Although the romance genre has been having a resurgence lately, there are still a lot of readers who haven’t yet come to grips with its importance. Regardless, the readership that romance has can be very passionate and very active. In theory, this should make it so that finding an audience would be easier—right? Yet, it’s not so simple.
The key to finding an audience for romance novels isn’t just crafting the most compelling love story (although that will help, too); it’s finding the right audience at the right time.
With that in mind, let’s talk about strategies on how to promote romantic fiction, especially on how to use book fairs and virtual events to your advantage. If you take our advice to heart, you might just find your readership!
Finding the Right Audience for Romance: Who?
The first step to finding your audience is, of course, knowing who your audience is. The readership for romance is vast and diverse, but they don’t always flow along the same lines. That’s why it’s very important to start small and specific.
Think about who you are writing the story for and consider their age, their gender, their interests, and their preferences. Hone in on a subgenre, ask yourself if you want to write something contemporary, something historical, something paranormal, or whatever else. Each subgenre of romance has its own considerations and its own very active fanbase.
The internet, with all its flaws and triumphs, has been a great resource for all writers. It has allowed them a network of fellow enthusiasts and access to an international readership.
Leveraging Social Media
Social media platforms make for very powerful foundations of networking. Through platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook, would-be authors can share excerpts of their books, give a glimpse of their writing process, and engage in discussions with potential readers.
Having an Author’s Website
Aside from social media, an author can make their mark on the internet with a personal website. Having a website means you have a central hub for potential readers to visit to get to know you more and learn more about your projects, future, and past. A website can also be a means for authors to build an email list and offer content that can’t be found anywhere else.
Engaging with Blogs and Reviews
Another avenue for engaging on the internet is to network with bloggers and reviewers. For genre-specific authors, reaching out to reviewers and bloggers can be a great way to widen their visibility. This is the same with romance. Collaborate with them and help them offer their audiences a genuine and truthful review of your works.
Finding the Right Audience for Romance: Where
Festivals and virtual book events are unique opportunities to actually engage with your readers in a more personal and dialectic manner. These events can be moments to effectively promote your books, network with other authors, and meet potential readers. Consider joining as much as you can to better promote your book.
Events like ’s The Festival of Storytellers can be a great way to get exposed to a wider audience (TFOS Chapter 6 is coming up if you wanna know).
Here are some tips to remember:
Book Fairs and Festivals
- Choose the right events. Always align your goals with the event.
- Offer giveaways. Think up exclusive deals to garner attention.
- Join author panels. Discuss your works or writing itself with other authors.
- Find a suitable platform. Be sure to join virtual events that you can prepare for.
- Promote the event. If you’re joining an online event, be sure to take part in its promotion too.
- Record and share. Link the event to your website and your socials for posterity.
Finding the Right Audience for Romance: Beyond the Traditional
Explore opportunities for cross-promotion with authors in other genres. You don’t just need to find readers from your genre to grow a readership. The romance genre has a lot of overlap with other genres, too, and that’s something to think about.
Remember that the key to success is persistence, creativity, and a genuine passion.
