The summary I used to describe my novel:
"In a mental home just outside Budapest, Orphei Romanov a world famous Bulgarian violinist, composer and musical genius sits and talks to his psychiatrist. Orphei suffers from Schizophrenia. He is recovering from a serious psychotic episode after the death of his wife, Euridike. Orphei has returned to the real world after suffering an arduous journey into the hellish underworld he created in his mind in an attempt to bring his love back.
It takes two points of view - one part is from his narrative on what happened and the events leading up to it. It has themes of theology and mythology scattered throughout the novel. The other part is from 3rd person, narrating the back story of his relationship with his wife and what actually happens after she dies and during his "journey" to the underworld."
Now on the "Other Genres" board I was told this counts as fantasy. However the way this novel is going, it seems to focus more on the psychology side of the story. The protagonist's schizophrenia and character development. His point of view on the story from the moment his wife dies, and is then "triggered" into psychosis and ends up on in his vivid journey through, what he believes is the underworld. Granted the underworld sections themselves will be fantastical so I can see why this counts as fantasy, but I am using this as an examination into his mind. The story is constructed through a conversation with his psychiatrist who tries to make him realise that his experience was built from his own creation from both conscious and subconscious beliefs.
Later on, from third person perspective, the reality of the story is shown as a contrast.
While there is a large fantasy component, there is a lot of psychology, mythology, social and theological themes in the book too. I'm just having trouble trying to define what to classify it as.
Thanks a lot!
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20,154 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 06 43
So don't. Just don't worry about what 'kind' of story it is. It's a story. Literary storytelling techniques largely work across genre and the trappings of 'high literature' and 'generic fantasy' are just a pain.
Genre is a thorny issue for literary types, like 'style' (whatever that is), but the best way to address such concerns as a writer is to read a lot, write what interests you, and develop good storytelling instincts. Just don't worry about the 'genre.' You'll discover that as you go.
If you're asking because you want to know which group to talk to here, just pick one. The non-idiots won't care that you're asking off-kilter questions, and 99% of your questions will be equally appropriate in every forum, I guarantee it. The question of whether you'll get good or plentiful answers is quite separate; these are the NaNo fora, i.e. you might get plentiful answers but you often won't get good ones. As they say on TV: 'You take the good / you take the bad / you take them both / and there you have / the facts of life.'
20,154 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 06 49
Sidenote:
Ulysses resembles The Odyssey and Hamlet in structure and theme despite the characters not being named Ody, Penny, and Hamm. Does your seemingly on-the-nose naming scheme have an ironic component? If not, can you trust that the mythic parallel will come through without your overt signaling?
You should do whatever lets you write the draft, of course, but I always worry that myth-retelling can become its own justification rather than a way of deepening some other story - and choosing new (more individual, less archetypal) names could maybe push you to honour their unique natures.
This is only relevant if such things are currently a problem. :)
10,103 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 07 25
I think you can very well classify it as lit-fic. You can also visit the fantasy board for things having to do with the fantasy part of your story and just take the best you can out of the two boards. I mean NaNo is an open forum and if you feel it's lit-fic, then it must be true. At this point no one knows your story better then you do.
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Nov 5, 2009 - 07 26
You have an interesting point. I haven't thought about that to be honest. Most of my writing tends to be re-writes and modern interpretations from legends and mythology, and usually I keep the name or slightly vary it. Maybe it is habit, or maybe a subconcious part of me feels the name plays an important role.
I understand your point about following a structured path with a said myth instead of going for the natural flow of the story. I personally like to take the myth and work around that, changing some parts completely and being utterly faithful to other parts. I use the myth to explore other themes which could add more depth to it - so many old myths and legends seem like an empty shell to me, which have great potential to be brought to life.
I feel the characters from mythology are so vague anyway that there is a lot of room to bring out their own natures, so no I don't think the names hinder that. My characters have their own personality, and most certainly are going in the way of their unique natures. After writing I feel like they have a mind of their own and it isn't my creation. :)
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Nov 5, 2009 - 07 29
Loredana that is excellent advice! Thank you! I will probably do that. I have no issues right now with the psychological and real world part of the story. I am rather pleased with the dynamic I am having between my main character and the psychiatrist. However while I have a good idea behind the fantasy components, getting some feedback on that might be useful.
(p.s. I think the idea for your story is most intreguing. :) )
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Nov 5, 2009 - 11 22
Definitely sounds like lit to me. However, you have to be careful to not let the allusions overtake the actual theme. Allusions should add something to your theme- not be it.
41,692 / 50,000
Nov 21, 2009 - 11 56
The story sounds a little bit like magical realism to me, which in my mind is a form of literary fiction. You could read some Gabriel Garcia Marquez to get a feel for it. I don't think there's a subthread for magical realism. But you can rest assured that there are plenty of "literary" writers who introduce mythological and fantastic elements into their work. James Joyce is the obvious example, but you have writers like John Updike, too.
The danger with literary fiction as opposed to fantasy is that all your characters have to be complex and three-dimensional. Argh.
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76,298 / 50,000
Nov 21, 2009 - 20 30
They have to be complex and three-dimensional? Then what am I writing?