Not sure of my wip's genre

Dhewco · Apr 3, 2007

Guys, tell me what you think... here's the rundown:

Protag: 12yo Jeremiah, traumatized by an assault, feels 'called' to protect other children who could be attacked . . . by getting rid of predators who are released into the public. (He was attacked at 11yo, but the attacker got off on a technicality...despite the protag's holding up under cross) His first victim is the man who got off.

I'm only a few chapters into the story, don't know how many I'll end up with. I only start with a vague plot (by vague I mean I know how I won't the story to end, but the middle is up in the air...for the most part) and some character sketches.

I was going to do a SYW on this, but I couldn't figure out what genre to put it in...

The 'antagonist', for want of a better term, is going to be the detective linking the cases together.

BTW, for those who ask, it does have to be a kid. It, besides my own style, is what helps to make this a different story. Otherwise, it's Dexter without the blood, lol. (Of course, another difference would be the 'called' element and the fact that Jeremiah isn't a sociopath.)

Thanks in advance,

David

PS: The character is also LDS...which makes for some convoluted morality in the character. Trust me.

swvaughn · Apr 3, 2007

Wow, man. A twelve-year-old vigilante killer? You are bold!

I'd say this is thriller/suspense, unless there are paranormal elements to it (in which case it would be paranormal suspense). There's no mystery - we know who's doing what and why upfront, so it's just a matter of "will he get away with it and survive."

Good luck!

P.S. What's LDS?

scribbler1382 · Apr 3, 2007

Sounds like Suspense to me. Could be something else depending on what you do with it.

Dhewco · Apr 3, 2007

swvaughn said:
P.S. What's LDS?

Latter-Day Saint, i.e., Mormon

David

scribbler1382 · Apr 3, 2007

Little Damn Sense

Shady Lane · Apr 3, 2007

This could definitely be a YA, if that's how you want it handled. But I think a child, in this case, would make a perfectly fine MC in an adult thriller.

Judg · Apr 3, 2007

Is this inspired by that young man from the Maritimes who went out and shot a sex offender he didn't even know? Bussed down to the States and shot a guy he'd read off the sex offender list. He was older though, late teens or early twenties. And they never found out why he did it because he committed suicide when they caught up to him, if I remember the facts straight.

Just curious.

PeeDee · Apr 3, 2007

Sounds like John Updike's recent novel. So, er, whatever genre that was.

Dhewco · Apr 4, 2007

It was not inspired by anything other than my own imagination, for the most part. If anything, the idea was inflamed by the Dexter series. Before then, I'd never thought to have a vigilante killer as the main character. But once the thought popped into my head, some things clicked and I began to generate Jeremiah.

Oh, and I can't remember the last time I've read Updike.

12yo was the age when a personal trauma happened in my own life, so it seemed the perfect age for my character. I started imagining what would have happened if I could have gotten revenge. Of course, I'm changing the character to make it as unlike me as possible and still have the same emotional impact. It's a double edged sword to use this much of yourself in a book like this, so I'm taking steps to keep it from being a problem.

I'm going to stop now, I'm rambling. Thanks everyone for the comments.

David

David I · Apr 4, 2007

I know opinions differ...

Some people think you need to know your genre before writing, or at least in the early stages. These people believe that genre conventions are important elements of constructing your story.

Others--I'm amongst them--think genre is a marketing tool, and only needs to be decided later. I think you're better off writing it and then having a look once you're finished. Have a few readers look too, and let them tell you what kind of book they thought it was.

It sounds as if you might have a very interesting novel underway. Best of luck with it.

Will Lavender · Apr 4, 2007

David I said:
Some people think you need to know your genre before writing, or at least in the early stages. These people believe that genre conventions are important elements of constructing your story.

Others--I'm amongst them--think genre is a marketing tool, and only needs to be decided later. I think you're better off writing it and then having a look once you're finished. Have a few readers look too, and let them tell you what kind of book they thought it was.

It sounds as if you might have a very interesting novel underway. Best of luck with it.

Wise words, in my opinion.

I wouldn't worry about or think about genre at all until (a) in your query letter and then (b) if you have to defend your book's place on a certain shelf.

Otherwise, tell the story.

Not sure of my wip's genre

Dhewco

swvaughn

adrift

scribbler1382

Write For You, Edit For The Reader

Dhewco

scribbler1382

Write For You, Edit For The Reader

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Dhewco

David I

Will Lavender

Everything is what it seems.