Saturday Chit-Chat
In keeping with Saturday’s theme of writing related business - here is a question JODIE asked: What are the pros and cons for starting out writing category or single title?
CP: I had corresponded with Jodie and my take on this initially was: write what you love instead of writing to market. If you love reading category, write it. There is no better place to hone your craft than to have to write a story within the confines of a set number of pages. BUT if you are writing category because you think it’s an easy in to sell, don’t do it. Sure you might not need an agent to sell category, but editors can sense someone who isn’t in it for the love of category romance. The same with single title. It’s equally challenging to write a long single title and sustain a story, not have a sagging middle, etc. It all comes down to writing what you want to write.
JD: I think, for me, writing category romance (Harlequin) before taking the leap to single title was a huge help. With category, I learned how to really construct a story and develop plot — in smaller, baby steps kind of way. Plot has never been one of my strong suits — I’m more of a character writer –and writing single titles require so much more plot development than a shorter category. So, category was the perfect stepping stone to writing single titles and enabled me to take the time to learn how to plan and develop a bigger plot. I think if I had started out writing single titles FIRST, I’m pretty sure I would have spent many years struggling to plot out 400 pages of a story, and do it successfully. Writing category gave me the tools to be able to do that in a clear, concise way. But, as Carly said above, it does come down to writing what you want to write — this is just my personal experience!
JL: I agree with Carly when she said you have to love category. That’s because you have to read it to understand it. Really read it. I know authors who have sold one or two books in category and then can’t do anymore and most of the time, it’s because they really don’t understand the line they are writing for–and by not understanding the line, they don’t understand reader expectations. Category is a wonderful thing. It’s a romance novel just like single title…with great characters, great plot, great everything…but in a shorter, concentrated form and with a particular theme. The pros of writing category first is that you have built-in distribution for your books and automatic publisher support. In single title, each book is sold in to the stores individually and Borders, let’s say, might take a small order on a brand new author with no track record. Category is sold in as a group, so it doesn’t matter if you’re new, you get the same support as all the authors in the line. Category guarantees pretty darned good distribution, depending on the line. There’s more…but bottom line is you have to love category. If you don’t, you won’t succeed–at least, not in the long run.
LK: Sorry for not being here early…totally forgot to check and I’ve been busy celebrating my m-i-l’s departure all morning. 
I don’t have much to add to what the others have all said. I started writing category because I loved to read it…just like everyone has said. You can’t just decide to write “one of those little books” because you think it’s easy–I know people who’ve done that and who are shocked when they can’t sell. An editor can spot someone who doesn’t know/like/respect her genre.
Good morning - thanks for answering my question. My instincts have been guiding me in the direction of category (mostly for the reasons Janelle said) and I do love reading Blaze, I just wanted confirmation for my thinking.
A quick update on hubby…the nurses tell me he’s doing great, so I guess I have to take their word for it. He’s doing and saying very bizarre things, which is terribly difficult to watch because he has always been such a “with it” person. Sometimes I’m very flighty and dingy - he never is - so it is so strange to watch.
ie. he used a spoon for his orange juice, told the nurse we had 2 children, a boy and a girl ages 8 & 10 (we have 2 boys, 12 and 20!)
and insisted he could hear the woman in the room next to him opening and closing her eyes!
When they asked him what month it was he said “Saturday.” And they’re sending this man home with me today!!!!!
They say as the medicine leaches out of his system and the swelling subsides that type of behavior will go away. I sure hope so because I’m not sure how much I can take of him saying, “Somethings wrong!” “What’s wrong?” “The head of the bed is up!”
I think I need some of his drugs!!
Comment by Jodie — August 4, 2007 @ 8:04 am
Jodie, Julie and Leslie will hop and reply too.
HUGS on your husband. Remember Bob Woodward’s story? He was doing and saying strange things too. In his case, some had to be relearned because it was a traumatic brain injury, but it came back. We’re all praying for him and for you! :love2:
Comment by Carly — August 4, 2007 @ 8:10 am
Jodie, I have been an ICU nurse for years and believe me when I say the brain is amazing and when the swelling subsides and the medication wears
off you will see improvement. I will be praying for you.
Great question, by the way!
Comment by Patricia — August 4, 2007 @ 10:12 am
Jodie — I’m just so happy that he came out of the surgery okay and now he’s well enough to go back home. Yeah!!! I’m sure in a few weeks the two of you will be laughing over some of the silly things he’s said, LOL! Hang in there, and try to remember to take care of yourself, too, through all this! BIG HUGS!
Comment by Janelle — August 4, 2007 @ 10:31 am
I am going to err on the side of being ignorant here, but can you, anybody, explain the difference between category and single title?
Jodie I will keep your husband in my prayers…Just know that there are people out here rooting for you and your family…
Comment by Paula R. — August 4, 2007 @ 11:04 am
Good morning~ Thanks for the great insight into category v. single title.
Jodie, I’m so glad your hubby is coming home today and I’m sending loads of warm wishes to you! Take good care and before you know it, everything will be back to normal
Comment by Robin — August 4, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Paula, the main difference right now is length. Category books tend to be shorter, with most category books at 60K words or lower. Single title books tend to be 90K or higher. 85K is probably more standard for trade paperback.
But more than that, category books are designed to appeal to a certain audience. The demographic, for instance, fo Blaze margins out at the 25-35 market, though OF COURSE there are readers who are older and that are younger. The “theme” of the line is a super-hot read, so all the books will have that in common. There will be a focus on the sexual relationship.
Another line, let’s say, Harlequin Intrigue, skews a little older in its demographic–probably 40-50. The books “theme” is romantic suspense, so the focus of the books is there, rather than on the sex. The sex can range from really hot to not…depending on the author, but the focus of the books is on the suspense plot.
Blazes can have a suspense plot. Some can be very suspensy. But they have to have that sexual focus or else it’s not a Blaze.
Category romance strives to appeal to people who do not have a lot of time to make their book buying decisions. Want a foreign fantasy with a alpha hero? Pick up a Presents. Want a more American tale in the same vein? Go for a Desire. Want a paranormal? Nocture. A meatier tale, maybe with some serious issue incorporated into the story? Superromance. See how it works?
Single titles, on the other hand, run the gamut. There is no similar theme between books and readers tend to buy more by author than by line and they take more time to purchase. Not saying that category readers DO NOT buy by author–we know they do–but that’s not the focus of the marketing.
Of course, this is all my opinion and might not be entirely accurate.
Comment by Julie Leto — August 4, 2007 @ 11:43 am
Jodie, glad to hear the hubby is improving!
Comment by Julie Leto — August 4, 2007 @ 11:45 am
Prayers, Jodie, for you and your husband. Great question, BTW.
The problem I have sometimes is in understanding the differences between the categories. Some are obvious like Blaze vs. Intrigue vs. Superromance. Some seem more nuanced.
The reader demographics for each line is very interesting. Is that information available somewhere?
Comment by PatriciaW — August 4, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Jodie, hang in there. My hubby says stupid stuff and he has no excuse.
My dad still can’t remember my full name and birthday (okay, I will be 37 this month, you think he could get it right, sometime).
Leslie: Yey on MIL leaving. You are braver than I.
Janelle: I just finished WILDE THING. All I can say, is holy cow. Geez.
Carly and Julie: Happy Saturday!
Comment by katie — August 4, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
Katie — You made me laugh regarding your comment about your husband saying stupid stuff all the time and he has no excuse
So glad you enjoyed WILDE THING!!!
Comment by Janelle — August 4, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
First, Jodie, ((((hugs))))! Hope he recovers quickly. Prayers coming your way!
As for category vs single title, I write both. Whichever gets published first is fine by me. I enjoy both, and the ideas I get dictate the type and size of book. I think the category editors seem (personal opinion here) more available and accessable to unpublished writers. Even HQN won’t read anything but a query from unagented writers, whereas category still takes ‘em all. That alone makes it *seem* easier to get in the door. The writing still has to speak for itself, of course. My theory is to write from my heart, and one day someone will want it! I hope….
Thanks for addressing this. I know it differs from person to person, but it’s always nice to get published perspectives.
Comment by Becca — August 4, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
I think the easiest way to define “category” versus single title is that single titles are shelved by author in the romance section; while category is usually in a special section, it is a monthly book with a one month shelf life in stores; when that month is over, books are pulled and stripped and returned (see me wailing ?:cry: In addition, Julie really went over other differences that are more specific.
Can I say, I love you all? I came on to see what was up; people are wishing me a Happy Saturday, you’re here, you’re interested, I’m grateful!
Comment by Carly — August 4, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
No, I’m sure the demographic stuff isn’t available. Not that it’s a big secret, but it’s just a marketing tool and not something I think authors need to concern themselves with overall. If you read the line, I really think you’d be able to guess the demographic. I can’t say over and over that the most important thing you can do to understand category is to read, read, read.
Comment by Julie Leto — August 4, 2007 @ 2:42 pm
Ditto, Carly. I just love our Plotmonkey community.
Comment by Julie Leto — August 4, 2007 @ 2:42 pm
Julie thanx for the detailed explanation…it makes more sense to me now…
On another note, I love visiting this site because it makes me laugh, think and just get a chance to talk to people who love to write and read like I do…it really helps me to detoxify from a hard day of work….thanx for being there…
Comment by Paula R. — August 4, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
Jodie, I missed your post about what happened to your hubby, but, my son, at 16, had a concussion, two fractures in his skull & a broken collarbone from getting hit on the back of a motorcycle by a drunk driver. He had head injury, with some of the scariest behavior I’ve ever seen, but, two weeks later, he was back at school. He had to read a map to find how to get there, but, from that period to now, other than not remembering the circumstances of the accident, he’s been fine. I’ll keep good thoughts & prayers for your husband, & you.
Leslie, Hurray to being freed from the MIL! I’m certain things will be happier with the family at the new house.
Regarding Category, I still love it. I’m in my 60s, love the Blazes, some authors who now write for Special Edition (after the change was made in the Intimate Moments line) & certain authors who write for SuperRomance, the latter which I find are longer & have more issue-oriented stories than the other lines (or this may just be my perception). For the most part I still buy by author, unless recommended by a friend. I still find a great deal of arrogance against Category which annoys me to no end. I think many of the detractors haven’t even read any. I wish they’d read Korbel’s A ROSE FOR MAGGIE or many of Ruth Wind’s lyrical stories of Native American heroes (as well as too many others to mention) before they pass judgment. There’s lots of junk in STs, too.
Good question & discussion.
Patricia A.
Comment by Patricia — August 4, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
Hi everyone - y’all are so sweet and it’s amazing to think people from all over the country are sending good thoughts and prayers our way.
Leslie - I just sent up a blessing that my MIL/FIL had arrived. I did bring Charles “home”, be it a hotel room, from the hospital and…remember when you had your first baby and it was the longest night of your life? I don’t think that’s going to be anything compared to tonight!!
He developed a really bad headache around 1:00 and none of the medicines are helping. I’m figuring it was a tension headache caused by the fact he was leaving the safety of the hospital/nurses and being left in my care!
Patricia -
Nurses are angels in my book!
Thanks for all the great insight into this topic today!!
Comment by Jodie — August 4, 2007 @ 7:34 pm
Jodie I will continue to keep you and your husband in my prayers. Hope everyone is having a wonderful Saturday. Thanks for all the information on writing. It’s so awesome how helpful all of y’alls tips are for the prospective writers.
Comment by Liza — August 4, 2007 @ 7:36 pm
My goal is to sell to Blaze but I need to make my heroines more sassy.
I truly think you have to read the category line you’re targeting in order to know what they are wanting, but that isn’t a hard and fast rule. I’ve read category books for years and ::sob:: I still miss Temptation.
Jodie, hang in there….the romance community is here for you!
Comment by Patti — August 4, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
Wow I’ve been gone all day and just popped in now to get my weekly writing tips and was surprised to see all this activity for a Saturday!!
Jodie, Hearts, Hugs, & Prayers!! I agree with Janelle, while taking care of hubby don’t forget to take care of you too!!
Comment by Tina Martinesi — August 4, 2007 @ 10:48 pm