A Match Made in Heaven: Why There’s Never Been a Better Time to Self-publish Your Romance Novel

Embarking on any self-publishing journey is an exciting but daunting task, and self-publishing romance could be considered especially formidable given the size and saturation of the market. But there’s never been a better time to self-publish your romance novel. Here’s why.

2024 Trends – Romance: A Thriving Industry

Romance is the biggest market in the publishing world, for both independent and traditional publishers. According to PublishDrive, romance is ‘the fastest-growing genre of fiction’, contributing to ‘66% of adult fiction growth in 2022’. Since then, the genre has only continued to grow, and specific sub-genres are now coming into their own. ‘Romantasy’, an equal dose of romance and fantasy, has been specifically identified by Book Riot as a trend in 2024. Service95 identifies the plot type ‘Love In Conflict’ in its top five trends for 2024.

Another trend expanding in 2024 is the vast influence of social media on romance fiction, with TikTok, Instagram and X being particularly influential. According to CBC, the influence of social media on romance fiction stems from the fact that ‘conversations once relegated to private spheres are now visible to a large online audience’. This applies to romance perhaps more than any other genre, as romance and all its associated sub-genres tend to have huge fan bases. Fans now discuss and share their reads on social media with the rest of the romance genre’s especially large online presence. Romance authors can take advantage of this online trend to help promote their books.

Self-publishing has increased in both popularity and esteem over the years and has become an especially popular choice for romance authors because it is quick and efficient without compromising on quality, and it keeps the author in control of everything that happens. Using a reputable self-publishing company will ensure that your book is produced to a high quality.

But what is it that makes self-publishing so good for the romance genre?

Editorial Services

There is a common misconception that writing and reading romance is easy. This, of course, is not the case. Nor is it the case that romance manuscripts will be fine without any editing because readers ‘only care about the plot’.

Like Troubador, most publishers offer at least two types of editorial services: the copy edit and the proofread. The copy edit is an in-depth look at the spelling, punctuation, grammar and consistency of the book. The proofread is a final check of the manuscript to eliminate any remaining errors. Editorial services tend to be much more collaborative with self-publishing, as the author has a lot more say on the final manuscript and any changes made. This may be especially appealing to romance authors, as the identity of the book can be so crucial to securing the target audience.

Should you feel that your manuscript could benefit from deeper, structural editing, you may benefit from an opinionated or developmental edit (offered by many self-publishing companies, including Troubador, and freelancers). This may be particularly useful for romance authors who are concerned that their characters or plot lines feel too cliché or predictable – a common concern in this genre, and something that can make it hard for your book to stand out – or who are unsure if their manuscript is publication-ready.

Professional Cover Design

The content of a book may be fantastic, but it’s no secret that, despite the saying, we do indeed judge books by their covers. Self-publishing companies often offer expert in-house cover design services which rival those of mainstream, and, once again, these tend to be much more collaborative, the importance of which cannot be overstated, as cover appeal can be such an important element for romance readers. As a romance author, it is a good idea to do your market research on which companies offer high-quality cover designs which appeal to your style.

Marketing and Publicity

Like Troubador, a self-publisher may offer marketing and publicity services where the company will use their experience to make buyers and the media aware of your book. These services may include active media marketing, which provides a concentrated media campaign to help your book gain traction and exposure in the media, particularly appealing for the romance industry where the market is so saturated. Professional marketing and publicity get your book out there and help give it the best possible exposure to make it stand out from the crowd, so it is worth looking out for this when deciding who to self-publish with.

Ebooks

Ebooks are a very popular option for romance readers, more so perhaps than in any other genre. Ebooks are quick to purchase, easy to transport and, as some readers may prefer for racier titles, discreet. Quoted in The Guardian, Ebury editorial director Gillian Green states, ‘We know from research commissioned by Random House and by the industry at large that romance readers have been among the first to migrate to ebooks’, and this trend is continuing in 2024. With romance readers being a strong demographic for ebooks, entering the ebook market is a fantastic approach to take when publishing romance.

Many self-publishers, along with Troubador, offer a full ebook production and distribution service that authors can choose from. This may even include distribution to Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and other popular retailers. It is an efficient and popular way to get your book out there to romance readers, so it is worth doing your research to see which self-publishers offer an ebook service and what this includes.

A Great Time to Publish Romance

Many romance authors are now favouring self-publishing as a route for their novels. According to CBC, with romance novels, this ‘progressiveness is at least in part because of the widespread acceptance of independent publishing in romance […] a self-published romance novel is not automatically written off by readers, and can rake in a huge audience’. With romance sub-genres now becoming their own trends and the influence of social media, there has never been a better time to self-publish your romance novel.

Do your research to find a reputable self-publisher who will work collaboratively with you on every aspect. For romance writers in particular, cover design expertise and marketing, publicity and ebook options may be especially attractive elements to look out for.

So, is your self-publishing journey written in the stars? There’s only one way to find out…