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[mare]

Great answers guys, keep them, coming! And for the last question, i'm also talking about reading them and not just writing them.

[RokofAges75]

I don't think my answers will be very different from anyone else's, but oh well, here goes!

How many of you read romance and or write romance on a regular basis?  And do you feel like it tends to get a bad rep?  If so what do you feel are some of the misconceptions out there?
I wouldn't say I read/write it on a regular basis, but I have both read and written plenty of stories with romance in them, at least.  Often times, the stories I read/write feature it as more a subplot than the main storyline.

I don't think romance really gets a bed rep; it's clearly the most popular genre of BSB fanfic, both historically and currently.  What I've noticed is that every forum/community has its own culture, and this one tends to be more anti-romance than other fanfic communities, probably because a lot of the early regulars who established that culture preferred other genres.  I don't think that's necessarily the case anymore; we have a lot of romance fans posting here frequently.  Yes, almost all of us agreed that romance was the most overrated genre in that survey Mare posted, but "overrated" doesn't equal "bad."

I think the misconceptions out there are, like others have said, that all romances are teenybopper stories with Mary Sue self-inserts, over-the-top soap opera melodrama, tons of sex scenes, and a bunch of sequels about babies.  Do some romances fit that description exactly?  Yes.  Do they all?  Of course not!  And hey, some readers love the sex-filled Mary Sue soap opera stories and their endless, baby-filled sequels, and that's what is nice about fanfic archives like AC - there's something for everyone!

How many of you have ever read at least one romance and what was it about it, that made you go back or stop?
For me, it takes three things - believable characters, interesting storyline, and good writing.  My favorite romance is "Cover Me With Dreams," and it has those three things.  I first read it on the recommendation of a friend, and I will admit, it took me two tries to get into it.  Once I did, I absolutely loved it.  I love both the female lead and the author's portrayal of Nick.  They both seem very real, and I can relate to them; even if I wouldn't make the same choices they do in the story, I understand them enough to understand why they make those choices.  I like the storyline because it shows the progression of their relationship from friends to lovers, and it does that in an interesting way, by telling the story out of order, alternating between the present and the past.  Finally, the writing is superb; the author has a really engaging style that makes me laugh, cry, and keep clicking ahead to the next chapter.  I've read other romances that I liked, but never one as amazing as CMWD.

Do you tend to leave reviews for what you read?
Yes, unless I just read the first chapter and click Back.  But if I'm invested in the story, I definitely review.

If you are someone who doesn't enjoy romance, why?
I don't enjoy romance when it's boring.  When it doesn't have the trifecta of great characters, an interesting storyline, and competent writing, I lose interest quickly.  I need the promise of drama (not melodrama) or suspense, something to keep me clicking.  If it's just couple-y stuff, and I don't particularly care about the couple, then meh, what's the point?

For those of you that write strictly romance, what is it that makes you stay away from the other genres? Which of the other genres do you find you want to skip and why?
N/A

[FrickingKaos]

Well I write romance....in fact I have a series....but it is not all about being a couple...its about Nick finding himself and what he wants out of life. I follow him from 10 years old to 26...and its AU. I do think romance is a bit played out. Yes I put myself in a story...and promoptly died in said story. It is funny that I write it, yet I don't read many. Also my stories I am writing lately are not so much in the romance category. I am more into suspense now. But I think the 12 year old in all of us likes a good old romance fic now and then lol.

[myconfession]

For those of you that write strictly romance, what is it that makes you stay away from the other genres? Which of the other genres do you find you want to skip and why?

I tend to write mainly romance / comedy type stories. Sometimes I write suspense or dark stories, but I tend to stay away from anything sci-fi, especially reading wise. If it's not something that COULD happen, I tend to don't want to read it or write about it.

How many of you read romance and or write romance on a regular basis? And do you feel like it tends to get a bad rep? If so what do you feel are some of the misconceptions out there?

Romance is mostly what I write and mostly what I read and yep, totally gets a bad rep.

I feel like that a lot of non-romance readers or writers tend to think that most romance stories are dreams of the writer and that their main character is a vision of themselves. Sometimes this is the case, even with me. My first story, total Mary Sue. But just because a characters name is reminiscent of the author (like Tara in IWBB), doesn't mean the character is based on the author.

How many of you have ever read at least one romance and what was it about it, that made you go back or stop?

The writing is always the thing for me, and the characters. If I can't love the characters and want to root for them, then what's the point?

Do you tend to leave reviews for what you read? Always

[myconfession]

Right. I mean there can be a happy ending even within the destruction of a relationship, as it adds to the growth of the two as people. It'd be a nice change.

That is a big misconception that everything is happily ever after with "romance" stories. I try my best to stay away from that cliche and boy does it piss readers off LMFAO

[Mellz Bellz]

That is a big misconception that everything is happily ever after with "romance" stories. I try my best to stay away from that cliche and boy does it piss readers off LMFAO

Yea learned that one the hard way LOL

As someone mentioned about the sequels and endless spin offs... It's a tough call for me because I am guilty of not letting go of characters and writing story after story about the same relationship. It's easy to get suckered into that especially when there is a demmand from your readers. I feel like with me personally as much as I go back and reread Under My Skin and cringe at some parts, it was very popular and because of the way it ended and my reader's reactions I needed to go back and rectify it with a sequel.  A Little Taste of Sin was definitely better written overall, but I feel like I definitely went for the shock value and over the top drama just to compete with other Nick romance series at the time. When it came to the next story and actusally had to deal with the fall out of all the drama I realized that I'd really backed myself into a corner which is why I stopped writing for a while.


Of course now what do I do? I go right back to Alyssa and Nick because it's comfortable for me and I am doing some rewriting, a prequel story, and basically just changing a lot of the things that make me cringe. I've come to turns with the fact that I'm going to write what I want to write and not worry so much about catering to readers. Whether that be writing an entire series of stories about one couple or leaving iff one story on a sad note it's what I like writing about.

[Carter-Orange]

That's the best way Mel, write it how you want it to be.

I don't mind sequels as long as there is a story to tell.

[Rose]

Yea learned that one the hard way LOL

As someone mentioned about the sequels and endless spin offs... It's a tough call for me because I am guilty of not letting go of characters and writing story after story about the same relationship. It's easy to get suckered into that especially when there is a demmand from your readers. I feel like with me personally as much as I go back and reread Under My Skin and cringe at some parts, it was very popular and because of the way it ended and my reader's reactions I needed to go back and rectify it with a sequel.  A Little Taste of Sin was definitely better written overall, but I feel like I definitely went for the shock value and over the top drama just to compete with other Nick romance series at the time. When it came to the next story and actusally had to deal with the fall out of all the drama I realized that I'd really backed myself into a corner which is why I stopped writing for a while.


Of course now what do I do? I go right back to Alyssa and Nick because it's comfortable for me and I am doing some rewriting, a prequel story, and basically just changing a lot of the things that make me cringe. I've come to turns with the fact that I'm going to write what I want to write and not worry so much about catering to readers. Whether that be writing an entire series of stories about one couple or leaving iff one story on a sad note it's what I like writing about.

Honestly Mel, I read the first story of that (as you know) and at the time liked it. But all the sequels made me just go WTF and I ended up being fed up with the entire thing. To each writer their own, but I just cannot get how a pure romance can go for so many novels and not get stale. Sequels can be good things, but they can also destroy a story.

That is a big misconception that everything is happily ever after with "romance" stories. I try my best to stay away from that cliche and boy does it piss readers off LMFAO

98% of it is, which is partly why it has the reputation it has. *shrugs*.

But just because a characters name is reminiscent of the author (like Tara in IWBB), doesn't mean the character is based on the author.

Then I gotta ask, why do it? I mean me, I'd go out of my way to not have it be similar to my own name, in that case. I mean, Tara...Karah, it's easy, very easy, to assume it's a Mary Sue. Why not just dismiss that easy misconception by switching up the name?

[Rose]

This is kind of what Casual is about...

I'll be back to weigh in on this debate, too hard to do from my phone!

I should check it out, I've heard a lot of good things about it, and how it differs from the standard romance. Like I've said, there's exceptions to everything, but it tends to be the norm.

How many of you read romance and or write romance on a regular basis? And do you feel like it tends to get a bad rep? If so what do you feel are some of the misconceptions out there?

Lurking around and felt this is a topic I could really respond to. In the past I've kind of been on both sides of the fence here. I've been writing since I was 15 and naturally where did I start? Really bad Nick romances LOL. I'll be the first to admit that I've done the cliches... I've followed the trends. I really do feel though that the strictly romance/drama genre gets a bad rep, especially the Nick romance genre. I personally like to write for a few reasons. It's a great creative outlet for me. I have a great imagination that I definitely am losing the older I get, so a creative hobby like this is good for me. I've met some awesome friends through writing fan fics and I love the community that we have as writers for each other. I also see writing as a bit of a therapeutic outlet for me. Someone commented on basing female characters off of themselves and how annoying it is, but I think we all to some degree do it. We may not name our characters after ourselves anymore, but consciuously or subconsciously we may make them look like us or be in the same profession as us, or have the same family as us. It's what we know and in some instances it's so much easier to make my female lead a teacher versus a magazine editor because I know nothing about that world. I feel it makes me more credible as a writer. I know many fan fic purists who say "It's BSB fan fiction so I want to read about BSB, not some random chick." I disagree with that. I try in my writing to where appropriate cameo the other guys in, but predominantly I guess my writing is very "female centric." I feel like I've made a lot of progress even in writing more in Nick's POV, but I still sometimes find myself neglecting his thoughts and have to stop myself and go back. Let's face it... It's easier for me to write as a female becasuse I am one.

Honestly though, my whole reason to read BSB fanfic is to be the Boys. And that's a huge issue in romance, it tends to become more about the female. Which, if that's the case, it may as well be Original Fiction and be done with it you know? There's nothing wrong with original characters. They add a lot to the story at times. But the Boys shouldn't be cameos, they should be right up there in the center of it.

Now putting a piece of yourself in a character is one thing. Oddly enough, my version of "Nick" these days, is scarily close to the way my own random mind works. Random lyrics, musings, whatever. I usually give them to Nick's character. I don't think it's the same as a female insert who is based heavily off yourself. I can see how a female perspective is easier to write, but that doesn't mean she should be based so much on you. Why not make her different? For me, the challenge makes writing more interesting.

[mare]

You know what's weird for me, when it comes to novels, I love reading through a girl's POV more so than a guys because I can relate to the girl so much better, but for some reason when writing, I can write through a guy's POV easier. Even if i'm writing OF, I struggle when it comes to female characters but have no trouble with the guys.

For me when BSB fanfic is told through a girl's POV as the main character, i'm already bored because I want to read about the boys. I don't know how else to explain it, without sounding like a broken record. Since i'm such a couch potatoe, i'll use TV as an analogy, even though i'm sure i've done that as well lol

It's like taking your favorite show (like Supernatural) and suddenly shifting focus from the main characters to the girl one of them is dating. For one episode (one chapter) it would be okay but if they kept doing it i'd lose interest in the show because I started watching it for the boys and their dynamics and interactions. Is it nice to have a good, strong female character in a story? Yes! Of course. But do I want that person to dominate a story about the Backstreet Boys? Not so much. I have tried many many times to get into these types of stories and I just can't do it unless in my head I make it not about BSB in which case I generally lose interest because why read this when I can read a book instead?

In that vein I have another question for you guys.

Have you read your stuff and thought you could easily make it an OF? Because if you only use one of the guys why not just make it a random pop star? What is it about the guys or guy that has you keep them as the main character? Is it because you feel very comfortable writing as one of the BSB? I'm just curious because I honestly tried to write a story where it was just Nick as a main character and having the guys barely in it and there was actually a female as a lead and I got about a chapter in and thought, this isn't a BSB fanfic. I'm making this a random pop star and changing it to an OF.

[Sakabelle]

Honestly though, my whole reason to read BSB fanfic is to be the Boys. And that's a huge issue in romance, it tends to become more about the female. Which, if that's the case, it may as well be Original Fiction and be done with it you know? There's nothing wrong with original characters. They add a lot to the story at times. But the Boys shouldn't be cameos, they should be right up there in the center of it.

Right, this is what I was sort of thinking about too. It makes sense that us as females would be more drawn for the most part to writing about female characters. But I wonder how that tends to make its way into BSB fanfic. Having the drive to write a romance novel, which is largely about the woman and her struggles is fine. But what is the appeal of making it a BSB fanfic, and how does having Nick (or any of them) the leading man make it a BSB fanfic, when the fact that the man is Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boy doesn't actually affect the story?

I wrote romance a lot, and when I was younger I definitely had a self insert story where the whole point of it was to write a story about myself dating Nick and my friends dating their favourites. The whole point of the story was to write out our preteen fantasies because that's as close as we were ever going to get to them - I'll fully admit that. We even said it back then LOL. The romance stories I have now I think focus a lot on Nick and what he's going through (and the girl too) but the fact that he is Nick Carter, and he is that celebrity is definitely important and crucial to the story.

[Rose]

Right, this is what I was sort of thinking about too. It makes sense that us as females would be more drawn for the most part to writing about female characters. But I wonder how that tends to make its way into BSB fanfic. Having the drive to write a romance novel, which is largely about the woman and her struggles is fine. But what is the appeal of making it a BSB fanfic, and how does having Nick (or any of them) the leading man make it a BSB fanfic, when the fact that the man is Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boy doesn't actually affect the story?

I wrote romance a lot, and when I was younger I definitely had a self insert story where the whole point of it was to write a story about myself dating Nick and my friends dating their favourites. The whole point of the story was to write out our preteen fantasies because that's as close as we were ever going to get to them - I'll fully admit that. We even said it back then LOL. The romance stories I have now I think focus a lot on Nick and what he's going through (and the girl too) but the fact that he is Nick Carter, and he is that celebrity is definitely important and crucial to the story.

Exactly. I get writing a female character is comfortable. I really do. But at the same time, if it becomes completely about the female (or original character for that matter), then is it really a BSB fanfic anymore? To me, it's not. Which is why I can't read stories about their kids. It's not really a BSB fanfic, it's a OF that features a cameo. To me anyway.

I wrote a romance or two. The first one was just to try it. As someone who's critical of romance, I decided to try and write one. To use cliches on purpose, and find a way to make it character driven. I dunno if I succeeded or not lol. And I gotta say, the only challenge (to me) was battling the cliches I used and try to make them more unique through the characters. Everything felt safe about it. So much so I got bored writing the rest of the second one I was writing...and the sequel to the first one LOL.

Romance is great in a story, I just always feel like it shouldn't be the main focus. It bores me unless something else is bringing it to life. A character, another plot in the story...whatev er. I just think romance is better used as a subplot, rather than the main focus. As a subplot it adds to the characterizati on, gives new turns beyond the main plot. As the focus, it can lose it's spark pretty quick.

[mare]

Romance alone without anything else is kind of like watching a Lifetime movie. You either love Lifetime movies or you hate Lifetime movies lol

[Rose]

Romance alone without anything else is kind of like watching a Lifetime movie. You either love Lifetime movies or you hate Lifetime movies lol

This is so true LOL.

[RokofAges75]

I don't mind reading from the girl's POV, as long as the story is still Backstreet Boy-centered.  If it's too much just about her life and not about the Boy(s), that's when I lose interest.  But if the Boy's in nearly every scene, who cares which POV it's written in?

One of the stories I'm writing right now switches between the girl's and Nick's POVs, and I much prefer writing in the girl's.  Not only is it a lot easier, but I actually have more fun writing Nick that way, the way she sees him.  It's the way most of us see him; it's the fangirl perspective.  He's in 99% of her parts; without him, there would be no story, so even though half of it is from her perspective, the story as a whole revolves around Nick.

Have you read your stuff and thought you could easily make it an OF? Because if you only use one of the guys why not just make it a random pop star? What is it about the guys or guy that has you keep them as the main character? Is it because you feel very comfortable writing as one of the BSB? I'm just curious because I honestly tried to write a story where it was just Nick as a main character and having the guys barely in it and there was actually a female as a lead and I got about a chapter in and thought, this isn't a BSB fanfic. I'm making this a random pop star and changing it to an OF.

I disagree that making one Boy your main character means it's not longer BSB fanfic.  I guess I could see that if the story were AU and only had one of them in it, period.  Then I can see asking what's the point of using "Nick Carter" or "Brian Littrell;" why not just make it OF?  But if he's a Backstreet Boy in the story, then it's BSB fanfic, regardless of how often the other guys appear.

I guess I've just never read a story that only had one of them in it, as a Backstreet Boy, and never even mentioned the others; that seems weird to me.  Most of my stories focus on one guy more than others, but even in the AUs, the other guys are there, and if it's not an AU, the fact that they're the Backstreet Boys does have a big impact on the story.  A lot of my ideas wouldn't work as OF because they're so dependent on the BSB angle.  That would be why I'm still writing fanfic and not OF LOL.  I tend to think of story ideas with the guys in mind, and the only reason for going AU is if the ideas are too far-fetched with them as the Backstreet Boys.  But I'm veering off into general territory now, not just romance.  The only way I'd write an AU romance is if it was about Brian, because then I COULD actually write a Brian romance without doing something horrible to Leighanne and Baylee or pretending they don't exist LOL.