Falling in between two stools, please help!

[Klazart]

Okay I got the feedback for my first novel from my agent who I sent a full to. She said she enjoyed reading it and that it was 'impressive and well structured first novel.' But that she didn't feel passionately enough about it to take it on.

The main problem that she points out seems to be that the novel falls between two genres. When I started writing it I didn't want it to be a thriller, I still don't really. I wanted to write a story of tragedy, irony and injustice, but one that was told in an interesting way. The problem is that a lot of people who read it seem to think it's a thriller. This includes my agent, one of my beta readers (who reads a lot of thrillers, speed-read through my manuscript in about 4 hours and said she thought the pacing was fine and that she finds Le' Carre to slow), and an editor (who only saw a one page synopsis). My wife, who doesn't like to read typical thrillers (but reads a lot of crime, oxymoron?) said she enjoyed it a lot and that she especially enjoyed the 'descriptive passages.'


The writing itself is 'descriptive and lyrical,' which doesn't fall in line with typical thrillers. I think i've achieved my primary goals in that the story does explore the themes I set out to with meaningful characters, but apparently the 'literariness,' might not appeal to thriller readers.

So I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to remove all the 'descriptive passages,' as I feel they add colour to the world I've written about as well as depth.

So how do I go about literising (if that's a word) the novel? Is it impossible for a literary novel to have a thriller style story to it? Thrillerising it might be easier, but I don't want to have to do that.

Sorry if i'm being too vague.

[scribbler1382]

When I started writing it I didn't want it to be a thriller, I still don't really. I wanted to write a story of tragedy, irony and injustice, but one that was told in an interesting way. The problem is that a lot of people who read it seem to think it's a thriller.

This makes me think of the adage "The book is boss". Let the book be what it wants to be. As the writer, you of course can help wrangle it through its paces, but ultimately it knows what it wants to be. Fighting that destiny may be fruitless. Just my 2 cents.

[Garpy]

My tuppence would be this....

If you want to score a better chance at being published, 'thrillerize it', but only if the core premise/idea/hook is strong enough. Making it more literary means making less money in the eyes of an agent...therefore less attractive a project to sell.

If you're writing for the sheer pleasure of it, and the idea that being published would be a nice bonus, then take it whatever direction you'd most enjoy writing.

[Klazart]

i might end up having to make it more thriller like. The idea/premise/hook etc. are all strong enough, but I'm going to end up having to cut out a lot of it to make it more 'thriller,' like, and that will mean removing some of what I feel is my best writing, as the descriptive and 'insightful,' passages in the book where I really shine. Oh well at least the next novel is out and out literary and won't have these issues.

[jodiodi]

Save those passages you cut. They may be useful again in another context. Also, if you don't want to make it a 'thriller', then don't. The book is what it is.

[Pisarz]

Consider positioning it as a "literary thriller."

[Klazart]

i was happy having it as a literary thriller, but the agent suggested that I need to 'pick one genre,' so I'm really torn. But maybe other agents will like it for what it is

[herdon]

Dunno, I'd tend to think that you shouldn't make changes based on one agent and one editor. People have opinions, and the next person might think something different of it. Where do you see it in a book store? Are you labeling it such in the query letter?

If you are passionate about how it is written and patient as far as publishing goes I would suggest not changing it until you have exhausted more possiblities. You could also think about a smaller press that might be more open to a book that doesn't fit within the box -- but I'm a big fan of starting at the top and working down.

If it were me, and I were happy with how it was written, I'd continue to shop it around in that form and work on a second novel. Mainly depends on how passionate you are about it staying in its current form though.

[ccarver30]

Good advice, as usual! :)

[willietheshakes]

This is giving me a wicked sense of deja vu...
"Falls between two stools" was a comment my agent made to describe concerns about my novel - itself a literary/thriller/domestic/paranormal anomaly - expressed by editors, particularly in the US.
The key with my book, and possibly yours, was finding someone to believe in it, at every stage of the game. I went with the agent who believed in it most. My Canadian publisher 'got it' and got behind it right away. My US editor - after a fairly long search - believed in it after her first reading.
What I've found, in my limited time on this side of the biz, is that you want people who will champion the book, who will take it personally...

Not that any of that likely helps.

[Will Lavender]

You might just admit in your query that you have written, as someone else said, a "literary thriller."

For homework, I suggest you look at Laura Lippman and Chris Bohjalian. Lippman is as "descriptive" as any writer of literary fiction.

[C.bronco]

Call it a novel and let the agent figure out how to sell it.
:)

[CaroGirl]

I'd find another agent. Some of the best books I've read fall between genres. I think it's unique to have a literary take on a thriller. I like unique. Keep querying.

[sfecphory]

I wouldn't go changing too much based on the response of one agent. I've heard agents say that cross-genre work is very popular right now, so perhaps you just need to query more agents. If ten agents all come back with the same response, then I'd give it some weight. But with only one saying it, I say move on.

[Klazart]

thanks a million for all the advice, it's really helpful.

I think I've decided to stick with the 'core' of the book as it is, but I am going to take some of the more specific suggestions on board in terms of adding in another red-herring or two, and maybe another sub-plot. As well as a couple of changes to charecters, and then continue to query.

I had always thought of it as a literary thriller, and thats what it feels to me. Though maybe enhancing the thriller aspect a bit by throwing in an extra red-herring or two, some more action and another subplot might improve the book without taking too much away from the literary side of it?

[Klazart]

also silly stupid nit-picking question here. Does it matter if the font is different in the query + synopsis and the manuscript.

The manuscript is in standard courier 12 new with double spacing.

The synopsis is just 1 page with Times New Roman 12 with single spacing and about 1 and a half pages with Times New Roman 12 with double spacing. With courier it becomes three pages which I feel is too long, but also some agents want it to be 1 page or 2, and I don't see room for further tightening in it.

The query letter is a full page with Times new Roman with 1.5 spacing. I could fit it in courier with single spacing but it looks too dense to read then. Times new roman with single spacing would look a lot more compact but then also be dense to read.

I'm just worried that it might put agents off when they look at it.
(with the current agent I already did a non-fiction book, so the query and synopsis were not as big issues)

[CaroGirl]

also silly stupid nit-picking question here. Does it matter if the font is different in the query + synopsis and the manuscript.
I hope not. I typically send the query and synopsis in TNR, 12 pt, single spaced. My ms is printed in Courier New, 12 pt, double spaced.

[Soccer Mom]

As long as it isn't in Wingdings you'll be fine.

[Klazart]

I hope not. I typically send the query and synopsis in TNR, 12 pt, single spaced. My ms is printed in Courier New, 12 pt, double spaced.

Thanks, glad to see I'm not the only one!