Conclusion
Here are some final notes from the study’s participants. These quotes were in response to the question, what would you like to say to the publishing industry as a whole?
To the publishing industry, I want to convey that romance readers are passionate and vocal about their preferences. As a student of publishing, I collected 67 survey responses and conducted 10 interviews with eager readers who each willingly spent over an hour sharing their thoughts and ideas on how to improve their favorite genre. The interview process was quite lengthy, spanning almost two hours. These readers are truly passionate about improving the industry and are willing to dedicate their time to making it happen. It's important for traditional publishers to establish closer connections with the community they are targeting. This includes building relationships with readers, especially those who are marginalized, to gain insight into areas of improvement. For example, rather than spending an exorbitant amount of money on a pop-up event featuring Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Carrie Soto Is Back at Wimbledon, publishers should collaborate with BIPOC content creators on campaigns to promote lesser-known authors. It's time for publishers to step back and listen to what their readers have to say. Let's hope they're up for the challenge!
Thanks for reading. Now go check out my Bookstagram @chicklitistheshit for the latest romance recommendations. If you read the whole study, make sure to let me know by direct messaging me! Have questions on how this project was made? Email me at chicklitistheshit@gmail.com.
