Sunday, June 3, 2012

What’s the Deal with SFR?


I’ve been told there’s no market for SFR in traditional publishing. However, I read an article last year in RT Reviews Magazine that readers are hungering for SFR and futuristic romance so they turn to Indie publishers for this genre.

Decadent Publishing has awesome SFR/futuristic titles as well as the new Elatia line, so if you know anyone who loves these genres and can’t find much to read, send them to Decadent.

But I digress.

I wonder why traditional publishers say there is no readership or demand for these books? Sure you can find regular sci-fi titles, but where’s the sci-fi and futuristic romance in big publishing?

Consider all the sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, and horror movies coming out. Not to mention all the games based on these genres. Most often have romance in them.

So where are the books?

What do you think? Leave a comment and let us know! 



***Books available at most e-book distributors.***


Azura/Faith

9 comments:

  1. Yes, there is a market for SFR, both hard and soft... science fiction. What you thought I was talking about the bodies.... well they're hard to... oh never mind.

    The big thing with science fiction (with or without the romance), it has to be believable. No, of course you don't have to explain how the inertial dampers work, other than they work really, really well. But on the other hand, you can't be popping out of warp (FTL, star drive, whatever you want to call it) halfway between the earth and the moon... cause that give you about one second to do anything before you turn into a fiery grease spot somewhere on Mother Earth. There are some rules you just can't break.

    I've got SFR books out. Only two, but I'm doing my part! (shuts off the "I'm doing my part" montage from Starship Troopers.)

    It's late, I'm off to the canvas hammock for a comfortable zero gee snooze.

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  2. Yes, Starfox, there is a market for SFR in indi publishing, but I'm talking about traditional publishing and why those publishers seem to think there's no market for sci-fi/futuristic romance. If readers are flocking to indi publishers for these particular books, you'd think that the big guys would catch on.

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  3. If you look at traditional publishers, they have always been a few steps behind the trends since the internet became the go to source for information. Paranormal, MM, and steampunk were best sellers before traditional houses even thought of looking at these submissions. I'm not certain what it will take for them to understand that not only is there a market for this genre, but the fans are devoted and are willing to spend money to satiate there need. If anything it just further solidifies the need for epublishers and independent authors. SFR has always been ahead of the curve and balked at conforming, so that might also have something to do with traditional houses turning their backs on these innovative authors.

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  4. I agree with Marguerite, Faith. Look how long it took the traditional publishers to get on the erotica band wagon, not to mention how long they farted around until they finally produced eBooks. How many years were Indies publishing vampire/shape shifter fiction before traditional did? At least a few years, or so it seemed.

    Marci

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  5. So true Marci, now you can't go into a book store with being inundated with vampire books. I remember when Books A Million had the erotica section in with abnormal psychology! They've come a long way, but they still have so far to go before they catch up with the actual buying public. The traditional houses want guaranteed sellers and that usually means "safe" books and authors which lack any real vision (or at least in my opinion)

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  6. Traditional publishers are once again behind the times. But they better catch up before they miss the boat.

    Janice~

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  7. Great comments, everyone! Share this post's link wherever you can and lets keep this wonderful discussion going!

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  8. Here's another comment--part of the problem is too many people working at the big publishing houses have their BAs/MAs in English...or even worse, English Lit--and the attitudes that go with the degree. My guess is that in their view, space opera is for nerds. They want to publish Litrachoor, and find the next literary giant. Like Fitzgerald, maybe. Meanwhile, a lot of folks are like Pratchett's Susan. They hate literature, and would much prefer to read a good book.

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