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I posted a comment on Different Ideas' blog about the bad reputation tattoos are given.

Early Draft

Romance novels are known for being predictable and cheesy, yet women are buying them by the boat load. Some women are spending as much as $100 monthly, solely on romance novels. One of the best-selling fiction categories on the market right now, third best in fact, is romance fiction. Publishers are scavenging, trying to find new material to put on the shelves of the “Romance” section of book stores. Many readers are being newly introduced to other books through romance novels. Yet critics have made clear that they believe romance novels do not provide the same intellectual benefits as other forms of literature. Some of these critics point out that reading rates have declined, and those who read romance do not venture into other genres. Others argue that the genre of Romance, compared to other literature, is neither thought provoking nor serious about moral issues. However, recent research and statistics will disprove and silence such critics. Romance novels do indeed provide the same benefits as reading other literature. 

Over the past couple of centuries, various reports such as the National Endowment for the Arts’ “To Read or Not to Read” were issued about the decline of reading in America. However this is no longer the case, and in fact, reading is on the rise in America. According to the NEA’s 2008 report “Reading on the Rise,” reading rates have increased significantly among all races and ages. The report states, “After decades of declining trends, there has been a decisive and unambiguous increase among virtually every group measured in this comprehensive national survey.” But more specifically, reading is on the rise among fiction genres. Research shows that 28.5% of novel and short story readers prefer to read romance books. Thus, illustrating that reading is on the rise among romance readers. 

Yet though more people may be reading romance, this does not necessarily mean they are reading other literature as well. Critics argue that unlike other genres, romance does not serve as a gateway into other literature. But on the contrary, authors often quote Jane Austen and William Shakespeare as influential story-tellers of romance that encouraged them to read and write. Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series, makes a similar statement when she reveals her list of most significant authors. She confesses, “My favorite authors/biggest influences are (in no particular order) Orson Scott Card, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Maeve Binchy, Charlotte Bronte, Daphne DuMaurier, L.M. Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, Eva Ibbotson, William Goldman, Douglas Adams, Janet Evanovich...” The listed authors vary in style from romance to science fiction to poetry and non-fiction. Thus, not only did romance authors such as Maeve Binchy and Shakespeare inspire her, but authors of other genres did as well. Further, such literature inspired Meyer to become an author herself, showing that romance can act as a gateway into other genres of literature. 

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I recently commented on Paris Hilton's blog about the amount of texting people do now.