Genre writes Literary a letter

Perks · Dec 19, 2011

Found this for AuthorScoop this morning, but thought it would take off well here, too.

Fantasy author, Daniel Abraham, is one funny dude. He's written a letter from Genre to its estranged companion, Literary. Enjoy! (And really, you gotta read the whole thing.)

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/20...hams-private-letter-from-genre-to-literature/

Please, please, darling let us stop this. This artificial separation between us is painful, it is undignified, and it fools no one. In company, we sneer at each other and make those cold, cutting remarks. And why? You laugh at me for telling the same stories again and again. I call you boring and joyless. <snip>

But allow me this, dear: what you do is crueler. You take the best of me, my most glorious moments - Ursula LeGuin and Dashiell Hammet, Mary Shelly and Philip Dick - and you claim them for your own. You say that they "transcend genre". There are no more heartless words than those. You disarm me. You know, I think, that if we were to compare our projects honestly -- my best to yours, my mediocrities to yours, our failures lumped together -- this division between us would vanish, and so you skim away my cream and mock me for being only milk. <snip>

I read through the collections of your most honored short stories, and what do I see? Fantasy, mystery, ghost stories, romance. How often you refresh yourself at my springs. I wonder whether your contempt might hide something deeper. Fear perhaps...

The Lonely One · Dec 19, 2011

It's funny because I actually wrote in one of my college letters that Bradbury and Vonnegut transcend genre boundaries. I meant it as a compliment, though, as I consider literary a genre (has certain expectations other genres don't emphasize as much). I don't think literary is better qualitatively, just that it exists and that I enjoy any crossover genre, because it shows ingenuity.

I pointed to Bradbury and Vonnegut because they don't only write sci-fi, they also write traditional literary fiction in some instances, hence the idea of crossover or transcendence.

I don't think literary fiction has always been a distinct genre, but I think it has evolved into one over time, at the very least.

But I agree with the writer that the silly war is, well, silly. I'm not a participant.

kuwisdelu · Dec 19, 2011

Was the envelope self-addressed?

The silly war is nothing but an internal conflict. Trying to argue genre vs. literary just doesn't make much sense, since they describe different things that are not mutually exclusive.

Phaeal · Dec 19, 2011

Genre is being waaaaaay too nice to Literary. Literary has a huge masochistic streak. Genre should threaten to boil Literary's bunny and to drizzle Literary with the steaming droplets from its pelt.

Another good strategy would be for Genre to stride into that little bar in a Boba Fett costume, shove the etiolated hangers-on to the side, and ask Literary if he or she has added any new sets to his or her Lego Star Wars collection. Really. Humiliation is so romantic!

kuwisdelu · Dec 19, 2011

Phaeal said:
Humiliation is so romantic!

Mmmm. I agree.

shakeysix · Dec 19, 2011

He-she? Let's take this blood -feud to gender. To me literary is a man in jodhpurs, puttees and a safari hat telling me that I can never write literately because I am a woman and I let my emotions color my prose.--s6

kuwisdelu · Dec 19, 2011

To me the stereotype of literary is a hat saying I can't wear my sci-fi jacket because it doesn't go with the hat.

I think the hat and the jacket go just fine together.

The mistake people make is that literary and genre are both hats. They are not.

SPMiller · Dec 19, 2011

Whoever wrote that "article" was trying way too hard.

Also not too familiar with the fantasy genre. For example, The Name of the Wind is neither literary nor good.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 19, 2011

I don't think it's fair to reach a decision with first reading Literary's reply. But I think both are probably people of average height, nipping at the heels of giants.

Alpha Echo · Dec 19, 2011

kuwisdelu said:
The silly war is nothing but an internal conflict. Trying to argue genre vs. literary just doesn't make much sense, since they describe different things that are not mutually exclusive.

I agree. I've always had a hard time calling something "literary" because the book almost always falls into some other category. Every book has a theme, you know? A main plot. And it generally falls into a genre category, whether it's "literary" or not.

James D. Macdonald · Dec 19, 2011

There are four genres: Rhetoric, prose, poetry, and drama.

Everything else is arguing about marketing category.

Amadan · Dec 19, 2011

Meh, it's kind of cute, but Daniel Abraham is trying way too hard to be clever.

MarkEsq · Dec 19, 2011

James D. Macdonald said:
There are four genres: Rhetoric, prose, poetry, and drama.

Everything else is arguing about marketing category.

Okay then, letter from Rhetoric to Drama:

Dear Drama,
I think you're overacting. Over reacting. Sure, I talk a lot, too much maybe, but at least I'm honest. For you it's just an act. Or three acts. Sometimes two or four acts. Am I right? Hush, that was rhetorical, don't answer. Anway....

Perks · Dec 19, 2011

Awww man, I thought it was fun.

Alpha Echo · Dec 19, 2011

Perks said:
Awww man, I thought it was fun.

I did too, Perks.

MarkEsq · Dec 19, 2011

Alpha Echo said:
I did too, Perks.

As did I, and so thanks for posting it.

Monkey · Dec 19, 2011

I loved it. Thanks.

shakeysix · Dec 19, 2011

i thought it was funny too.--s5

Jamesaritchie · Dec 19, 2011

Alpha Echo said:
I agree. I've always had a hard time calling something "literary" because the book almost always falls into some other category. Every book has a theme, you know? A main plot. And it generally falls into a genre category, whether it's "literary" or not.

We must read different "literary" writers. If a book falls into a genre category, you should be able to sell it as a genre novel. Many literary novels I've read by current writers no only wouldn't sell in any genre, God Himself couldn't make the editor read past chapter one.

I still like quite a few of them, but I wouldn't begin to classify them as any sort of genre novel.

Amadan · Dec 19, 2011

Jamesaritchie said:
We must read different "literary" writers. If a book falls into a genre category, you should be able to sell it as a genre novel. Many literary novels I've read by current writers no only wouldn't sell in any genre, God Himself couldn't make the editor read past chapter one.

I still like quite a few of them, but I wouldn't begin to classify them as any sort of genre novel.

So obviously an editor did read past chapter one and they did sell, since you're reading them.

What are these genre-less literary novels you read?

dolores haze · Dec 19, 2011

Some of my favorite books come about when Genre and Literary shut the hell up and make a beautiful baby instead.

kuwisdelu · Dec 19, 2011

Jamesaritchie said:
We must read different "literary" writers. If a book falls into a genre category, you should be able to sell it as a genre novel. Many literary novels I've read by current writers no only wouldn't sell in any genre, God Himself couldn't make the editor read past chapter one.

I still like quite a few of them, but I wouldn't begin to classify them as any sort of genre novel.

It's harder to find agents that say they take on books in the magic realism genre or bildungsroman than to find one that says they take literary fiction.

Alternatively, The Name of the Rose may technically be a mystery, but it isn't what your average mystery reader is expecting when he or she goes to buy a new mystery novel.

Miguelito · Dec 19, 2011

SPMiller said:
Whoever wrote that "article" was trying way too hard.

Also not too familiar with the fantasy genre. For example, The Name of the Wind is neither literary nor good.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I thought I was the only person in this world underwhelmed by that book.

ETA: a great example of literary fantasy is Tigana, by Guy Gavriel Kay.

Genre writes Literary a letter

delicate #!&@*#! flower

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Revolutionize the World

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

Revolutionize the World

blue eyed floozy

Revolutionize the World

Prodigiously Hanged

I should be writing.

Your Genial Uncle

Clever title pending.

delicate #!&@*#! flower

I should be writing.

Clever title pending.

Is me.

blue eyed floozy

international guttersnipe

Revolutionize the World

Filled with optimism. And scotch.