When I first put one of my books up for sale on Amazon I tagged it as Romance and joined in a discussion with other "Indie" Romance writers. I continue to follow the discussion with those others writers, but the more I read what they write the more puzzled I become.
Is there a difference between Romance and Chick Lit?
For many people, whether they actually read it or not, when they think of Romance books they think of ripped bodices, throbbing manhood, and Fabio half-naked on the cover. Chick Lit, on the other hand, probably conjures up the image of women drinking wine, shopping for shoes, and complaining about men.
What I read, and write, falls somewhere in-between the two. I say that only because I have to categorize them somewhere.
To me, romance leaves some details to the imagination. It is what's not said or shown that make the "moments" so romantic. The exchange of looks, the gentle touch of a hand, and the soft words spoken; all of those things mean romance to me. I don't want to read intimate details of what goes on between a man and a woman. That's not romance to me.
Chick Lit, in my opinion, is more about the relationships that women have. They could be the relationships between a woman and her friends, her family, her children, and yes, even her man. Chick Lit is a way for women to step outside their own lives and live the life of someone else, someone more glamorous, more beautiful, and probably luckier than themselves. Isn't that what we all want? To know what it's like to be someone else, even if just for a little while.
So, my question remains...is there a difference between Romance and Chick Lit? Am I alone in my opinion? Am I just sheltered in my ideas? What do other readers of both genres think?
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