The Plan To Save Harlequin
My general concern about Harlequin is that it’s trying to be too many things to too many people. The expansion into women’s fiction, fantasy, older romance, and now epic romance, while shutting down its old standards - well, let’s just say the choices made about how and where resources are expended don’t always make sense. The reality is that it’s hard to cater to everyone and to do it well. So, why keep broadening the scope of Harlequin?
Having said all that, my theory about Harlequin expanding beyond its own reasonable borders is, apparently, dead wrong. My business sense is off. According to this article, Harlequin is doing what it has to do to stay viable and competitive.
The weak results of 2004 got the company thinking more seriously about the long-term value of the mass-market paperback segment — 85 per cent of Harlequin’s business — and what could be done to decrease the dependence on it, Ms. Hayes said.
The solution was to try to make the company "more diversified, and publish more in hard cover and more in trade [paperback format]," while looking at other new formats and new businesses and spending more on marketing and sales programs.
Market statistics made it clear this was the right decision. While Harlequin owns about 90 per cent of the series romance business in its key market, the United States, it holds only 7 per cent of the broader "women’s fiction" market.
I get that. Diversification is good. But, if Harlequin sacrifices its base - its commitment to category romance - what’s left? I’m wondering if the problem really is the need to branch out or if it’s something else. Maybe it’s time to re-think the strategy of having books sit on a shelf for 4-week periods only. Maybe it’s time to focus, not change focus. Seems to me it was possible to expand the single title, more mainstream imprints like Mira and HQN, without the wholesale restructuring and the sacrificing of category. But, what do I know.
June 28th, 2005 at 10:47 am
Hmm, I’ve long thought Harlequin would do well to focus in and look for better writing and stories. Their lines are repetitive and the writing is often–though not always–some of the worst in print. I’ve always loved Harlequins for their price point and the quickness of the read, but I can’t abide the poor mechanics and all too familiar tales.
June 28th, 2005 at 11:29 am
Well, since coming onboard Donna’s motto has been “World Domination of Women’s Fiction!”
June 28th, 2005 at 11:30 am
Heh, actually, it’s “Global” domination, sheesh.
June 28th, 2005 at 8:47 pm
I agree with Wendy. I used to read category all the time, and I’ve slowed, and then come to a complete stop in the last two years. I’ll buy one here or there if I see an author name I know, but in general, I think the category storylines have been redone too many time.
However, I do pick up Mira books quite often. Because this is thier line where their authors get to do ’something different’.
I also think that the popularity of novellas has hurt category sales a bit. Just a thought.
June 28th, 2005 at 9:07 pm
I’ve also lost the tie to H/S. Seems to me that’s the kind of thing H/S sould be worried about. Expanding and expanding without fixing the bottom line problem of a lack of interest in the stories and writing invites further decline. And, I’m all for Global Domination. Sounds good to me, but the strategy to get there appears flawed.