BellaOnline Forums Books and Music Romance Novels Reader Survey '09

I realized earlier this week that it's been several years since we did our last reader survey, so I think it's time to do a new one.

Along with all the poll questions, I have some that didn't fit into the poll format.

1. Rank the following in order of importance from most to least important in your decision to purchase a romance novel:

- price
- author
- cover art
- printing/binding quality

2. What makes a book a 'wallbanger' (so awful you want to throw it at the wall) for you?

3. Are you a reader only or do you write as well? If you write, what are you writing?

4. Who is your favorite romance author? Why? Has your fave author changed in the last five years? Why?

5. Do you work full-time/part-time/other?

6. General comments on the state of the romance industry:



Thanks so much for participating, guys!

Subgenre Most Read single choice

Category/short contemporary (0%, 0 Votes)

Single title/long contemporary (75%, 3 Votes)

Historical (what era) (25%, 1 Votes)

Futuristic (0%, 0 Votes)

Vampire (0%, 0 Votes)

Shapeshifter (0%, 0 Votes)

Witches/wizards (0%, 0 Votes)

Inspirational (0%, 0 Votes)

Erotic romances (0%, 0 Votes)

Other paranormal (what) (0%, 0 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Books a week single choice

0 - 2 (50%, 2 Votes)

3 - 5 (25%, 1 Votes)

6 - 10 (25%, 1 Votes)

11+ (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Books a month single choice

0 - 5 (50%, 2 Votes)

6 - 10 (0%, 0 Votes)

11 - 15 (25%, 1 Votes)

16 - 20 (0%, 0 Votes)

21+ (25%, 1 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Books a year single choice

0 - 10 (0%, 0 Votes)

11 - 25 (25%, 1 Votes)

26 - 50 (0%, 0 Votes)

51 - 100 (25%, 1 Votes)

101+ (50%, 2 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

How do you shop for romance novels? single choice

By author name (100%, 4 Votes)

By review (0%, 0 Votes)

By cover blurbs (0%, 0 Votes)

Friends' recommendations (0%, 0 Votes)

Cover art (0%, 0 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

What other types of fiction do you read? single choice

Mystery/thriller (100%, 3 Votes)

Fantasy (0%, 0 Votes)

Sci-fi (0%, 0 Votes)

Religious (0%, 0 Votes)

Women's fiction (0%, 0 Votes)

Literary fiction (0%, 0 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 3 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

What percentage of your reading do romance novels make up? single choice

0 - 25 (25%, 1 Votes)

26 - 50 (25%, 1 Votes)

51 - 75 (25%, 1 Votes)

76 - 100 (25%, 1 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Why do you read romance novels? single choice

Entertainment (50%, 2 Votes)

Escape (25%, 1 Votes)

Happy ending (25%, 1 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Would you be upset if a book marketed as a romance didn't have a happy ending? single choice

Absolutely (100%, 4 Votes)

Maybe (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

No (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

How many romance novels do you currently own? single choice

0 - 50 (0%, 0 Votes)

51 - 100 (50%, 2 Votes)

101 - 250 (25%, 1 Votes)

251 - 500 (0%, 0 Votes)

501 - 1000 (0%, 0 Votes)

1001+ (25%, 1 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Have you had difficulty finding new romances to read in the last year? single choice

Yes (25%, 1 Votes)

No (50%, 2 Votes)

Sometimes (explain) (25%, 1 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Has your reading crossed into different genres after reading paranormal romances? single choice

Yes (25%, 1 Votes)

No (75%, 3 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

What subgenre of romance are you most sick of seeing? single choice

Vampires (50%, 2 Votes)

Demons (0%, 0 Votes)

Witches (0%, 0 Votes)

Shapeshifters (0%, 0 Votes)

Erotic romances/erotica (50%, 2 Votes)

Historicals (what era) (0%, 0 Votes)

Romantic suspense (0%, 0 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

What subgenre of romance would you like to see more of? single choice

Historical (what era) (50%, 2 Votes)

Shapeshifters (0%, 0 Votes)

Demons (0%, 0 Votes)

Witches (0%, 0 Votes)

Time travel (0%, 0 Votes)

Straight contemporary (50%, 2 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Where do you do most of your romance shopping? single choice

Book club (25%, 1 Votes)

Online (0%, 0 Votes)

Chain bookstore (25%, 1 Votes)

Used bookstore/flea market (25%, 1 Votes)

Independent bookstore (0%, 0 Votes)

Other (explain) (25%, 1 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

What most annoys you in your romance novel reading? single choice

Stupid characters (25%, 1 Votes)

Poor editing/printing (0%, 0 Votes)

Unoriginal plot devices (0%, 0 Votes)

Overbearing heroes (50%, 2 Votes)

Too much going on/overshadows romance (25%, 1 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Will you follow a fave author into another genre? single choice

Yes (50%, 2 Votes)

No (0%, 0 Votes)

Maybe (explain) (50%, 2 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

How many hours a week do you read? single choice

0 - 1 (0%, 0 Votes)

2 - 5 (25%, 1 Votes)

6 - 10 (0%, 0 Votes)

11 - 15 (0%, 0 Votes)

16+ (75%, 3 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

If a fave author disappoints you, how many more chances do you give them before giving up? single choice

1 - 2 (100%, 4 Votes)

3 - 5 (0%, 0 Votes)

Other (explain) (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Do you read more/less than last year? Why? single choice

More (25%, 1 Votes)

Less (25%, 1 Votes)

Same (50%, 2 Votes)

Total Votes: 4 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Seastheday240

Just want to give this one a little bump, because in about two weeks, these polls close to any further participation, and I'm hoping we get a lot of readers taking part in this one so we get updated wants and wishes for our romance reading. :-)

I want to thank those of you who participated in this year's reader survey! I appreciate your time and answers. <g>