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Does Anyone Know the Current RWA official definition of a Romance?

by VincePlato on June 5th, 2008, 9:19pm Login or Register to post comments

Hi All: 

 

    When I was a member of the RWA, a while back, there was a big issue about changing the official definition of a romance. I did not learn how it turned out. Does anyone know what the current definition of a romance is? 

Thanks, 

Vince

“Romances are the emotional vitamins of the soul.” Vince

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Is this...

Posted on June 5th, 2008, 9:21pm by debiw781

what you are looking for?  http://www.rwanational.org/cs/the_romance_genre



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Thanks -- I'm Not Sure This is it.

Posted on June 5th, 2008, 9:59pm by VincePlato

 

Hi Debbie:

     Thanks, that web page has helpful information but I am not sure it is the official definition. I thought RWA once had a one sentence definition like:  "A romance is a story of a man and a woman where the central focus is their falling in love and which ends optimistically in marriage or the expectation of marriage in the near future." 

     I am looking for something like the sentence above - if there now is one. When I was in the big fight was to remove the words "man" and "woman" so as to allow gay romances.  I never learned how the issue was resolved. Unless the page you cited is the official multi-paragraph definition.

Thanks,

Vince

“Romances are the emotional vitamins of the soul.” Vince

not sure if this helps...

Posted on June 6th, 2008, 3:17pm by theresa_b

i was recently at a RWA panel presentation and someone said that in order for a book to be considered a romance it needed to have a happily ever after ending, not necessarily marriage, but the possibility of the two characters spending their lives togehter.

 

the other side of this is a novel with romantic elements which would show the developing story between the two characters, but not necessarily end in a fulfilling-happily-ever-after sort of way.

i hope that helps. 

 

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Hi Teresa:      I

Posted on June 8th, 2008, 4:35pm by VincePlato

Hi Teresa:

     I think they keep expanding the definition of a romance so as to include more and more themes. As for now, I think the best single definition is the one below by Kate Walker. 

A romance novel is the story of a man and a woman who while solving a problem , discover that the love they feel for each other is the sort that comes along only once in a lifetime – leading to a permanent commitment and a happy ending.” P.3. “Kate Walker’s 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance”

Thanks for your post,

 Vince

“Romances are the emotional vitamins of the soul.” Vince

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