We have known for years that as readers' tastes change, the books that authors write and that publishers solicit (and publish) reflect that change. Romantasy is but one recent example. But we have seen many others over the years. Take for example the increase in everything cozy in the years since 2020. We now see cozy options in just about every genre. Or the switch from Psychological Suspense being driven by serial killer stories to moving into be dominated by the unreliable, female narrator in the years since Gone Girl.
While those examples are larger genre evolutions, we have also seen changes in the way books are written, regardless of genre, based on the success of a shift in narrative choices as they resonate with readers. One of the most obvious examples is the dual time frame denoted by devices like the use of "then" and "now." This has been a great tool to keep the pacing moving fast enough while delivering the details needs for intrigue to be built out fully, delivering necessary background details without slowing the story down.This device used to be found only in crime genres, but its success with readers and their overwhelming embracing of it has led to it being used everywhere.
Right now we are in the middle of another huge genre narrative evolution, and this time it point of view driven and we are watching the change happen in real time in one of our most popular genres--- Romance.
Slate has a very good article about how romance readers want first person and romance authors are abandoning third person in droves to satisfy them. I have a link that will allow you to read "I Before She" here.
One of the people quoted for this story is my colleague Jennifer Prokop, co-host of Fated Mates. She alerted my to this article because she was very impressed by the questions the reporter was asking and the serious research they clearly put into it-- something we both know as experts in emotion driven genres (Romance her, Horror, me) does not always happen. Here thoughts are in the last third of the article.
Since most you reading this post work at a public library in America, I am going to tell you that you NEED to read this article because Romance readers are among your most loyal and frequent patrons.
I will also be incorporating this article into my 2026 update of my Demystifying Genre program (slide access coming soon).
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