---

The romance book industry is extensive. Romance is the second most popular genre, capturing over fifty percent of the market. But do you know the type of reader that comprises that percentage?

The general perception is that the vast majority of romance readers are women. That is true, but did you know that sixteen percent of romance readers are men.

The romance reader’s age ranges from the teens to the nineties, with thirty to fifty-plus making up the bulk. The romance reader lives with a spouse or significant other and has children. They’re professionals with an average yearly income in the mid-fifties. They purchase more than one novel monthly for entertainment, relaxation, or to escape from stressed lives.

And this is important to know why you ask?

As a marketer, which you become when you self-publish, you need to know your target audience to decide how best to promote your novel.

Your target audience is savvy and demands a well-written novel with a realistic plot and believable characters. The worst misstep you can make as a writer is to write without knowing your audience. Breaking into an already glutted market is difficult enough without adding on the challenge of not knowing your readers.

When writing, you should focus on satisfying readers’ expectations because you won’t exist without them.

---