I am curious.

[heatheringemar]

How many of you write genre stories, literary stories, or some strange mix in-between??

I write gothic fiction. Straight genre, no literary. I find 'gothic' accurately describes the dark elements with a nice dose of supernatural or spooky to it. :)

[Henri Bauholz]

I have written some "picture fiction". This is a term that I developed to describe what I do. I write the story around the photograph, using the picture as a prompt. I am hoping to have another story published with the same editor soon. Here is the link.

Half A Man (http://www.thewriterseye.com/thewriterseye002janfeb2008/thewriterseye_fiction_002_1.html)

[kct webber]

I do fantasy, horror, and literary--and various mixes of all three. The literary always pokes its ass into my short fiction. My long stuff has, to this point, been genre exclusively.

[astonwest]

Genre, here...

[Mike Coombes]

I don't really categorise. Some has been published in SF magazines, though the SF was incidental to the story. One that I wrote as a love story was categorised by a reviewer as a modern gothic horror. All in the eyes of the beholder.

[Bubastes]

Confession-style (genre, and not always romance) and literary stories for me.

[beezle]

80-90% genre, at a guesstimate.

[The Scip]

Mix, probably leaning towards genre.

[WendyNYC]

A mix. I lean toward literary in short fiction and genre for novels.

[tehuti88]

I write genre fiction, but only because I relate to it better (i. e., I "get" it) and I don't have the self-confidence to proclaim anything of mine "literary." (I really don't get most literature. I'm kind of dense that way.) I don't know about the "all romp, all entertainment, all the time!" bit though. I do like to hope that some of my themes get people to think. But I have no way of knowing. *shrug*

I'm the same way with reading. I find that I get more messages and deeper thoughts from reading genre than from trying to read lit, simply because I understand it better and can thus spare the brain cells to think about what I've read! For the most part, I just can't get any deeper meaning from literature because I can't follow it. The art is lost on me.

[Maryn]

I do short fiction in two genres and probably wouldn't know literary short fiction if it came to the door and introduced itself.

Maryn, all about sex and death

[riteideas]

All I know are lies, the literary stories. I need a place to get lost in that is much better than here. And it has to have a happy ending even if it's forced, like Huckleberry Finn.

[ZeroMan]

I write shamelessly genre stories. Sci fi and horror, mostly.

That's really what I enjoy. I guess I have no literary asperations!

[Adam Israel]

I write almost entirely genre fiction. I have nothing against literary fiction; it's just not something I enjoy to read, so why would I write it?

[astonwest]

And it has to have a happy ending even if it's forced, like Huckleberry Finn.
Oh, dear..."has to?"

That's missing out on half as much fun...

[celticroots]

I am more of a literary short story person.

[williemeikle]

Genre for me, but a mixture.

I've had horror, fantasy, sci-fi, ghost, humor and crime stories published. No joy yet with my western or romance stories though :)


Willie

[kuwisdelu]

Literary for the most part, but I voted "mixed" since I do try for a strange combination of the two. Not that I write in any particular genre. I lean toward literary, but I try to be accessible and entertaining. I strive for art that entertains, but can be appreciated solely for art, as well. My stories are kind of like the Cowboy Bebop of literary fiction, I suppose. Kind of a strange mix of Palahniuk and Murakami and Borges and Kerouac. Or Eternal Sunshine and Sin City. You know, literary with a punch. I hope.

[Aschenbach]

I think the wording of the poll implies that genre is just fun and accessible, and literary is serious and difficult.

I don't think they are polar opposites. There are some modern literary authors (i.e. Martin Amis, Philip Roth, among many others) who write great narratives, and hilarious one-liners and comic situations. They do innovative things with language, and explore profound themes. But all that talent and inventiveness is put in service of telling a story.

I think it is people who attempt literary style but aren't equipped to pull it off who stink up the literary genre. Too many people test the reader's patience and comprehension by being obscure and experimental. They forget that the writer is obliged to hold the reader's interest. If a writer forgets that, he/she is being self indulgent.

To answer the question I write genre, but attempt to do it in a literary style. You need a 4th option!

[kuwisdelu]

I think the wording of the poll implies that genre is just fun and accessible, and literary is serious and difficult.

I don't think they are polar opposites. There are some modern literary authors (i.e. Martin Amis, Philip Roth, among many others) who write great narratives, and hilarious one-liners and comic situations. They do innovative things with language, and explore profound themes. But all that talent and inventiveness is put in service of telling a story.

I figured that's what the "mixed" category was for, so that's what I went with.

I think it is people who attempt literary style but aren't equipped to pull it off who stink up the literary genre. Too many people test the reader's patience and comprehension by being obscure and experimental. They forget that the writer is obliged to hold the reader's interest. If a writer forgets that, he/she is being self indulgent.

I hate those guys.

To answer the question I write genre, but attempt to do it in a literary style. You need a 4th option!

How do you find that different from the "mixed" option? Just curious.

ETA: Ah, maybe the OP meant the "mixed" option as writing certain stories that are "literary" and certain stories that are "genre"? I took it to mean a blending of both, like you described, but I could be wrong. The wording could be clearer.

[heatheringemar]

I think it is people who attempt literary style but aren't equipped to pull it off who stink up the literary genre. Too many people test the reader's patience and comprehension by being obscure and experimental. They forget that the writer is obliged to hold the reader's interest. If a writer forgets that, he/she is being self indulgent.

That's probably why I tend to have an intense dislike to anything under the "literary" heading. I don't even touch the stuff anymore because I simply don't get it. Sorry.

And as for the third option of the poll, I was meaning in reference to stuff that falls under the "literary genre" heading -- stories that blend the more astute concepts with the romp. BUT, I'm not discounting those who answered it thinking of it as "I write some genre stories and some literary stories." Both those work for the "Mix" option. Think of the others as "I write only....."

Does that clear it up? :)

[kuwisdelu]

That's probably why I tend to have an intense dislike to anything under the "literary" heading. I don't even touch the stuff anymore because I simply don't get it. Sorry.

Like every genre out there, there's some great, entertaining literary stuff, but as always, they're obscured by the hundreds of hacks who can't pull it off.

And as for the third option of the poll, I was meaning in reference to stuff that falls under the "literary genre" heading -- stories that blend the more astute concepts with the romp.

That's how I read it and that's how I answered. I love literary, I can't do pure genre, but I strive to be entertaining and easily enjoyed by genre-readers as well.

[TurkeyLurkey]

I am a mutt. A good story idea is a good story idea.. no matter what the genre is. That being said... I tend to get ideas that twist reality. So.... sci-fi, fantasy, and horror are my usual genres.

[Tocotin]

I never know what my story is until I finish it, or sometimes even after, so I guess it's a mix. Frankly, I find the whole categorization (literary vs genre) confusing. A story is a story is a story.

[Phaeal]

Around 70% genre (fantasy, horror, SF)
Around 30% nongenre (literary or mainstream)

Lately I think I'm blending the two more.

[stormie]

I write mostly anything and everything. I'm still evolving. And enjoying every minute.

[AnneAtWordHustler]

Literary....girlie-tinged. Dramatic. Some might say weepy...and yet sassy? :)

[GreenerPastures]

I like to read and write literary fiction. Someone mentioned that it can be "hard to get." Sometimes it's too obscure and experimental. I know. I hate that. I think that's BAD literary fiction. I want to write the kind that says something important, that is beautiful, and also entertaining.

Debi

[benbradley]

I must be genre, I wouldn't know literary if it bit me in the ass attacked my posterior.

[FOTSGreg]

Genre - mainly hard science fiction/space opera and horror, with thriller components. Only my horror has been published so far (over at BWS for no money).

[Dave.C.Robinson]

I prefer to read genre, and I prefer to write it. I've read and enjoyed some "literary" fiction, but mostly in novel length, and I don't seek it out. I certainly don't seek it out to write it because I like genre tropes and settings.

[mikeland]

My stuff is literary, I suppose. But I view the category "literary" as a catch-all, not a comment on quality or style. It is merely a large pot that you throw all the non-genre stuff into. For that reason, it is really easy to find a sub-set of "literary" that you don't like.

Genres have rules. The writing styles within genres can be radically different, but the reader knows what the elements of the genre are. And I tend to believe that whenever a sub-set of literary (or its siamese twin, mainstream) gets defined by a set of rules, it becomes genre. Exhibit A: Chick Lit (or whatever they're calling it now).

Anyway, just my 2 cents.