I had an epiphany today. I was editing my second novel, which is a romance that is taking on more and more chick lit overtones the more I revise it, and I wondered once again, why everything I write turns into a romance novel? I don't even like romance novels! And this particular novel, like the first one I wrote started as a mystery!
But as I'm revising I'm doing my best to keep everything light and fun. My goal is to create a temporary escape for the reader not to write the next great American novel. So what genre lends itself best to that? Romance! It all makes sense now. If I want it light and I avoid heavy stuff what's left? Romance! A revelation!
Why do I not like romance novels? They tend to be cheesey, the writing itself isn't usually very good and there's too much - well- romance. So I try to lighten up on all that, focus a bit more on the heroine's character, her day to day life and the significant relationships she has, and what I end up with is romance with heavy chick lit overtones or chick lit with romantic overtones - I'm not sure which - but it sure is what I write. In the industry it would be called Chick Lit/Romance.
I guess I don't mind so much now that I understand it. I may not like romance, but I do tend to like chick lit. I know I'm not supposed to say that because it shows a want of intellectual prowess, but let's face it, I don't particularly care how intellectual I look.
