Big Girls Don't Have to
Cry!
The Rise of the "Curvier" Girl in Romantic
Fiction
Copyright Judy Bagshaw - All Rights
Reserved
A quick perusal of the covers of romance novels in your
local bookstore will reveal the traditional romance
novel heroine...small, willowy, narrow-waisted,
somewhat buxom, with long flowing hair. Behind or
beside her will stand the standard hero...tall,
muscular, sporting six-pack abs and dark, brooding,
impossibly-good looks.
Heros and heroines have always been
portrayed thus it seems. But a change is in the wind.
Some readers are demanding a different
kind of heroine and hero--ones who reflect real life a
little more closely. Instead of escaping from their
reality, these readers are wanting to read about it. It's
an opportunity for writers who aren't afraid to write
"outside the box". At the risk of being "punny", it's a
growing market!
I've always been a curvy
girl...full-figured, a BBW (big beautiful woman), zaftig,
rubenesque...whatever euphemism you wish to use...that's
me. When I began to write with the goal of being published,
I made the decision to write heroines like me...large and
in charge...living life to the max, and making no apologies
for it.
At one point I had a writing instructor
(a former editor for Harlequin) tell me that romance
stories with full-figured heroines would never find a
market. Although disheartened somewhat, a part of me held
on to the belief that there was such a market--that
women were ready for a different kind of heroine, one who
reflected them.
I have been proven right! I am finding
that in the world of electronic publishing particularly,
there is a growing interest in books, stories and magazines
for and about large sized people. It seems that where the
traditional large press houses have turned a blind eye, the
electronic world is opening their arms. And the big boys
are starting to pay attention.
My fan mail certainly supports my belief
that there is a market for this kind of fiction. Many women
have written to express how pleased they are to see
themselves represented in romance novels. I've had women,
with great emotion, thank me for giving them a new way to
look at themselves and their lives. I constantly get notes
in my website guestbook expressing excitement to have found
a site like mine.
Pat Ballard is a Tennessee romance
writer, who calls herself "the Queen of Romance" said this
about her choice to write BBW romances; "After I decided to
stop the self-destructive fad diets I'd been on since the
age of eleven, and accept myself as what I was meant to be,
I set about to write romance novels with Big Beautiful
Heroines." She goes on to say, "But the books aren't just
for plus-size women." She strongly feels that these novels
have a message for women of all sizes--to accept and
appreciate who you are, as you are.
Daisy Dexter Dobbs, who pens erotic
romantic comedies with BBW heroines for Ellora's Cave has
this to say. "I began writing romance novels featuring
curvy, double-digit-sized heroines out of frustration. I
was tired of reading books where no one wears anything
bigger than a size four." She goes on to say, "it's been
reassuring and satisfying to see my Ellora's Cave readers
not only accepting the concept of larger women in erotic
romance but actually embracing it."
A Yahoo group called BBWRomancewriting
is dedicated entirely to writing BBW fiction. It is a large
group of writers from various backgrounds--both women and
men--some published, some not, yet all intent on the same
thing--writing and promoting BBW fiction.
And there are small press epublishers
who share this vision. Rida Allen, a BBW author herself ,
started Draumr Publishing with the goal of showcasing BBW
writers and their books. "Too many women put down a book
thinking, 'Gee, that's nice...but it ain't gonna happen to
me.' YES, we want the romance...YES, we want the
fantasy...but HELL YES, we want to be able to think to
ourselves, 'This could happen to me someday!'...I decided I
wanted to be more involved in getting books with curvy
heroines out to the ravenous readers." Draumr's Dangerous
Curves imprint does just that.
Peggy Elam, of Pearlsong Press offers a
philosophy of Health At Every Size, an "approach to health
and well-being that celebrates natural diversity in body
size". Isn't it time that this attitude was reflected in
our popular literature?
Just look at the burgeoning list of BBW
magazines and ezines cropping up...Abundance, AmaZe, BBW
Press, Curvaceous, Dimensions, Curvy Chick, Large in
Charge, Venus Divas, to name a few. All will need content
as they grow.
Current statistics place 64% of the US
adult population as being overweight. This is a significant
segment of the purchasing population who deserve to be
represented in print in positive and enlightening ways.
This is a group that as yet are vastly
under-represented.
As a writer, I love the fact that I am
writing stories that are filling this need--that present an
alternative to the traditional "formulaic" romance novel. I
love that I can follow my passion and gain acceptance for
my work without compromising it...thinning it down, so to
speak. I am excited by the rise of the curvier girl in
contemporary romantic fiction. May she blossom and
thrive!
About the Author: Judy
Bagshaw has been published since 2000. Writing
romance featuring full-figured heroines, her
publishing credits include 4 novels, 1 collection of
short stories, and short stories in three
anthologies. She was also part of the writing team
for the Ginn Reading Series, and Reaching Readers
Series, used in many elementary schools. Retired from
teaching, she writes full-time from her home in
Ontario, Canada. Visit Judy's
website:
www.judybagshaw.com
