My novel's synopsis: Four friends take a roadtrip, and are haunted by ghosts, demons, and their own pasts all along the way. It's set in the modern world, and the paranormal/supernatural occurrences are certainly unnatural for the setting... it's not like Buffy or Angel where it's accepted that the supernatural is commonplace. It's something special happening to my characters.
So I've put my novel in the "Fantasy" genre for lack of a better label, but I did have it in the "Horror" genre briefly, since I didn't do any world-building and the supernatural elements are horrific (ghosts, psychic abilities, demonic possession). I've even had a couple of readers compare my style to that of Stephen King (whose works I respect, but have not read much).
But I really don't know the horror genre. I don't read it. My gut says my book isn't scary enough to be horror, and the images that the word "horror" conjures up includes blood and gore, and there's really not much of that in my book.
Unfortunately, "fantasy" conjures up images of elves and dragons, and mine is further from that than it is the horror stereotype.
I want to say my book is "magical realism" or "urban fantasy" maybe. If I want to get it published though, I have to find a genre for it to market it. I can't go to a publisher with a long-winded explanation like this one, I have to have a solid label so they know what aisle it might go in. If I market it as horror, they might think, "this is kind of weak on horrific elements" while if I market it as fantasy, they may think, "this is not fantastic enough".
I'm open to opinions as to how to categorize this kind of gray-area genre... You're browsing the Other category, so it is likely you have the same dilemma, so I'd like your thoughts on this.
Thanks in advance,
Chris
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60,232 / 50,000
Dic 17, 2007 - 14 51
I'm not sure, but urban fantasy might be fairly close. Good luck with it.
----------Amy
http://www.amypreed.com
2006 NaNo - A Werewolf at War Failed
2007 NaNo - Fallen Angels Won!
"If you study to remember, you will forget, but, if you study to understand, you will remember." Unknown
51,052 / 50,000
Dic 17, 2007 - 16 39
I'd call it dark fantasy. It sounds like it could be a Stephen King plot, or possibly a Neil Gaiman one. Not everything Stephen King writes is blood and gore. Some of his horror is much more muted, more psychological and emotional in nature.
From what I've seen at my local Borders, this could probably be shelved in either section. I'm seeing a lot more shades than the usual elf/fairy/dragon type in fantasy. And a few of the short story collections filed in horror build more suspense and tension rather than go for the gross-out.
In any case, it sounds very interesting and something I'd at least pick up off the shelf and seriously consider buying.
----------First you're an unknown, then you write one book and you move up to obscurity. Martin Myers
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2007 NaNo: Leap Year
50,224 / 50,000
Dic 18, 2007 - 11 43
Not all fantasy is elves, fairies, dragons, and other worlds that for some reason bear a passing resemblance to medieval Europe. Not all horror is blood, gore, scare your pants off every paragraph. A lot of horror can be seen as also fantasy, if the "horrific" elements are fantastical or supernatural in nature.
----------Best line so far:
"So, what are we going to do with the pink elephant?"
54,747 / 50,000
Dic 18, 2007 - 12 40
Well, as a longtime fan of fantasy, I already know that it is not always all about wizards and elves, and I also know that horror is not always about blood and gore and constant terror.
That's just what is expected by someone opening a book with those labels with no other information.
I'm just trying to pick the best blanket label to market my book so that when a publisher or a reader picks it up, their initial expectations based on that label are not overly put off.
Not all beer is bitter either, but if I picked up a mug labeled "beer" and found myself drinking a thick, sweet strawberry lambic, I'd be surprised and might put it down, since it wasn't what I was expecting, even though a lover of fruit beers might really enjoy it. But if the only labels available to me are "beer" and "wine", I have to decide if I want to appeal to beer lovers who might like something sweet and fruity, or whether I want to appeal to wine drinkers who'd be okay with fizziness and malty body.
See what I mean?
Chris
54,747 / 50,000
Dic 18, 2007 - 12 58
Hi GreedySkunk, thanks for your comments. I have heard that Stephen King has at least one series that is entirely within the fantasy genre. I didn't mean to typecast him as only a horror writer.
But all the same, when most people think of Stephen King, they think of horror, as he is known to be a master of the genre.
I do agree that fantasy has become a broader, more diverse category than it once was, though I'd still argue that the first thing most people would expect a fantasy story to be is something in the sword and sorcery realm. Still, fantasy does have deep roots in fairy tales, and older fairy tales, like Grimm's are quite a lot like supernatural horror.
Thanks again!
Chris
51,052 / 50,000
Dic 19, 2007 - 11 13
Hmm, I do see what you mean about the labels available. Choosing only between fantasy and horror, I'd go with horror. When I think of ghosts and demons, that's the genre that comes to mind.
Fantasy is changing and enveloping a lot more ideas and settings, but it is still known mostly for its sword and sorcery epics.
Good luck!
----------First you're an unknown, then you write one book and you move up to obscurity. Martin Myers
---------------------------------
2007 NaNo: Leap Year