Worldbuild That Romance! Advice from SFR Reviewers to SFR Authors
AUTHOR: Jody Wallace,

Books in the science fiction romance subgenre range from novels found in the science fiction section of big chain bookstores to novels found in the romance section of Wal-Mart to novels found primarily online, at small publishers and epublishers. Some of these are borderline science fiction romances -- sf/f novels in which the protagonist just happens to have a honey or romance novels in which the protagonist lives in a haunted house.

But some, and these are the ones I always hope to stumble across, are true ?cross-genre? books with a strong emphasis on both romance and worldbuilding. As Rickey Mallory, a reviewer for Sime  Gen and Bookbrowser, comments, ?It?s hard to find good, real, SF Romance.? In these ?real? SFRs, neither of the key elements are slighted in order to develop the other, and both work together to create a cohesive, imaginative story. And when the book is a true cross-genre, how does one review it? As a science fiction novel or a romance novel? Since there are different unstated requirements and sets of expectations for each genre, what do reviewers -- otherwise known as readers with big mouths -- look at to determine whether or not the tricky blending of plot, relationship and worldbuilding is successful? And what can authors learn from these particularly well-read readers?

First, it?s important to note that almost all reviewers interviewed felt that a good book was a good book and were not limited to one or two genres in their reading habits. ?The quality that causes me to suspend disbelief is the same for any book. I have to believe in the characters?. I don't read C.J. Cherryh because she builds great worlds. I read whatever I read because of the people in the book.? (Rickey Mallory interview) Other reviewers cited such things as well-rounded or unique plots, great hooks and engrossing cultures as qualities they hope to find in any book, not just an SFR.

However, the genre of a book, or subgenre in the case of SFRs, cannot be wholly set aside when reviewing or writing. Cy Corte (Book Isle Paperbacks and Paranormal Romance) recognizes that a ?reader's expectation has an effect on how the book is received. An excellent book will be received negatively if a reader is expecting to read a romance [Nora Roberts] and gets a futuristic suspense [J.D. Robb]?. When I send a review for PNR it is angled toward knowing what a PNR reader is looking for as much as how well the book is written.? Likewise, Karen McCullough, who reviews for Scribe?s World, tries to ?let the reader know how well [the book] seems to succeed (in my judgment) at what it sets out to do, within the constraints of the genre.?

It?s a good thing that most reviewers of SFRs are generously read because, as Blue Iris Journal reviewer Elizabeth Burton observes, ?Reviewing the category means you have to know the conventions of both genres: romance and SF/fantasy.? Familiarity with both sf/f and romance would be wise for authors of SFRs as well; don?t just read the exact same kind of book you write or hope to write. Authors should branch out because you never know what clever storytelling techniques you are going to encounter elsewhere.

When you come at the SFR subgenre from reading or writing primarily non-romance (sf/f, mystery, horror, plain old fiction, etc.), it is generally the romantic element of the book that sets it apart from your normal reading fare. As Ms. Burton points out, "if you started out with SF/fantasy, you tend to expect more of that [worldbuilding] in an SFR,? but the romance plot cannot be neglected or skimmed over and still result in a satisfying book. A good SFR should ?spotlight a developing relationship between two interesting people who have to work through problems they have with their world and each other before they can find the reward of a lasting relationship? (Karen McCullough interview).

In handling that romantic plot, reviewer Gloria Magid (UReviewit) says that an author ?MUST make the characters' feelings and emotions real. Their actions as they begin to come together need to be plausible given how they've been portrayed, or I'll feel cheated.? Character development is especially important when writing an SFR, because oftentimes it is the characters and their relationships that help the book stand out above all others. The word ?romance? is in the subgenre descriptor for a reason. And sometimes, a little intensity in that ?romance? can be effective; Ms. Magid adds that if ?the romance is so hot that [the characters] make me ignore the scenery,? many little flaws can be forgiven.

Another piece of advice in handling the romantic plot would be that any scenes, any subplots, any details that can be removed without lessening the book in any way except wordcount should be taken right out -- like, for example, a tacked-on romance. Readers will not be happy with the book as an example of the SFR genre unless the romance has sparks and feels essential to the plot. By sparks, reviewers do not mean a couple hot sex scenes with eight breasted women, either. Elizabeth Barrette, who works with Spicy Green Iguana and Sime  Gen, sums it up well: ?The best SFRs I've read have all been *integrated* stories -- if you cut the romance, or the SF, the entire book would unravel.?

On the other hand, when you come at the subgenre from reading or writing primarily romance, it?s the worldbuilding and sf/f elements that set the SFR apart from your accustomed menu. And here is where things get trickier and reviewers -- as well as authors, publishers and readers -- get more opinionated. How much worldbuilding is enough? How much is too much and overwhelms the relationship, turning the book into an sf/f novel instead of an SFR? Most of these lines get drawn according to personal preference, but the participating reviewers did have some very good suggestions.

Although Ms. Mallory points out that even ?SFR-lites? can be done well and cites Michelle Hauf?s My Lady Madness or Enchant Me Not as examples, almost all reviewers agreed that if the paranormal elements or scenery could be extracted without changing the book, then claiming the book is an SFR is almost like ??false advertising?. If it calls itself a futuristic, I want the futuristic elements to have a significant impact on the plot and the characters? (Karen McCullough interview). It is just like dropping a little sex into an sf/f so it will appeal to a supposedly broader or more feminine audience: use the sf/f elements or lose them. Don?t try to add banter, a cast of thousands, or a convoluted conspiracy to conceal the fact that you just dabbed the paranormal elements into your novel with a too-light or inconsistent hand. ?If these background factors are not well done, all the good dialogue in the world is not going to redeem the story? (Cy Korte interview).

Utilizing your sf/f setting or elements shrewdly is of primary importance. ?If the setting is another world, or another time, or uses a futuristic technology,? requests Ms. Magid, ?please make sure that the details contribute to the story.? Other reviewers expressed similar discontent with books such as some time travels, which often end up being no different from historicals, or certain futuristics that read like historicals only set on different planets. ?Sadly?, Ms. Magic comments, ?the SF is often just a plot device to move the hero or heroine to a new, more exotic setting to serve as a backdrop for the romance?.

If exotica is all that is required, why not set the book in a culture or time period not currently being overdone in the industry? Don?t fear the historical research or fool yourself into thinking that making up your own world would be easy as store-bought pie because it?s not that simple. Ms. Burton points out, ?Creating an alien world is no different from reconstructing an historical one, and what historical novelist would DARE write a book without doing research? There are tons of good books on worldbuilding written by some of the top writers in the genre, so there really isn't any excuse for not doing it.? (Well, there?s the small fact that publishers are supposedly not interested in places and peoples that are not currently in vogue, but we?ll pretend for the nonce that this is not a dominant factor when writing the best book one can write!) You will anger both reviewers and readers if your worldbuilding is sloppy, inconsistent or inconsequential.

What other tips to reviewers of SFRs have for authors? ?If you don't know the answer, LOOK IT UP,? declares Ms. Barrette. ?Do not fake scientific knowledge.? This is also a concern for Ms. Magid: ?I'd rather a purely magical explanation to either no explanation at all or an explanation that tried to be ?scientific? and ended up just gobbledygook. If the author is going to try for science, at least be plausible.? This reaffirms the fact that research, even for a made up culture or planet, is not only is important but vital. Traditional romance publishers are, supposedly, not quite as insistent upon depth of worldbuilding as sf/f or other publishers, but that doesn?t mean one should skimp. ?When a writer has one of her characters pour herself a cup of coffee in zero gravity, the writer jolts me out of the story? (Karen McCullough interview).

Still other reviewers are, ?put off by SFR where the science is derivative or sloppy and fantasy romances that lack originality? (Elizabeth Burton interview). This can be said for any novel in any genre if it sounds too much like others, but the emphasis here seems to be on television or popular media constructs like Star Wars. Instead of a book that sounds like a simplified version of the Star Trek universe, reviewers prefer that an SFR have ?an interesting and well-thought-out paranormal element, and a plot that revolves around issues raised by that element? (Karen McCullough interview). What Ms. Barrette loves about SFRs is that ?they show me stuff I won't see anywhere else?, not even on television. She favors worlds that are ?original, unique, and exciting. Make me laugh, make me gasp in horror, make me think, ?Oh, how cuuuuuute! I want one!??

Other reviewers are pleased when an author shows evidence she has ?thought about the implications of her worldbuilding decisions and [has created] characters who don't sound and act exactly like the characters in a straight romance? (Karen McCullough interview). Your characters might be, after all, immersed in a very different environment than contemporary United States or Regency England; your characters might even be from an alien species. Therefore it would be quite convincing if they did not behave or think exactly like 21st century humans. To Ms. Burton, as another example, it is important that ?the action and the behavior of the characters arise logically from their culture? and that ?aliens/monsters behave like aliens/monsters.?

As if readers and editors weren?t demanding enough (Write faster! Write longer! Write the hero?s cousin?s uncle?s story!), reviewers of SFRs also have some preferences and words of advice for authors, poor things, who get it coming and going. However, since they are experienced readers and critics, I hope that their observations of books in the SFR genre will nevertheless be useful. What their wishes seem to boil down to is pretty straightforward. When writing for the SFR market, don?t put in a half-baked romance if you aren?t going to thoroughly investigate the relationship. Don?t tack on paranormal elements if you aren?t going to allow those paranormal elements any participation in your plot. And do use a judicious combination of research and imagination to write the most creative, most original and most entertaining book that you can.

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Many thanks to the reviewers who participated in my survey and who have probably forgotten all about it by now. Several of the reviewers are also authors of SFR romances but were cheerfully wearing their reviewer hats for the purposes of this article.

1) Cy Corte
Book Isle Paperbacks: http://welcome.to/bookisle/
PNR Reviews Editor: www.writerspace.com/ParanormalRomance/Reviews/

2) Rickey Mallory (also an author)
Sime  Gen: www.simegen.com/
Bookbrowser: www.bookbrowser.com/
More information: www.rrmallory.com

3) Karen McCullough (also an author)
Scribes World: www.scribesworld.com/
More information: www.writerspace.com/karenmccullough

4) Elizabeth Burton (also an author)
Blue Iris Journal: http://go.to/BlueIrisJournal
More information: www.elizabethburton.net

5) Gloria Magid
UReviewit: www.bookaholics.com/
More information: www.glomagic.com

6) Elizabeth Barrette (also an author)
Spicy Green Iguana: www.spicygreeniguana.com
Sime  Gen: www.simegen.com/
More information: www.worthlink.net/  ysabet/