So who are these women (and occasional males) that write historical romance novels? As a reader, if you haven’t been following the ever-changing landscape in the publishing world, authors come in a variety pack. From young to old, these are the people who pen your stories that you rate from one to five stars. We all have favorite sub-genres. We all have favorite eras. We all have the likable type of hero and heroine. However, with such a variety of authors, it may be hard to weed through the inundated market of romance these days.
The Traditional
These are the ones who have chosen the traditional publishing world. They traveled the rough trail of submissions and rejections and paid their dues. They were proficient in writing great query letters to hook agents. Others were persistent, knocking on doors of publishers that accept direct submissions. Whatever gateway they have been fortunate enough to open, it has provided them support from big-named publishers and smaller publishing houses on the road to release. These authors have a unique experience with their publishers who do it all – editing, cover design, distribution, in addition to bearing the majority of costs associated with publishing a book.
The Indie
Once coined the vanity writers, self-published authors or “indies” as many call them, are an entirely different breed. At first, they came out of the gate with a less than warm welcome or reputation, often coined as the slush pile rejects or wood-be, mediocre writers. However, as the years have passed, the indies have taken over a large portion of the market, including reaching the USA Today and NYT best-seller lists. They have gained great strides in gaining respect and earnings. Supposedly, indies are control freaks. They enjoy full engagement in their artistic endeavors. The smart ones seek out good editors to tone their content and talented graphic artists to do their covers. It’s a learning experience in ISBN’s, eBook formatting, printing, distribution, marketing, etc., because they immerse themselves in the publishing world in order to succeed. They are the independent ones who bear the cost of getting their books into print.
The Hybrid
What in the world is a hybrid? No, it’s not a new dinosaur about to hatch that will grow up to eat you or your book. It’s an author who enjoys both worlds – the traditional and the self-published. It’s a path that some individuals pursue in a variety of ways. It’s not unusual for a traditionally published author to take a book when the rights have reverted back to her or him and self-published it afterward. Frankly, it’s a sweet spot for many because they are well known as traditional authors who already have a fan base. However, this route may take negotiation because some publishers insist on a non-compete clause that prevents authors from self-publishing while under contract.
In the end, I like to think that all three author varieties have one common goal — to spread the romance together. At Historical Romance Books, whatever path to print you have chosen, you are welcome on our pages.
Historical Romance Books Admin
HISTORICAL ROMANCE BOOKS 