Diana Gabaldon shares what makes a novel a romance one
Those who believe Outlander is a romance novel will quickly be told by many fans that’s not the case. Diana Gabaldon shares what makes something a romance novel, showing why her series definitely doesn’t fit the bill.
What genre would you put the “Outlander” novel series in? Are the books romance? Maybe they’re sci-fi or fantasy. They could also be adventure novels! The novels are the hardest to categorize, but most of the time in a bookstore, you’ll need to look at the romance section for it. It annoys Diana Gabaldon, who continually states that her novels aren’t romance.
In fact, the showrunners have said that Claire and Jamie’s story isn’t a romance. It’s a love story. Gabaldon recently took to Twitter to share why her novels aren’t a romance story and what makes them stand out from other books lumped into the same genre.
The clarification came after a fan respectfully asked her if there was a difference between romance and a love story. That led to a four-tweet explanation, starting with:
Yes, there is. A romance novel has specific genre expectations: a) it's a courtship story--that's the main point and the book/story is over once the courtship reaches marriage or other permanent connection. https://t.co/mGoyq39nyM
— Diana Gabaldon (@Writer_DG) April 19, 2018
This really does sum up the “Outlander” series. Had the books ended with the first one, it could certainly fit the idea of a romance. Jamie being saved from Wentworth Prison and reconnecting with Claire would have been that main point at the end. Once you continue with the series, this doesn’t fit the bill, especially “Dragonfly in Amber,” which saw all hope for the couple lost!
The next two points were in one tweet and certainly do connect to “Outlander” in some way. In fact, there are these moments in the majority of the novels in the series.
There's no fight.🙃 I'm just saying that a romance NOVEL is a very specific type of book, and it's not what I do. Most fiction has some romantic elements. https://t.co/LuIcsz8oup
— Diana Gabaldon (@Writer_DG) April 19, 2018
The next point would have put “Outlander” back in the romance category had it just been a standalone novel. However, once the second book was introduced, it stops the argument that it’s a romance series.
And (most importantly) d) The book ends with a Happily Ever After ending. Whether that's riding off into the sunset together or cooing happily over their first child, it's HAPPY <g>, and e) that's it. Romance novels have no sequels.
— Diana Gabaldon (@Writer_DG) April 19, 2018
I’m not sure about romance novels having no sequels. After all, a sequel could be focused on the next generation. It’s technically a sequel novel, even if it’s about another couple. I’d also consider the Twilight saga as part romance, especially with the way the fourth book ends.
It’s the last point that clarifies that the “Outlander” series is definitely not a romance. After all, we’re not all here just for the courtship of Claire and Jamie. Personally, I’m here for the fantasy elements and the historical research.
f) That's because the readers of romance novels are primarily interested only in the courtship phase of the characters' lives. The assumption is that nothing interesting or emotionally stirring will happen to these people after they get together, so THE END.
— Diana Gabaldon (@Writer_DG) April 19, 2018
Next: Diana Gabaldon shares a copy of an Outlander cover from 15 years ago
What do you think about the idea of “Outlander” being a romance series? Does this fit the bill for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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