Christine M. Larson, "Love in the Time of Self-Publishing: How Romance Writers Changed the Rules of Writing and Success" (Princeton UP, 2024)

Dec 24, 2024

Christine M. Larson, a Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, dives into the transformative impact of self-publishing on romance authors in her latest work. She reveals how Romancelandia evolved into a supportive community, enabling these writers to thrive despite historical challenges. The discussion highlights a striking 73% income increase among romance authors, showcasing their success in the digital economy. Larson also addresses the ongoing struggle for representation and inclusivity, emphasizing the solidarity among marginalized voices in this genre.

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ANECDOTE

RWA Founding

Romance Writers of America (RWA) was founded in 1980 by Rita Clay Estrada, her mother, and other romance writers.
They initially sought to join a male-dominated writing association but were rejected, leading them to form their own.

INSIGHT

RWA's Open Elite Network

RWA's effectiveness stemmed from its structure as an open elite network, facilitating connections between newcomers and established writers.
This fostered an ethic of care and mutual support, which was unusual in the publishing industry.

ANECDOTE

RWA Activities

RWA offered local chapters and a large national conference.
These provided opportunities for aspiring writers to connect with bestselling authors and learn about craft and business.

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As writers, musicians, online content creators, and other independent workers fight for better labor terms, romance authors offer a powerful example—and a cautionary tale—about self-organization and mutual aid in the digital economy.

In Love in the Time of Self-Publishing: How Romance Writers Changed the Rules of Writing and Success (Princeton University Press, 2024), Dr. Christine Larson traces the forty-year history of Romancelandia, a sprawling network of romance authors, readers, editors, and others, who formed a unique community based on openness and collective support. Empowered by solidarity, American romance writers—once disparaged literary outcasts—became digital publishing’s most innovative and successful authors. Meanwhile, a new surge of social media activism called attention to Romancelandia’s historic exclusion of romance authors of color and LGBTQ+ writers, forcing a long-overdue cultural reckoning.

Drawing on the largest-known survey of any literary genre as well as interviews and archival research, Dr. Larson shows how romance writers became the only authors in America to make money from the rise of ebooks—increasing their median income by 73 percent while other authors’ plunged by 40 percent. The success of romance writers, Larson argues, demonstrates the power of alternative forms of organizing influenced by gendered working patterns. It also shows how networks of relationships can amplify—or mute—certain voices.

Romancelandia’s experience, Dr. Larson says, offers crucial lessons about solidarity for creators and other isolated workers in an increasingly risky employment world. Romancelandia’s rise and near-meltdown shows that gaining fair treatment from platforms depends on creator solidarity—but creator solidarity, in turn, depends on fair treatment of all members.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars.

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