Is Paranormal Romance so overdone that it’s on the verge of being passé? What distinguishes the good from the blah?
I must admit that I have always loved paranormal stories, the creepier the better, but I always steered clear of the romance sections in bookstores. Since I love anything to do with vampires, zombies, werewolves, demons, ghosts, dragons, aliens, shape shifters, or fairies, it was natural to pick up the book that pushed the PNR genre into the spotlight. Twilight had taken readers by storm and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. It had vampires in it, right? I’m not even sure what drove me to like Twilight. Bella Swan was weak and annoying, the writing was mediocre, the romance was trite and at times completely ridiculous, yet it cast a spell on me. Despite the flaws, I kept turning the pages and buying the books, somehow, they worked.
That was four years ago. Now the bookstores are overflowing with Twilightesque novels labelled as Paranormal Romance. I’m always intrigued by their moody covers and paranormal blurbs, and find myself reading more and more of them. Sometimes I get a pleasant surprise and run across something truly awesome such as Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, but usually they fall short of amazing. Most of them are just blah. The last five I’ve read (new books by both indie and traditional publishing houses) sounded promising, but in the end their plots have gone something like this:
Girl meets gorgeous, perfect, amazing, dangerous mystery guy that she’s drawn to for no apparent reason. The boy has a secret. He’s a vampire, werewolf, angle, demon, ghost, farie, or shape shifter and he spends the whole book saying he will tell her but not actually telling her said secret. They kiss, a lot, and then he pretends he hates her to protect her. She cries and moons over why he doesn’t like her. They can’t stay away from each other. He protects her from some big bad. She finds he has power too. She gives up everything for him. Book one’s done, let’s set up for another blah sequel. Sound familiar?
When I wrote the first draft of Touched by Darkness, nobody had even heard of Stephanie Meyer or Twilight. Books like Gossip Girls were all the rage and marketing, what I then called a supernatural thriller, difficult. When Twilight came out, I was thrilled; the market was swinging back towards paranormal stories. I’m not convinced Touched by Darkness fits perfectly as YA Paranormal Romance, but that’s what I’m calling it now. The story is more about Quinn’s journey battling her materializing inner demons and Aaron’s pain in using his new psychic ability to recover his memory after being in a coma for over a year, than it is about their romance. But there is romance. It grows (I hope) out of not only a supernatural connection, but out of finding a kindred sprit who understands what the other is going through in a way that nobody else can.
And that, to me, is what’s making so many YA Paranormal Romance novels so blah. There is no spark, the characters don’t live and breathe in a way that makes you really care about them. The romance doesn’t grow, it just is. The girls tend to be weak and annoying. I don’t mind reading books with similar plot lines, but make them interesting. Make me care. Put your heart and soul on the pages. Don’t write a paranormal romance because the market tells you this is trendy, but because your characters have a story to tell. Write, and re-write, and work your book till it sings. Don’t settle for blah, strive for amazing.
As the market becomes saturated with paranormal romance, it’s going to be harder and harder to market your book, wheather that be to self publish or to find an agent. Blah won’t cut it. I can smell it coming; the winds are going to change sooner or later, and paranormal romance won’t be the big thing anymore. How will you make your book stand out?
Do you think paranormal romance is on the verge of becoming passé?
Not sure about PNR, as I haven’t read much (or should I say ‘any’). But I know what you mean about weak and annoying female protags. I also know what you mean about wanting a romance to ‘unfold,’ without seeming forced or without foundation.
I knew I wanted strong female protags from the start. I felt so strongly about it I created a female warrior sect for my otherwise fairly straightforward Alternate Historical novel. They are one of the most fantastical elements of what I now label as a Historical Fantasy trilogy. But a funny thing developed as the story unfolded. One day it dawned on me that I was writing a romance. Or rather that romance was one of the strongest elements of the story. It terrified me at first. I’ve grown more comfortable with it, and have since found other writers doing this sub-genre well (Jacqueline Carey, first and foremost–Go JC!).
I’m working really hard on it now, sharpening the motives of the characters, trying to keep it from being blah. And maybe, just maybe, it can be amazing. I’ve been amazed several times along the way. I hope my readers will be as well. I guessing yours will be too, Heather. Good post.
I love Young Adult books and my favorites are of the paranormal variety. I think the books labeled as paranormal romance are a bit overdone. Many of the stories are beginning to sound way too similar. Kirsten White actually posted a blog that seems to sum up the YA genre and its variety (or lack thereof) of basic plots. My biggest pet peeves are the poorly done romances, the seriously lacking/predictable characters, and the lack-luster dialog.
I find it really aggravating that the main character and his/her love interest have no reason for being in love other than some mystical reason. That or the love becomes so all-consuming so quickly that by page 2 of the relationship, the girl will die without the boy and the boy would die to save his girl. I’m sorry; that is a bit unrealistic even for teenagers. I was a teen not that long ago. I fell ‘in love’ several times. I cried when the ‘love of my life’ was no longer the love of my life. Never once did I think I would die without him. Never once did I think to die to save him.
I’m also tired of the cookie-cutter characters. My least favorite is the ‘oh-so-sensitive-artistic-hunky-guy’ who just gushes romance on every page. Have any of you EVER met a guy like that? I haven’t, and I don’t think I’d want to either. One weepy, over-emotional person in a relationship is enough for me!
What truly kills the books for me is the ridiculous dialog. It’s either over-the-top mush or it’s so choppy you end up feeling like you’re on the Jet Ski behind a speedboat on Wii Sports. Do the authors ever read aloud the dialog to make sure it even sounds okay?
Maybe, if Touched By Darkness touches on romance but doesn’t exist solely because of/for the romance, it should be included in the YA Urban Fantasy rather than Paranormal Romance. That’s what I’m labeling mine as because, yeah – there’s love and stuff, but it isn’t the main focus of the story.
It’s alive and well until the readers stop buying them. I have to say I loved Twilight, but not the weak female lead. It’s what made me write something completely different. I don’t like blah and I don’t think that’s what I write. With Twilight no more those readers need something else to read, and I’m all for filling that void!
Elizabeth Loraine author of Royal Blood Chronicles and Phantom Lives.
Actually – what I think is that paranormal romance will fall into a consistent category on the par of Silhouette or Harlequin – small books that are celebrated by their fans for having those ‘reliable’ characteristics.
Unfortunately, as much as I find it personally irritating, weak girls who exist only to be ‘saved’ and ‘defined’ by their men are here to stay. I just won’t personally read them! That being said – give me paranormal romance with REAL people and solid characters and I love them!
I love this post (like I love all your posts, lol). And I agree with you 100%. I wrote my female lead to be strong. I’m married, but you can ask my husband, I’m ridiculously independent (he may say it’s stubbornness, and well…he may be right). I want my girl to be too. I want her to make choices, not have them made for her. I want her to think them through, understand the consequences instead of blindly loving someone just for the sake of loving someone.
I also love romances that bloom. Blessed Defiance is told from two POV, one male and one female. They have been best friends since they could walk, their romance grows. It didn’t just happen over night. It’s not a paranormal romance, but I want my lead strong, my male not to be cruel for the sake of being cruel, and the love to be there because it’s actual LOVE.
I like the way you think 🙂 Can’t wait to read Touched by Darkness. I’m sure it will be FABULOUS.
Once again, lovely post 🙂
As long as there is a market for them, they will stay until someone comes up with something different.
Hi Heather,
Your twitter link doesn’t seem to be working. I just wanted to let you know what we had someone pass on their prize for WriteOnCon, so I drew a new winner and the winner is you! It’s a query or first page critique from Shannon Messenger, if ya want it. Check out the site for details.
http://writeoncon.com/2011/08/prizes-prizes-prizes-oh-and-winners/