it by the professor who insisted that there was no market for a historical story unless it is a historical novel (a la Harlequin and the like).

Tam

jennontheisland · Jul 4, 2010

There are markets for all kinds of stories. But the claim that all historicals have to be romances (or that all romances are Harlequins) is entirely false.

I've rarely seen things set in the 20th century marketed as "historical". Every publisher will have its own definition for that. A bit more research into definitions and markets might be warranted.

timewaster · Jul 5, 2010

I think this is nonsense - historical crime, military historical and family sagas are all published and some are even successful.

DianeL · Jul 5, 2010

I'm seriously depressed someone that ignorant is a professor (it's too much for me to even bear asking "in what discipline?" - the answer would only sink me farther into despond). Good grief.

Bookewyrme · Jul 5, 2010

Yea, as far as that professor is concerned, I have to wonder how he got into a position to declaim about something he clearly is so ignorant about. As for non-romance historicals, there is definitely a market for them. And there's plenty of historical novels which may have a thread of romance as part of the story, but I couldn't imagine them being classified as "historical romance" at all.

AZ_Dawn · Jul 5, 2010

That professor sounds like my dad. He told me I'm not going to make it because the only book that sells nowadays having lots of cuss words and sex. (Don't judge Dad too harshly, though; he's wrong, but he honestly believes he's looking out for me.)

Bookewyrme said:
As for non-romance historicals, there is definitely a market for them. And there's plenty of historical novels which may have a thread of romance as part of the story, but I couldn't imagine them being classified as "historical romance" at all.

I glad for that. I'm of the Peanuts school of romance: requited love/lust in a work of cheese is no fun.

mscelina · Jul 5, 2010

Our new Aurora imprint at AMP is actively seeking historical novels. Romance is optional.

RJK · Jul 5, 2010

My WIP takes place 1881-1884, an arctic expedition. There will be no female characters except flashbacks and a chapter where the leader's wife fights the government to send rescue ships for her husband and his men. Definitely no kissy-face romance.

donroc · Jul 5, 2010

PhDs for dummies??????? I missed that book. When it comes to the real world, ignore what profs have to say unless they have been out there.

Imagine: A or B+ student goes to the big U, gets BA, MA, PhD, and teaches. No non-academic life experience. Cauldron to replicate idiot-savants.

tammay · Jul 5, 2010

Thanks, everybody. I was none too happy about that professor's advice, but I think she was thinking of those "small" literary magazines, not novel publishers. Needless to say, I did not follow her advice - I revised and wrote the story as is

.

Tam

BardSkye · Jul 5, 2010

mscelina said:
Our new Aurora imprint at AMP is actively seeking historical novels. Romance is optional.

Hmm. Maybe it's time to finish my damned book. Unfortunately, you'll probably have too many to read by the time I do.

mscelina · Jul 5, 2010

There are never too many books for me to read. Trust me.

Tika · Sep 26, 2010

Bookewyrme said:
Yea, as far as that professor is concerned, I have to wonder how he got into a position to declaim about something he clearly is so ignorant about. As for non-romance historicals, there is definitely a market for them. And there's plenty of historical novels which may have a thread of romance as part of the story, but I couldn't imagine them being classified as "historical romance" at all.

I certainly hope so, because my historical novel set in Chicago in the late 1880's has only a smidge of romance. It's entitled For the Love of Anne, but the story is about a home for immigrants, a family and the businesses they started, and America's first serial killer. We shall see. If anyone is interested in preview, you can read the first four Chapters:
http://www.thistlewoodpublishing.com/READ_SAMPLE_CHAPTERS.php

rosepetal720 · Sep 28, 2010

I'm all about breaking the mold, but a historic book that isn't romantic isn't revolutionary. Tons of books are like that.

I spoke to a professor about my book, and he looked me straight in the eye and said (and I quote), "A book like that would never sell." He may or may not have been right, but it was pretty disheartening. Then I realized he wasn't a publisher or an agent, so what does he know?

Siddharta · Sep 28, 2010

Just throw your two main characters into a hayloft and have them emerge the next morning with their hair messed up. Problem solved.

ChronicSelfEditor · Sep 28, 2010

My main focus as a reader has been - for the last two years (this Thanksgiving) - historical fiction. Not one book I've picked up has been historical romance. I OD'd on romances when I was younger and then became a cynical adult and now loathe them. So it is quite possible to write and publish and sell historical non-romance very well. I am a member of a historical fiction forum and there's loads of books listed on there that aren't romances.

The problem as I see it is the historical romances seem to stick out more at bookstores because historical fiction is mixed in with the regular fiction. You either have to know of a book or author to search for or spend endless hours reading the blurbs on the backs of thousands of books. Joining that forum was the best thing I've ever done because a lot of members will review the books they read so you can easily comb through those and make a list of the books that sound interesting to you.

Don't worry tammay, there's someone out there ready to read your non-romance historical novel. I promise.

MelissaAnne · Oct 1, 2010

NolaBlue said:
My main focus as a reader has been - for the last two years (this Thanksgiving) - historical fiction. Not one book I've picked up has been historical romance. I OD'd on romances when I was younger and then became a cynical adult and now loathe them. So it is quite possible to write and publish and sell historical non-romance very well. I am a member of a historical fiction forum and there's loads of books listed on there that aren't romances.

The problem as I see it is the historical romances seem to stick out more at bookstores because historical fiction is mixed in with the regular fiction. You either have to know of a book or author to search for or spend endless hours reading the blurbs on the backs of thousands of books. Joining that forum was the best thing I've ever done because a lot of members will review the books they read so you can easily comb through those and make a list of the books that sound interesting to you.

Don't worry tammay, there's someone out there ready to read your non-romance historical novel. I promise.

Nola, I'm the same as you. I OD'd on romances, too, and I can't stand to read them now. However, the books I write will always have a love story in them.

Just to clarify, though, I'm not slamming the romance novel genre (I used to belong to RWA and was president of my local chapter), but I get so tired of the focus on the "sexual tension" and the "attraction" between the two main characters in the story, not to mention the industry's attention on the same (romance novel hero model contests and the like). That's just me, though. My tastes have simply changed.

What forum did you join? I'd like to find a historical fiction writing site, too.

kittyhoward · Oct 1, 2010

I suppose my WIP about Henry Tudor and his wives could classify as 'historical romance' but romance novels just make me think really trashy porn.

MelissaAnne · Oct 1, 2010

kittyhoward said:
I suppose my WIP about Henry Tudor and his wives could classify as 'historical romance' but romance novels just make me think really trashy porn.

No, I think it would be historical fiction and not historical romance because #1, he was a real historical figure and #2, there's really not a happily ever after.

kittyhoward · Oct 1, 2010

Okay, that is a relief to know!

Belle_91 · Oct 26, 2010

mscelina said:
Our new Aurora imprint at AMP is actively seeking historical novels. Romance is optional.

Do they accept YA and works that are over the 70,000 marker. My YA ms stands at like 74,000 right now. Anyways, I was just wondering.

job · Nov 13, 2010

Go here to see a list of Historical Fiction Bestsellers at Amazon.

Some may contain love stories and have happy endings. Most don't. But these books are not marketed or shelved as Romance genre.

n.b. I write Historical Romance and am just tickled pink to do so.

Historical Novels - Not Romances?

Got the hang of it, here

the world is at my command

present

Imagined half of it.

AW Addict

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

Historicals and Horror rule

Got the hang of it, here

Barbershoppin' Harmony Whore

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

Old kid, be gentle!

Let the wild rumpus start!

Lazy Kid, be gentle

F.K.A. NolaBlue

tudor nerd

tudor nerd

With her nose stuck in a book

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript