Genre Question

I'd call it contemporary or realistic fiction, since the dreams aren't magical or paranormal in any way.

You might possibly call it magic realism if the line between reality and fantasy is blurred and it's from the MC's point of view, but that would depend on how the scenes are written, I think.

Sorry, but have to be grumpy.

I don't think you give us enough info to tell what genre it is. Does the plot involve a mystery, something she has to solve? Does the plot have her in danger, possibly a thriller. Does the plot involve some hunk or geek who gets her juices going, possibly a romance? Or, does the plot contain elements of all, like so many others on the shelves? -- I'd just call it YA and let whomever tries to market decide where to shelve it. Since the YA sections are eclectic, I don't think you really have to decide.

Incidentally, dreams don't a fantasy make. We all have them. Mine are tame, but I have a friend who once dreamed she walked in my oldest daughter's bedroom and found Bruce Springstein sleeping there.

(It was at a time when their youngest daughter had discovered Bruce Springstein and played him at mega-decibels all day. Don't ask me why he was in my daughter's bedroom. Maybe she wished him at my house. My daughter was into Adam Ant, if you remember him. I only include this because it raises the question who/what endures.)

Whatever, good luck on writing a salable novel.

I'd still stick to what I said before. Realistic or contemporary young adult.

I guess you could call it coming-of-age, if you wanted, but I don't think it's necessary.

Seems like a mental disorder to me. Like your character is in pychosis or something. As someone else stated, magic-realism seems to fit your novels genre. Unless you intend to have some fantasy-like elements, it really doesn't fall in the category of paranormal. Unless....your character beings to live her dreams?

Yes what gives a book a genre?

jubileerocker said:

Yes what gives a book a genre?

Click to expand...

Genre is just a way the industry came up with to categorize books to make buying and selling easier. Most books fall under the pure fiction title. Then you'll have books that are dominated by something in particular. Mystery, romance, science fiction, fantasy, western, thriller, horror, literary. If the driving force, setting, premise, is mostly one of these things, then the book is likely a genre book.

But one small element of any doesn't make it genre. The Lovely Bones, for example, has a supernatural element, but that would never be considered a fantasy novel. It tends to fall under the literary or mainstream label. Same with Life of Pi. James Bonds has lots of cool tech gadgets, but he's not science fiction. The Enchanted, Inc series has magic, but it's considered women's fiction, not urban fantasy. The primary audience for all those books is what's considered first, not the pieces that make up the novel.

It's all very subjective, and can even change from bookstore to bookstore. How a publisher chooses to market it can also make a difference. Best gauge I've heard so far is to figure out where in the bookstore a book would go, and that's the most likely genre for it.

Which is why my local book store has the Twilight books in the romance section... that I REALLY didn't understand