This is, obviously, excellent news for those of us who read for a living. Our industry is growing and there’s more room than ever for people (like us!) to get paid to read stories in a closet into a microphone. HOORAY!
Within this work, there’s an often-dismissed genre that offers a lot of potential. This genre is used to being dismissed, historically called silly and trashy, despite consistently being a bestselling genre year in and year out. It is, of course: Romance. 
The dismissal of romance is not surprising. Our still-patriarchal society finds it easy to write off something created and consumed by a majority female audience. As professionals in the audiobook industry, we should work against these stereotypes and come to the rescue of romance, not just because it deserves recognition, but because rejecting romance closes a door to many employment opportunities.
Sarah Nicolas, writing for Book Riot, notes that, “romance is the best-selling genre in fiction, but its popularity is only rivaled by the copious amount of sanctimonious think pieces dismissing this genre and its (84% female) readers. People say things to romance readers that no one would say to readers of any other genre.” (Book Riot).
Personally, I’m not much of a romance reader. I didn’t grow up reading them (having been told they were trash) and I didn’t have a particularly rebellious phase that caused me to devour a bunch of forbidden books. But since I began voice acting professionally, I’ve spent quite a lot of time thinking about this genre, deciding whether or not I’d participate professionally as a romance narrator and, through this, have grown to respect and enjoy what it offers.
What does it offer? Why, the promise of a happy ending, of course. Most fiction doesn’t promise anything, you’re not guaranteed your favorite characters will even live to the end. When the world outside us is so unpredictable (especially these last 20 months), there’s nothing wrong with wanting a little assurance that at least the fiction you’re reading will turn out alright. It’s the same reason I love a murder mystery: I’m guaranteed to know the murderer in the end. The bad guy WILL get caught. It’s comforting to know that all will be right in the end, no matter what happens in the pages before.
There’s a particularly compelling podcast, Hot and Bothered, that spends an entire season dissecting the genre, discussing it from a literary perspective, and giving it the same respect as other fiction receives. After all, it’s easy to argue that Jane Austen wrote some of the first commercially successful romance novels and we still read her work in the classroom centuries later.
You don’t have to be a romance reader to respect the genre. Bobbi Dumas, writing for NPR, points out that, “there’s a lot to be proud of in a successful industry that is so dominated and influenced by women. In romance, we are the creators, the intended audience, and the receptive consumer, showing our appreciation through astronomical sales. Female writers writing for female readers about traditionally female interests.” (NPR).
If you haven’t yet auditioned for a romance novel, consider it. After all, you’re reading alone in your booth – you might find you like it more than you think. And if you’re uncomfortable having your name attached to something your conservative mother might find online (or your aunt, or grandma, or high school teacher who’s just checking what you’re up to for some reason), then use a pseudonym. That’s what I do 😉 .
Caroline Cole is a voice over artist and writer. Learn more at her website – www.carolinecolestories.com – or follow along on IG @carolinecolestories and Twitter @ccolestories.
