tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post8437745336207734166..comments2023-06-02T05:21:03.422-04:00Comments on The Temp, The Actress and The Writer: Where Have All the Genre Authors Gone?Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01607530400279311428noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-72241668878434717912010-02-22T19:25:41.470-05:002010-02-22T19:25:41.470-05:00You know, I remember coming across some marketing ...You know, I remember coming across some marketing lit about the event, and thinking to myself, "I guess TO just doesn't have that many genre authors." But I remember thinking that for Word on the Street last fall, too. It's suspicious, or something, because I'm starting to think that's not true...Robynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18343435208403097543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-69848237848216371412010-02-22T17:58:09.449-05:002010-02-22T17:58:09.449-05:00That's an interesting way to put. SF/F books t...That's an interesting way to put. SF/F books that are good are just reclassified. I never thought about it that way.<br /><br />Great post and well said on behalf of all us genre writers.Pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00685341739870191402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-81925527031047814872010-02-21T20:41:23.163-05:002010-02-21T20:41:23.163-05:00And yet, still, the redheaded stepchild of all gen...And yet, still, the redheaded stepchild of all genre fiction is horror. Real horror. Not what they call urban fantasy.<br /><br />http://terrancefoxxe.blogspot.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-85540473616148932452010-02-21T13:42:35.227-05:002010-02-21T13:42:35.227-05:00Well put, Adrienne.
There is no doubt in my mind t...Well put, Adrienne.<br />There is no doubt in my mind that SF/Fantasy is considered muck in the literary community. <br />Having been raised on the stuff and loving it into adulthood, I am often a bit miffed that the snobbery abounds.<br />It takes no less imagination, command of verse or tenacity to write a genre book than it does a great piece of "literature". There are several books that I can think of off the top of my head that are brilliant pieces of literature, though they belong to a sub-genre. Does anybody remember a small, high fantasy title called The Lord of the Rings? Trite fluff, you say? Tolkein spent the better part of his life creating a LANGUAGE, for crying out loud. How many literary authors can say that?<br />Now, I'm not dogging literature. I read that too. I'm dogging the attitude that genre writing is somehow less than. <br />I am reminded of the art world, where quilting isn't considered art. It belongs in county fairs or in quaint B&Bs that great literary authors go to when getting away from New York. It takes every bit as much insight into perspective, color and light to build a quilt as it does to make a painting.<br />Its also like saying that if a band makes it big, they don't make good music. Huh? The Beatles? Stevie Wonder? Frank Sinatra? Prince? <br />I have a feeling I am preaching to the choir on this, but I loved your blog and I hope, at the very least, you had fun dressing up.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00769446919171382143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-82708728234745983962010-02-21T13:31:42.415-05:002010-02-21T13:31:42.415-05:00This made me think of various writing courses in T...This made me think of various writing courses in Toronto not offering some genre fictions in their curriculum (namely Horror, though I do see SF/Fantasy & Thriller). Maybe it's a lack of interest, but if they don't offer it to begin with, how can those of us who are interested show that genre fiction matters to us?Mary Rajottehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09150864147057974882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-18776484391869325472010-02-20T14:28:26.438-05:002010-02-20T14:28:26.438-05:00I've noticed something as well as I try to fin...I've noticed something as well as I try to find representation for my urban fantasy novel: there's a small number of agents that represent fantasy. There's 1200 agents, but only 107 accepting queries for sci fi/fantasy. Of those, when I go to their websites, MOST of what they represent is romance or general fiction. It's very hard these days to submit fantasy as many agents have it in their heads we fantasy writers are trying to be the next Rowling or Meyer.Christi Goddardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08590491851753709622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-25007443935615982712010-02-20T13:51:55.298-05:002010-02-20T13:51:55.298-05:00I have both literary and genre novels in WIP. But ...I have both literary and genre novels in WIP. But when I decided to keep my focus on one, I chose fantasy over literary without hesitation, because that's my passion. <br /><br />I think it is a shame that genre novels are excluded or looked down upon when it is quite evident that more readers read genre than literary, thriller and romance probably at the top. <br /><br />I love literary books too, but I don't think they by their definition alone are any better than genre novels which focus on the story and pace more. <br /><br />I am glad you did this post. Still being at revision stages myself, I have not felt the pain that published genre writers might feel after all the hard work they have put in, so it's good to be aware of such issues.Dollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08144739453424963436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-51645913497631372882010-02-20T12:23:22.131-05:002010-02-20T12:23:22.131-05:00Well said, Adrienne.
I consider myself a genre w...Well said, Adrienne. <br /><br />I consider myself a genre writer, mostly horror but I have delved into science fiction and fantasy. I even write for children. I am of the opinion that good writing is good no matter what the subject matter or the audience it is directed at. We (writers for publication) are a pretty small group already, no need to cannibalize each other over what we think is great or worthwhile.Jamie Eyberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05875759697016701358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16924800.post-36897022322364134672010-02-20T11:56:45.165-05:002010-02-20T11:56:45.165-05:00It isn't just the amorphous "establishmen...<i>It isn't just the amorphous "establishment" that makes the above reclassifications, but well known authors themselves, who have dabbled in genre, have also famously denied that their work is such as if that is the ultimate insult.</i><br /><br />And what's even worse than that is writers who have produced SF as the huge bulk of their work and still refuse to call themselves genre writers. Yes, I'm looking at <i>you</i>, Harlan Ellison. Self-important jerk.<br /><br />Outstanding post, Adrienne.Doug A Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13794727095239182649noreply@blogger.com