Comments on Nathan Bransford, Author: Genre Poll Thoughts

I see many comments stating that people who write ...

2009-08-24T09:29:11.913-07:00

I see many comments stating that people who write YA fantasy or YA Paranormal, are writing it because it's hot right now.

I have to disagree. At least on my part.

I'm 23-years-old and have been working on trying to get published for almost 4 years now. YA Fantasy has always been my favorite genre since I was 13. The stories I write are plots I haven't seen done yet. That's why I started writing.

Unfortunately, this means I have a LOT of competition. *Smile* I like competition. *wink*

Hey Donna, I just saw your message. Sorry I didn...

2009-08-24T09:10:12.792-07:00

Hey Donna,

I just saw your message. Sorry I didn't respond sooner!

I'm not sure if I can go to Nathan's workshop or not, but if so, I'll absolutely look you up!

And yes, CIC isn't really a personal blog...You don't list an e-mail, but I do - e-mail me anytime...if you see this message.

You know, until shortly before your poll, I was ca...

2009-08-23T15:42:41.524-07:00

You know, until shortly before your poll, I was calling my manuscript Literary Fiction, but uncovered a rather large internet push back to commercial fiction being called literary fiction. If it didn't meet a certain level of story/language depth, then it wasn't lit fic. Combined with Eric's post about literary fiction sales being down, it seemed better to just abandon the label all together.

Perhaps "for the time being" was once tr...

2009-08-22T07:37:29.569-07:00

Perhaps "for the time being" was once transitive, e.g., "for the time being patient." Or reflects similar older usages such as, "for the time forbearing." I thought about that for a time.

Perhaps "for the time being" was once tr...

2009-08-22T07:37:01.263-07:00

Perhaps "for the time being" was once transitive, e.g., "for the time being patient." Or reflects similar older usages such as, "for the time forbearing." I thought about that for a time.

Mira: I'd talk to you at your site, but I hav...

2009-08-21T23:31:15.781-07:00

Mira:

I'd talk to you at your site, but I haven't figured out how to do that. That sounds wierd - nevermind.

Let me start by saying I love your CIC site, though I don't always get to participate. And I love the current picture. I'd love it better if it was hanging above my bed. Is that a Thomas Kincaid?

Anyway; I see you're going to Nathan's workshop. Awesome. I'm going too, and I very much hope to be able to find and finally meet you there. So, be looking for a stalker type!

word verif: nalaterf. Is that something you eat only in the bay area?

........dhole

I didn't realize how complex, and generative o...

2009-08-21T20:57:52.301-07:00

I didn't realize how complex, and generative of opinion, the idea of genre distinction is. Just a thought, though, and I might be filleted for my blasphemy, if people spent as much time actually writing as opposed to contemplating genre, maybe there would be a heck of a lot few WIPs and more books being queried.

I thought I'd put my comment-vote in for liter...

2009-08-21T20:19:48.904-07:00

I thought I'd put my comment-vote in for literary fiction (subgenre: historical fiction).

I was always under the impression that literary fiction is character-driven, instead of quest-driven or myster-driven &c. &c. Obviously there's a plot, but the characters and their development are a wee bit more important.

I thought it was interesting to see all the hubbub about genre specifics and, not surprisingly, no one made a fuss over the historical fiction genre. I've always thought it would be marvellous if we could have two historical fiction subgenres: political historical fiction or social historical fiction. So often I browse the historical fiction sections of stores and it's all just war, war, war, war. Where are all the authors writing about actual people in history?

So if I want my 'historical fiction' craving satistfied, I go read classics. This is why novels written over a hundred years ago are my favourites.

Is there something taboo about writing social historical fiction? Or is history forever imprinted in the social conscious as politics and nothing more?

"I think it's a combination of admiration...

2009-08-21T13:32:46.390-07:00

"I think it's a combination of admiration for Tolkien, Paolini, Rowling, and/or Meyer that is behind these numbers."

Behind the numbers, maybe - but don't lump us all in the same category, please. I was writing fantasy when Meyers was still learning to read :) (OK, so it was derivative drivel and it's taken me a long time to find my own voice...)

Gina, that's depressing news - maybe I should pitch my story as alternate history and let the fantasy elements speak for themselves. I don't have any dragons, vampires, wizards or elves in my book, so it's not what 99% of the population would recognise as fantasy anyway!

When I first began my book I had a (relatively) co...

2009-08-21T11:29:30.436-07:00

When I first began my book I had a (relatively) complete idea of the story, it’s themes, and how it would end. I didn’t concern myself much with genre at first, concentrating instead on getting my characters and their story off to a good start. Seventy five pages or so later is when genre became important. At that point the characters and story were developing a little differently than I’d anticipated, and while I had a clear idea of their destination I needed to know more about the vessel in which they were traveling.

In a post on this blog I found this: “In literary fiction the plot usually happens beneath the surface, in the minds and hearts of the characters.” It made sense to me, and from then on I thought of the book as literary.

I already knew where my story and characters were going, and why. The plot described what happened to them along the way (and how they felt about it). I came to think of genre as the boat I gave them for their journey. It was the story that mattered the most to me; the genre just kept them all afloat until they got there.

The one third WIPS are some form of fantasy is clo...

2009-08-21T10:35:44.350-07:00

The one third WIPS are some form of fantasy is close to the percent of all writers who are working on a WIP. It might even be lower. It seems to me that every other person that I have met in a writer's group in the past three years is writing Fantasy or paranormal. I think it's a combination of admiration for Tolkien, Paolini, Rowling, and/or Meyer that is behind these numbers.

The short story submissions I'm getting are running about half fantasy, horror, science fiction. I'm open to all genres of fiction.

Hey Nathan, so my trip might get cancelled, so I b...

2009-08-21T10:31:17.363-07:00

Hey Nathan, so my trip might get cancelled, so I bought a ticket to your workshop just in case.

There's only one ticket left (although they did say they might add some seats.) Just in case anyone was thinking about going....

The bookstore person said it was 'daunting' how quickly it sold out. That's kind of nice. :)

Reading all the comments to this plus the initial ...

2009-08-21T10:04:57.707-07:00

Reading all the comments to this plus the initial poll blog was very useful (and exciting with a little tension here and there).

I have now read the blog about "literary fiction" three times and several of the other useful tools you have given us on this site.

Although my brain contintues to rebell as to where my writings fit, I know it is something "out there" that will one day be dealt with and is not something to lose sleep over tonight.

Having no power over the industry or the labels attached, I concentrate on those things which I do have power to control: creating with words and learning how to do it effectively (too late for the MFA degree stuff, just determination and hard work along with great resources such as Nathan's blogspot)

To me, the poll means that there are a lot of people who love to read and write fantasy. This did not surprise me because within our human nature we all tend to want what we cannot have: super powers, powers beyond our reasonable control. Humans are fascinated by things that move freely about such as wind, water, ghosts, magic, etc.

Why else would decades of such things be still popular today? Bewitched, I Dream of Jeanie, My Favorite Martian, Star Wars, Star Trek, various vampire and walking dead terrors and oddities, etc will remain a part of our entertainment pursuits whether in movies, books, or our daydreams.

The poll indicates we are still human beans.

thanks Nathan for all you provide on this site.

Genre Fiction is JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER THAN L...

2009-08-21T09:35:25.237-07:00

Genre Fiction is JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER THAN LITERARY FICTION AND BTW DID YOU NOTICE THAT GENRE FICTION DOESN'T GET ANY RESPECT AND HOW ABOUT SOME FREAKING REVIEW ATTENTION"

Hear, hear!

I think your poll means: 1. You are a great teach...

2009-08-21T09:31:19.697-07:00

I think your poll means:

1. You are a great teacher.

2. You care about what your readers think/are writing.

3. You are modeling best blogging practice and "inbound marketing" by using the techy poll format to increase interactive feedback.

4. You used the poll results as a springboard to a great follow-up post/lesson on "know your genre."

The only thing you forgot is HOMEWORK!

Good job Nathan.

I must say, I'm also a little surprised that t...

2009-08-21T09:16:41.145-07:00

I must say, I'm also a little surprised that the numbers for narrative non-fiction were so low, as I figured there were a lot of memoir writers out there. Are there a lot of memoir submissions?

I think the majority of authors are keeping their ...

2009-08-21T09:14:11.455-07:00

I think the majority of authors are keeping their wits about them by not running out to write the next great vampire novel because it's the flavor of the week.

There might be a jump in the genre, but those who have a true passion for writing will write what naturally fits them.

It's over 2000 now.

2009-08-21T08:51:32.189-07:00

It's over 2000 now.

Nathan-- Seventeen hundred WIP, aren't you sha...

2009-08-21T08:45:40.399-07:00

Nathan--
Seventeen hundred WIP, aren't you shaking in your booties at the thought that you're going to receive queries for all of those?!

I still look every time I go into a new bookstore ...

2009-08-21T07:57:29.401-07:00

I still look every time I go into a new bookstore to see where they have shelved Don Marquis. And he would be tickled to know that sometimes it is in literature and sometimes humor.

T.

I get the impression that most people are writing ...

2009-08-21T05:13:42.991-07:00

I get the impression that most people are writing for the market, maybe not intentionally. We do tend to write what we like to read.

Good Luck Scott with your guy novel. I know a lot of guys who say they'd like a better choice of fiction. Maybe you'll hit the right cord.

For the time being...I always thought it meant, until things change or until we can figure out something else.

Anon 7:58 (and earlier), Nathan said you read his...

2009-08-21T04:31:34.767-07:00

Anon 7:58 (and earlier),

Nathan said you read his mind, by which I infer that he will do something on what stage of the process people are in right now in terms of their WIP. Which was a polite agreement, though perhaps confusingly lost in the tangle of various anonymous comments (plus the ambiguity of "Read" being either past or present tense).

So, good question, and possibly good You Tell Me upcoming...

32% fantasy/ paranormal is extraordinary. In the ...

2009-08-21T03:29:53.655-07:00

32% fantasy/ paranormal is extraordinary.
In the UK there seems to be a major backlash against it; it´s practically impossible to get most reputable agents to even look at it.
Agencies have crossed-out unicorns on their websites; the home pages haven´t even fully loaded when the ´NO FANTASY´ warnings appear. Maybe the ´Rowling-effect´ has been stronger over here and they just can´t bear the sight of the stuff anymore.
For a while I tried to get around this by calling my MS ´paranormal´, but received sniffy replies (and it is far from straight or high fantasy). The few agents I did get to look at it all said that while they liked it and enjoyed reading it they couldn´t possibly represent it.
The two top selling living UK authors both write fantasy, yet no-one wants to touch it.
Can it really be that different in the US?

Thanks for the poll Nathan--as always, another gre...

2009-08-21T02:47:51.753-07:00

Thanks for the poll Nathan--as always, another great service to writers.

Personally, the results afford me a new and interesting angle of the business. It won't change what I write, or the style I write in--the two 'qualities' that define it as my own, unique voice. To compromise that would be a failure regardless of whether publishing chances might be helped.

@ Anon "I finished Cormac McCarthy's The ...

2009-08-21T02:29:42.664-07:00

@ Anon "I finished Cormac McCarthy's The Road (snip). Quite simply, that book is a beautifully written, complete waste of time."

I don't object to any one person not resonating with what they're reading at any given time (and I'm thinking that's just what it was for you: not the 'right' personal time or stage to allow you to appreciate this work). But to call it a 'waste of time'? That hurt.