Quote:
Originally Posted by Pajamaman
I would assume the book store put the AA romance books in the AA section for one reason: sales. Making money is, after all, their goal. Now the question is: Why does placing those books there make more sales?
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People want to see themselves in books. Or at least minorities who are not part of the traditional cannon like to. It doesn't really matter the genre, but if you are from a marginalized community, you like to see yourself reflected in what you read. I am white, so I cannot speak for race, but I am also gay. It is wonderful to see yourself included in the fiction you read as a normal part of the world of the story. I read science fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, and I love it when an LGBTQ character shows up. I love it more when it isn't even part of the story, but when it is just
there.
I imagine that bookstores are trying to cash in on that feeling. I don't read romance, but if the genre has had the racism issues some have described above, I would imagine it would profit to set that material aside so that your target audience doesn't have to go look for it.
I see the other side of it though... I appreciate the notion that it could just be on the shelf with the rest and it might open someone's mind to new possibilities were they just to pick it up at random.