Comments on: Genre Jackets

By: Jenn

Jenn — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 05:36:05 +0000

I’m an aspiring author who cringes at the mere mention of the word ‘genre.’ I was talking the other day to my critique buddies about this question, and one of my friends isn’t sending her book out to publishers because it’s historical fiction and she doesn’t think she wants to be a historical fiction author – she’s decided she might to go the chick lit route.

It’s so frustrating to me to think that someone might write a great book and then not even try to get it published because they’re not a “historical fiction” writer. I’m not saying anything against my friend, by the way! Love her. It’s just the SYSTEM I’m angry at.

Personally, I’m working on a lot of different projects, and none of them are in the same genre as the others. I have a picture book, a fairy tale, a dystopian, a historical fiction, a fantasy, a chick lit, and a women’s contemporary all in the works at various stages of drafts and revisions.

Do I just need to come up with a lot of pen names, or is it possible for a writer to be versatile???

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By: BJMuntain

BJMuntain — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:28:14 +0000

‘Genre’ is a rather clunky defining basis. As others have pointed out, there are many cross-genre novels which can be difficult to find in the genre-related sections of a book store. As well, you’re right — it limits what a person may read.

However, I do think there has to be *some* type of categorization. Even with the separated genres, I walk into a large bookstore and find myself overwhelmed at times by the choices.

The fact is, everyone has their preferences. They may not realize that their preferences are *not* genre-specific, but they do want to be able to find the novels they might like.

(This is getting too long. Maybe I’ll post the rest on my blog… )

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By: Terry Edwards

Terry Edwards — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:05:45 +0000

Being a long standing impoverished reader and now a struggling writer with an all-night day job, I often find money tight (as do most of your followers). I always head straight for the discount book tables of my favorite local book stores where I can get my reading fix without busting the family’s budget.
At those tables I have picked up and enjoyed a huge variety of now my favorite authors: Marion Zimmer Bradley, Charles Frazier, John Connolly, Patrick O’Brian, Elizabeth Kostova, Elizabeth Peters, and many more. I have also picked up what I considered some odd characters and have even enjoyed them as well.
Are discount tables considered a genre? I’m not quite sure where the jury stands on how writers are compensated for those books, and hope I haven’t offended a host of struggling published authors.

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By: Rosina Lippi

Rosina Lippi — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:20:44 +0000

Thanks everybody for sharing your own approaches and experiences. It can be a sensitive topic. And BCB? No reason to apologize. It sounds as though you’re much better at practicing what I preach.

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By: Marg

Marg — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:00:26 +0000

“Genre Blinkers” – perfect description! As much as I read across genres, there are still some that I really never would go out of my way to look for! I guess we can all be a bit guilty of it at times. Bring on the cross genre books.

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By: Maggie

Maggie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:23:41 +0000

I agree; this is a dilemma I have pondered on before. Genre classifications are to help the bookstores, not the authors and not the customers.

I am guilty of sweeping past certain sections on bookstores myself. For instance, I’ll not usually look at anything in “Fantasy” and yet, one or two of my favourite books of all time can be found there. The same goes for horror. I never will be a fan of horror, but, I can think of one book at least that I have loved that would be filed there. I would never have found any of these books if they hadn’t been recommended to me by others. I would never have looked in the appropriate sections in a bookstore, and would have missed out.

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By: BCB

BCB — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:50:50 +0000

Ooops. Sorry, my comment is nearly as long as your post. [sigh] Writers. Just can’t let them out in public.

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By: BCB

BCB — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:49:28 +0000

Very thoughtful and thought-provoking piece. I was involved in the original discussion that prompted the question on your weblog and I’ve been looking forward to your take on it.

As a writer, I agree. While writing, story should come first, not decisions about genre — unless you really WANT to break into a certain genre or change genres. It is helpful to start off knowing the rules or expectations of genre before you decide whether to follow or break or simply disregard them. This happens, IMO, by reading extensively, studying craft and becoming familiar with the work of other writers. If you love to read it, chances are you’ll have fun writing it. I was making myself crazy for a time, trying to decide whether what I’m writing is a thriller or romantic suspense. Finally decided it didn’t matter (to me). Someone else can figure it out once I’m done. ;)

As a voracious reader, meh, I like to know where to find stuff. I try to stay out of bookstores unless a friend is having a signing (which happens all too often for the well-being of my budget) because I have no self-control. But if I’m in the mood to read a certain genre, I don’t want to check three different sections to find it. In a very real way, books that are written true to a genre are comforting to those wanting that particular reading experience. It’s not always an evil limiting confine perpetrated by marketing departments.

That being said, the library is my place. I go to the New Releases shelves and pick up as many as I can carry, without regard for genre or familiarity. I read it all. I’ve found some wall-bangers, sure, and discovered there are some genres I truly don’t appreciate as much as others. But I’ve also found writers whose voices and stories I love, in genres I might not have considered. One of the best books I read last year I picked up because I decided you just had to be curious about the work of a guy with a name like Per Petterson. It was a good decision.

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By: eidlhe

eidlhe — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:12:59 +0000

I am a story gal. I love a good story. I also challenge myself every time I go to the bookstore or library to try a new author. Sometimes I find a gem. Sometimes I find something I don’t like. You never know what you’re going to find when you step outside your comfort zone and try something new.

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By: asdfg

asdfg — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:40:42 +0000

Thanks. Pretty much what I thought.

I can’t find much of what I’m after in a book store unless there’s an online catalog to tell me where it’s shelved.

One of the public libraries here has gone genre-shelving. I can’t find what I’m after; so I don’t go there except to give seminars.

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