Category vs Single Title

Most romance books published are Single Titles but, by far, most romance books SOLD are category.

• CATEGORY: You need to look back at the history of romance to identify the genesis of the term 'category'. It is a term specifically relating to shorter-length, serial romances originally made popular by publishers like Canada's Harlequin, Britain's Mills & Boon or the U.S' Silhouette. Books were published in a serial fashion (although not containing the same characters usually) and drew subscribers. Each publisher had 'categories' of book (or types) so that buyers knew exactly what sort of story they'd be picking up when they selected their category. Today, categories include Romantic Suspense/Intrigues, Contemporary/realistic, Erotica or Sensual (eg: Spice or Blaze), Glamorous & escapist (Presents, Desire) and Fantasy/paranormal. Some of these are considered to be sub-genres of romance, but readers who pick up a 'Presents' by any author on any topic in any month know that it will meet the 'promise' of their category (in this case, glamerous locales, super alpha millionaire/powerful males, gutsy/strong heroines). Category novels are the butterflies of the publishing industry and they lead short, brilliant lives, appearing and disappearing from shelves within a month but selling their socks off. This is because every category/line promises a minimum standard in quality and story and so buyers purchase on the strength of that.
• SINGLE TITLE: just about everything else. If a romance book is not part of a category line (and its not a graphic novel, comic or web-series) then it is likely a 'single' title. That is it stands alone without the support of other titles or outside of any category. Single Titles tend to be longer (70,000 - 150,000 words), stand alone titles, which last longer on shelves but which don't necessarily benefit from the brand power of the big category publishers/promise. As a rule, single title authors need to work harder to promote themselves since they don't have the brand power of the category publishers behind them. Single Title, however is often (quietly) considered to be a more 'legitimate' form of writing than category, possibly because the stories are longer, contain more layers, subplots and complexities and have much greater scope subjectwise.
• SERIES: Publishers may publish books in a theme-related series (for instance all set around the same luxury island getaway), or authors will publish multiple books with the same or related characters as part of a series (eg: JR Ward's multiple single-title paranormal romances in the BlackDagger Brotherhood series or JD Robb's romantic subplot 'In Death' thriller series which has flowed on for more than 25 titles to date based around the same two key characters).
• GENRE FICTION: Some authors, agents, publishers, sellers and buyers will use the phrase 'genre fiction' to mean anything that is considered 'commercial fiction'. Romance, therefore is genre fiction, as is sci-fi and mystery/thriller. Genre fiction sells by the truckload but some people are less comfortable acknowledging it as 'commercial'.
• LITERARY FICTION: Makes up the smallest percentage of fiction published and sold and often carries a higher shelf price. Considered (particularly by those who write it) to be the pinnacle of success, however as soon as a 'literary fiction' writer starts to enjoy commercial success, they risk slipping (gasp!) into the territory of commercial fiction.

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