Romance Statistics 2004
November 17, 2007
2004
I. Industry Statistics
(As of October 2003)
These statistics were compiled by RWA from Book Industry Study Group and American Bookseller Association reports, and from tallies in Ingram�s catalogue of all book releases.
- Romance generated $1.63 billion in sales in 2002.
- There were 2,169 romance titles released in 2002.
- Romance fiction comprises 18% of all books sold (not including children�s books).
- Romance fiction comprises 53.3% of all popular paperback fiction sold in North America.
- Romance fiction comprises 34.6% of all popular fiction sold. (Different from above, this figure includes not just paperbacks, but hardcovers and trade-sized paperbacks as well as well.)
To compare:
- Mystery/Detective/Suspense is 23.1% of popular fiction sales
- General Fiction is 24.1% of popular fiction sales
- Science Fiction/Fantasy is 6.5% of popular fiction sales
- Religious, occult, westerns, male adventure, general history, adult and movie tie-ins was 11.9.% of popular fiction sales
Publisher Release Rates
–listed in alphabetical order:
| Publisher | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 |
| Avalon | 32 | 33 | 36 |
| *Avon/HarperCollins | 104 | 100 | 108 |
| Bertlesmann (Ballantine, Bantam, Dell, Delacorte, Doubleday, Fawcett, Ivy, Waterbrook) |
110 | 107 | 139 |
| BET | 62 | 60 | 59 |
| Bethany | 19 | 21 | 10 |
| Dorchester | 113 | 111 | 116 |
| Kensington (Kensington, Pinnacle, Bouquet, Precious Gems, Zebra) | 219 | 204 | 274 |
| Pearson (Berkley, NAL, Dutton, Jove, Onyx, Putnam, Signet, Topaz, Viking) |
153 | 138 | 161 |
| 46 | 56 | 57 | |
| Questar Multnomah | <20 | 13 | NA |
| St. Martin’s | 49 | 54 | 30 |
| Torstar (Harlequin, Mills & Boon, MIRA, Silhouette, Steeple Hill) |
1,113 | 1,067 | 982 |
| Warner | 23 | 25 | 15 |
Other houses published one-to-nine romance titles, such as Genesis Press/Indigo, Tor/Forge, Five Star.
*Avon Books and Harper Publishing merged in 2000
II. Writer Statistics
–compiled from RWA member information
- Romance Writers of America has 8,800 members from around the world –primarily the United States and Canada.
- 1,600 RWA members are published in book-length romance. Almost every author in the United States who is writing romance fiction is a member of our association.
- On average, a published romance author writes 1 1/2 romance manuscripts per year. On average, one romance per author is released per year.
Payment:
- In general, romance fiction is bought from an author by a publisher (sometimes through an agent) via a contract. The contract almost always involves a cash advance, and then a royalty pay-out.
- Romance authors have worked as attorneys, teachers, scientists, accountants and any number of other professions before resigning to write romance fiction. Many authors still maintain a day job in another field while writing romance.
III. Reader Statistics
NUMBER OF ROMANCE READERS
51.1 million Americans read romance novels; this is up by ten million readers since RWA’s 1998 study, when results reported 41 million readers . . . .
2002: 51.1 million readers in America
1998: 41 million readers in America
FORMAT of ROMANCES READ
The number of readers who only read series romance jumped from 10% to 18% from 1998 to 2002 . . . .
37% of romance readers read only single-title romances
(43% of romance readers read only single titles in 199 
45% of romance readers read single-title and series romances
(47% of romance readers read both series and single titles in 199
18% of romance readers read only series romance
(only 10% of romance readers read only series in 199
A series romance is a shorter paperback romance novel that is released as part of a numbered series and typically published by Harlequin/Silhouette, the largest publisher of series romance. A number indicating the place each book lands in the series appears on the cover of each series book. Series romances are released in numbered order, and shelved monthly like a periodical with the previous month’s titles being replaced by the next month’s titles every several weeks.
A single-title romance is a longer romance not released as part of a series. It is packaged and shelved like any mass-market paperback or hardback fiction book.
GEOGRAPHY OF ROMANCE READING
A small majority of romance readers live in the Midwest . . . .
32% of the reading population in the Midwest reads romance
fiction (17.6 million readers)
26% of the reading population in the West read romance fiction
(13.2 million readers)
20% of the reading population in the South reads romance fiction
(16.8 million readers)
16% of the reading population in the Northeast reads romance
fiction (7.4 million readers)
GENDER OF ROMANCE READERS
The readership of romance fiction is primarily female . . . .
93% of all romance readers are women One in five women have read a
romance novel in 2002
7% of romance readers are men One in 50 men have read a romance
novel in 2002
In the 1998 study, 91% of romance readers were female, and 9% of romance
readers were male.
MARITAL STATUS OF ROMANCE READERS
Half of all romance readers are married . . . .
49.5% of romance readers are married
(56% in 199
33.3% of romance readers are single
(23% in 199
10.7% of romance readers are divorced
(7% in 199
6% of romance readers are widowed
(13% in 199
0.5% of romance readers are separated
(1% in 199
AGE OF ROMANCE READERS Romance readers are all ages, with the highest percentage of readers being around 39 years old . . . .
25% of romance readers are between the ages of 35-44
21% of romance readers are between the ages of 25-34
17% of romance readers are between the ages of 45-54
10% of romance readers are between the ages of 55-64
8% of romance readers are between the ages of 20-24
8% of romance readers are between the ages of 65-74
4% of romance readers are between the ages of 17-19
3% of romance readers are between the ages of 14-16
3% of romance readers are between the ages of 75-plus
1% of romance readers are between the ages of under 14
Romance readers appear to be reading younger . . . .
In the 1998 study, the 35-44 age group also led, but the second-most-likely and
third-most-likely age groups reading romance were reversed. Readers aged 45
to 34 were the second-most-likely readers in 1998, and followed by 25- to
34-year-old readers.
AGE ROMANCE READERS FIRST READ ROMANCE
Seventy-one percent (71%) of romance readers say they read their first romance at age 16 or younger.
EDUCATION LEVEL OF ROMANCE READERS
Sixty-three percent (63%) of romance readers have attended college . . . .
32% of romance readers are high-school graduates
22% of romance readers have attended vocational school or
some college
21% of romance readers are college graduates
10% of romance readers have attended post-graduate
programs
10% of romance readers have associates degrees
5% of romance readers have some high school or less
RACE OF ROMANCE READERS
Romance readers are 75% white . . .
75% of romance readers are White
11% of romance readers are African American
11% of romance readers are Hispanic
2.5% of romance readers are Asian or Native American
0.5% of romance readers classify their race as Other
The number of Hispanic romance readers continues to grow . . . .
In 1998 12% of romance readers were African American, and 9% of romance readers were Hispanic.
HOW ROMANCE READERS OBTAIN NOVELS
Forty-four percent (44%) of romance novels are bought at bookstores that sell only new books and merchandise . . . .
44% of romance readers buy their novels at bookstores that only sell new
books and merchandise
18% of romance readers borrow their novels from others
14% of romance readers check out their novels from a library
13% of romance readers buy their novels at stores that sell
new-and-used books
8% of romance readers receive their novels as gifts
3% of romance readers trade other books for their novels
RETAIL OUTLETS WHERE ROMANCE READERS SHOP
One-third (33%) of romance readers buy their novels at a mall bookstore . . . .
Mall bookstores are the sites of 33% of romance reader book purchases.
Mass merchandisers (such as Target or Wal-Mart) are the sites of 20% of
romance reader book purchases.
Grocery stores are the sites of 18% of romance reader book purchases.
Book clubs are the way 9% of romance readers buy books.
Streetfront or stand-alone bookstores (such as Barnes & Noble) are the sites of
7% of romance reader book purchases.
Internet bookstores are the sites of 4% of romance readers book purchases.
Mail ordering is the method by which 3% of romance readers buy their novels.
Airport bookshops are the sites of 2% of romance reader book purchases.
Drugstores are the sites of 2% of romance reader book purchases.
Other outlets are the sites of the final 2% of romance reader book purchases.
FACTORS ROMANCE READERS CONSIDER WHEN BOOK SHOPPING
These shopping factors were ranked in order of importance by romance readers:
Most important: selection of books
2nd most important: overall convenience of/in bookstore
3rd most important: price
4th most important: help or recommendations from bookstore staff
QUANTITY OF NOVELS READ YEARLY BY ROMANCE READERS
Fifty-seven percent (57%) of romance readers read between one and five romances per year.
| Reading between one and five romances each year: | 57% of readers |
| Reading between six and ten romances each year: | 17% of readers |
| Reading between 21-50 romances per year: | 12% of readers |
| Reading between 11-20 romances per year: | 8% of readers |
| Reading between 51-100 romances per year: | 4% of readers |
| Reading more than 100 romances per year: | 2% of readers |
OTHER MERCHANDISE BOUGHT BY ROMANCE READERS WHILE BOOK SHOPPING
Eighty percent (80%) of book buyers buy other bookstore merchandise when they�re in-store buying romance novels.
Other fiction is bought by 66% of romance readers when they’re in a bookstore
buying romance.
Nonfiction books are bought by 47% of romance readers when they’re in a
bookstore buying romance.
Magazines are bought by 40% of romance readers when they’re in a bookstore
buying romance.
Stationary or greeting cards are bought by 39% of romance readers when
they’re in a bookstore buying romance.
Children’s books are bought by 27% of romance readers when they’re in a
bookstore buying romance.
Novelty book items are bought by 22% of romance readers when they’re in a
bookstore buying romance.
Software is bought by 17% of romance readers when they’re in a bookstore
buying romance.
Coffee or cafe items are bought by 15% of romance readers when they’re in a
bookstore buying romance.
ROMANCE READERS’ MOTIVATION FOR NOVEL SHOPPING
Two out of every three romance readers do not plan to buy a romance novel when they enter a retail outlet, and instead add novels to their purchase as they see them on display.
SELLING POINTS ROMANCE READERS CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING A NOVEL
A description of the book on the back cover is the most important selling point in deciding which book to buy . . . .
Most important selling point when considering which book to buy: description
on back cover
2nd most important selling point: personal flip through the book
3rd most important selling point: word-of-mouth recommendation
4th most important selling point: author
5th most important selling point: price
Between 9% and 11% of romance readers reported that each of the following selling points advertising for a book, awards won by a book, or staff recommendations for a book — influenced their decision to buy.
CHARACTER TRAITS ROMANCE READERS ENJOY IN HEROINES
The top three character traits that romance readers like to see in the heroines about which they read are (in order):
1.) Intelligence
2.) Strength of character
3.) Attractiveness
In 1998, readers ranked favorite heroine characteristics as:
1.) Intelligence
2.) Beauty
3.) Strength of character
CHARACTER TRAITS ROMANCE READERS ENJOY IN HEROES
The top three character traits that romance readers like to see in the heroes about which they read are (in order):
1.) Muscle bound
2.) Handsomeness
3.) Intelligence
In 1998, readers ranked favorite hero characteristics as:
1.) Handsomeness
2.) Kindness
3.) Intelligence
SETTINGS OR SUB-GENRES ROMANCE READERS ENJOY IN BOOKS
Romance readers rank the following settings for romance novels in order of most enjoyable to least interesting (in order):
1.) Romantic suspense (91% of readers interested)
2.) Contemporary romance (80% of readers interested)
3.) Romance novels set in exotic locations, such as the tropics (78% of readers
interested)
4.) Historical romance set in Colonial America (65% of readers interested)
5.) Historical romance set in the American West (64% of readers interested)
6.) Inspirational romance with a spiritual sub-plot (61% of readers interested)
7.) Historicals set in England (56% of readers interested)
8.) Historicals set in Scotland (53% of readers interested)
9.) Medieval-set romances (49% of readers interested)
10.) Futuristic or time-travel romances (39% of readers interested)
11.) Paranormal romances (37% of readers interested)
ROMANCE READERS’ OPINIONS ON WOMEN’S FICTION
44% of romance readers like both romance novels and women’s fiction novels
equally
31% of romance readers said they currently prefer women’s fiction
25% of romance readers said they currently prefer romance fiction
Note: A romance novel is a book in which a love story is the central focus of the book, and that has an emotionally satisfying ending that results from a positive resolution to the central love story.
A women’s fiction novel focuses on relationships– but not necessarily that of a love-story relationships. It may center on, for example, family relationships, or friendships, or a love relationship–or all three. A women’s fiction novel does not have to have an emotionally satisfying ending resulting from of a positive resolution to a central love story. It may have a happy ending based on events unrelated to a love story, a bittersweet ending, or even a tragic ending.
Source: RWA’s Story For You
Entry Filed under: Romance Industry. .
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