There seems to be a much lower level of activity in this forum compared to genre fiction. Most literary fiction readers on Goodreads whom I've interacted with are located outside the USA. Is literary fiction dying, at least in the USA?
Is literary fiction dying?
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I don't think so. AW covers a lot of ground. It does seem like some genres get more action than others, but I think that's just a reflection of who writes what in terms of this membership.
I have to agree. The Lit Fic SYW here at AW has always had less 'traffic' if you will, than the contemporary/mainstream area. It's just been that way for as long as I've been here. There are -seemingly- fewer of us in sheer number, but I don't think it's dying at all. =)
I suspect Lit fic readers are also less likely to be 'fans' and since it's not a genre as such, are less likely to have favoured authors in common with each other.
If you mean by 'fan' that I'm buying the t-shirt, visiting their theme park, and hanging on their every tweet...
uh.... No.
But I do have a list of authors that I will read any story/novel they write...
uh.... No.
But I do have a list of authors that I will read any story/novel they write...
I meant that it seems that some people label themselves by what sort of media they like - Dr.Who, Star Trek, Harry Potter etc and this sometimes seems to include the genre of fiction they usually prefer. Although with lit fic one might say 'I'm a big fan of Salman Rushdie and read everything he writes,' people rarely make forum avatars and blogs about how awesome Salman Rushdie is, they don't create questionnaires designed to tell you which character from his novels you are most like. So I'm not saying there aren't fans of particular authors, obviously there are, but there's no 'fandom'. Or maybe there is and I'm totally missing out on an Angela Carter fandom I could be taking part in!
Good point. I knew what I was getting into when I started writing my book, which is an even smaller niche market within the niche market of literary fiction. Still, it can be discouraging when the top three sales categories on Amazon are erotica, romance, and erotic romance
I do too. I think literary fans are around, we're just quieter than the Star Trek people.
Good point. I knew what I was getting into when I started writing my book, which is an even smaller niche market within the niche market of literary fiction. Still, it can be discouraging when the top three sales categories on Amazon are erotica, romance, and erotic romance
Literary fiction is never going to be the big seller that romance or thrillers are. Of course, there are always going to be exceptions like Hilary Mantel. Currently number two on Amazon UK is The Life of Pi.
Personally I prefer literary fiction when its crossed with with another genre. I love literary historicals and literary crime. If you look into MTS it's quite a frequent question that goes like 'can I write a character driven thriller/crime novel?' To which my answer is to look at authors like PD James and David Peace. So, I imagine that's where all the traffic goes.
Most arguments in AW about literary fiction centre around 1) is literary fiction just another genre? or 2) how litfic fans look down on genre fiction?
You can only take part in so many of those before you start to cry tears of real blood and have to be removed from the forums on Health and Safety grounds.
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On this site I've noticed a lot of hostility toward literary fiction. Common charges are that it is pretentious, exclusive, and boring. Not too many members will jump into the "mainstream/contemporary/literary" section to voice these opinions (though it happens), but whenever I peek into one of the other categories I'm bound to run into some anti-literary sentiment.
That this should be the state of affairs on one of ("the"?) largest writing site on the web is depressing.
In their day Henry James, Joyce, Woolf mostly sold jack squat, so I'm not sure when literary fiction was ever widely embraced by the public.
But those are readers. That writers should be so ignorant--sorry, no other word will do--is a real bummer.
That this should be the state of affairs on one of ("the"?) largest writing site on the web is depressing.
In their day Henry James, Joyce, Woolf mostly sold jack squat, so I'm not sure when literary fiction was ever widely embraced by the public.
But those are readers. That writers should be so ignorant--sorry, no other word will do--is a real bummer.
I would agree, I've seen some sneering. Neither of the two styles/genres that I write see a lot of action on this site. Literary and romance (that isn't erotica or fantasy). Both see their share of snark, not just here. I can also say that the snark isn't usually allowed to devolve into bashing on this site. When it starts crossing the line, someone, mod or member, will jump in and say waitaminute.
What I really like about AW is the wide range of genres and styles represented. Yes, some genres seem heavily represented. I honestly think there's much to be learned from all of the genres, a percentage of which can and should be kept in mind while writing, whatever you write.
When I'm working on something literary, it helps me to remember character driven and exploration shouldn't equal navel gazing, will it be interesting and relatable to anyone other than myself?
When I'm working on romance, it helps me to remember plot and true conflict, fleshing out characters, so the HEA will actually make sense.
What I really like about AW is the wide range of genres and styles represented. Yes, some genres seem heavily represented. I honestly think there's much to be learned from all of the genres, a percentage of which can and should be kept in mind while writing, whatever you write.
When I'm working on something literary, it helps me to remember character driven and exploration shouldn't equal navel gazing, will it be interesting and relatable to anyone other than myself?
When I'm working on romance, it helps me to remember plot and true conflict, fleshing out characters, so the HEA will actually make sense.
Like right now.When it starts crossing the line, someone, mod or member, will jump in and say waitaminute.
Folks, I think every genre feels like they're being slighted somehow. I write horror, and believe me, horror writers can't get no respect. At least they think so. It's the same with romance. The same with erotica. The same, the same, the same.
Here's the thing. At AW we don't engage in these genre vs. literary wars. We're all writers regardless of what we write. Respect Your Fellow Writer means the mystery writer ought not pick on the comedy writer. The guy who writes science fiction ought not mock the woman who writes Christian fiction. The horror writer ought not insult the literary writer. And vice versa.
So let's not start genre accusing here, okay? Let's get back to the original question.
Thanks.
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1.) I don't use this site often and I can find any number of examples of genre writers beating up litfic. Sure, it "ought not" happen, but it does.
2.) Because this section can go a month or so without anyone posting anything, I suspect the answer to the original question is either "Yes" or else "It's always been such."
I've never accused or insulted any genre at AW. Never have and never will. But LitFic threads have a terrible habit of going that way. In my case anyway, that's why I don't bother entering them. And I (try to) write Literary Fiction.
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Do it. Now. OR, read the last several posts again and think a bit more.
I mean, sure, you can find them. They're there. But then, you'd have to search the ENTIRE house and prove to yourself that litfic is the only one form of writing that gets dissed, or is getting dissed more than ANY other genre.
Meanwhile, a half dozen genre writers from a dozen genres will be finding and citing (rather than just making claims) instances where they feel their genres have been denigrated.
As has been indicated upthread. It's the nature of people who are passionate about their work. And it is a zero sum argument. That's why we discourage it here.
The Christian Forum of AW has even less traffic. This in no way reflects the health of the Christian Fiction market. It just means that fewer writers of Christian Fiction hang out here. Every community has its own culture.
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But no one beats up Christian fiction. No one goes to the horror section to opine that they don't like horror.
But for some reason, some writers have felt the need to go "Anyone want to talk about the journals we read?" and tell the world they don't like literary journals.
But for some reason, some writers have felt the need to go "Anyone want to talk about the journals we read?" and tell the world they don't like literary journals.
Seriously? I can't count the number of times people have told me they hate horror.
Any time you think you or your genre is being disrespected in any thread, please mash the "report post" icon under your avatar. It's the one that looks like a little red triangle. Of course we can't stop all the disrespectful posts, but we can't stop any of them unless we know about them, and we can respond directly to any you report.
You're quite wrong on that score. Although I am no longer, I was the moderator of the AW Christian Forum for many years. I've seen lots of beating up of Christian fiction. Some of it is actually valid.
Every person here can find instances of someone saying unkind things about the kind of literature they like.
My point, however, was not to continue the "who is dissed most" argument, (which is futile) but to show that not only do different communities have different cultures, but that those cultures change over time. (The AW of today is not the same as that of 10 years ago.) And the culture of any one community does not have a correlation to the health of the genre.
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