Your Book Matters
Last month, I wrote about all of the reasons that your story matters. Now I’d like to take some time to talk about how and why your book matters in more, and sometimes different, ways. Because your book is a little different than your story. Think of your story as the heart (and maybe a few more vital organs) and your book as the body that carries your heart out into the world.
Before your story is published and makes its way out into the world, it’s a fictional little bubble that only impacts you (and a few beta readers, an editor, and some arc readers). But once you publish it, that book starts impacting the world in a bigger, more concrete way. Maybe your book contains characters that we don’t get to read about often enough, and your readers either feel seen or gain empathy. Maybe your book has sex scenes that expand the minds and possibilities of your readers and empower them to ask for what they need or try something new. Maybe your characters communicate effectively about something your reader struggles with and they find a way to communicate their own struggle.
This is one of the reasons that we love romance so much, particularly indie romance. We believe that the best of indie romance has the power to change the world. The power to support everyone in believing that they deserve to be loved, just as they are. To help readers feel less alone. To help readers communicate more effectively with their loved ones. To help readers learn new things about themselves. To empower readers to leave unhealthy relationships. To make readers more empathetic towards people with different experiences.
But with power comes responsibility. If you believe, as we do, that indie romance has the power to make the world a better place, then you must also recognize that it has the power to do harm. And our recognition of that potential for harm is why we use conscious language. It’s why we utilize sensitivity readers. It’s why we are so enthusiastic about consent. It’s why we believe that quality, authentic representation matters. It’s why we think it’s important for characters to talk about safer sex practices and their choices on the page. Because we recognize that books don’t exist in a vacuum. Regardless of an author’s intent, books can do harm.
To be very clear, we do not advocate for removing or censoring or banning or burning books. But we cannot pretend that books do not impact the people that read them. You cannot have it both ways. If your book matters, it cannot simultaneously be a work of fiction that has no impact on the world.
