are you my genre?

Dragonfly45 · Sep 13, 2007

Hi, all! I posted this in the newbie forum and in mainstream, so if you read it, please forgive me, I'm just trying to get it read by the folks who know! I thought you folks in this section might be able to help me also.

I am currently querying agents about my novel, but I have had trouble categorizing it. I originally used the "mainstream" category, but I have been told by several people that that it sounds more like a thriller. It is a story that follows both a Navy SEAL while he is deployed on an operation, which is more in the action/thriller vein, and then flips from him to telling his wife's story of what she goes through while he's gone, which is why I placed into mainstream...because it has thriller aspects, but it's not "straight up thriller". Their tales are told equally (1/2 is from hi POV, half from her POV), so I am having trouble.

So, I am wondering what you all think about it--does it belong in mainstream or is half-thriller "thriller" enough? I don't want to pitch it "wrong" and hurt my chances. Thanks for your help in advance!

Linda Adams · Sep 15, 2007

Might be thriller. Tess Gerritsen did a similar book with Gravity (though bear in mind that particular book didn't do well).

Good Word · Sep 15, 2007

Are there any published novels that would be considered similar to yours--how would those be categorized?

How are you selecting the agents you query? If you are using something like Agent Query, you could certainly find agents that work in several genres anyway.

Soccer Mom · Sep 15, 2007

It's really difficult to pitch something as a blend of genres. Who is giving you the feedback that your book reads like a thriller? Beta readers? The agents you've already queried?

CheshireCat · Sep 15, 2007

If the he/she POV plotlines converge in a dangerous situation, you can call it a thriller. But if you're telling two stories -- he's in one place, she's in another, both aren't at risk -- then maybe suspense.

IMO, at least.

Dragonfly45 · Sep 15, 2007

Thanks for the opinions, guys...yeah, I have gotten the comment that "it might be thriller" from another author who has read only my synopsis, and then a beta reader. I have definitely tried to find similar works...anybody have any good reading on what differentiates suspense from thriller?

Linda Adams · Sep 16, 2007

Lots of people ask the same question. Unfortunately, there aren't any really good definitions of thrillers and suspenses, nor are there really any rules about what elements should be included. The best thing you can do is read thrillers and suspenses and see where it might actually fit.

CheshireCat · Sep 16, 2007

Yeah, the line between suspense and thrillers has blurred considerably in recent years. Used to be, suspense was quieter, focused in one place like a town or even a house, characters working to prevent something bad from happening, usually something that affected only them, or only a small group of other people.

Thrillers were bigger, wilder, the characters moved -- sometimes around the world -- to stop the Big Bad or find the McGuffin, and the stakes were usually much higher, national or international rather than just the lives of a character or characters.

These days, either of those scenarios could be called suspense or thriller, depending on what the author thinks it is, or the editor or publisher decides it is.

Or what's selling best in the market.

Plus, these days you can add in other elements. Characters are trying to solve a puzzle or a murder, so maybe it's a mystery. Characters are dealing with a coven of witches or the legend of a werewolf or one of them has The Sight -- so maybe it's paranormal. There's a global disaster looming, so maybe it's a techno-thriller or an eco-thriller.

Your best bet is to go to the bookstore or library and look at RECENT books that are called thrillers or suspense, and read a few of each. It won't tell you definitively, because as noted there's no definitive answer, but it might put you on more solid footing in describing your own work.

Good luck.

Dragonfly45 · Sep 16, 2007

Thanks again-time for a tour of the bookstores!

limitedtimeauthor · Sep 16, 2007

It sounds like a book I would pick up. I like my genres blurry!

I have the same question about my WIP, so I can't help you. I'll just listen in on the answers you get.

are you my genre?

Dragonfly45

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Linda Adams

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Good Word

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Soccer Mom

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CheshireCat

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Dragonfly45

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Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller

CheshireCat

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Dragonfly45

Purveyor of the Sparkly

limitedtimeauthor

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