Sci-Fi vs. Fantasy vs. Spec-Fic

K_Avery_Hiscox

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I've noticed that an increasing number of online publishers (particularly ezines) are grouping sci-fi, fantasy, and dark fantasy/horror together under the single banner of "Speculative Fiction." The assumption, I suppose, being that these genres are sufficiently similar to appeal to the same general audience. The trend has yet to present itself in print to the same degree, but online it seems to me as though authors are often categorized less as "Fantasy" or "Sci-Fi" authors than as "Spec-Fic" authors.

I know that most print publishing houses are nervous (understandably so) about authors who "hop genres" and risk alienating readers. (I seem to remember reading somewhere that this is why Dean Koontz used to use so many pseudonyms.) So here's my question: do authors who are focused mainly on epublishing need to stick solely to a single, specific genre? About half of my writing is science fiction, and the other half is dark fantasy. Do you think that these genres are similar enough to be promoted under a single banner and marketed under the very generalized category/umbrella termof speculative fiction, as many ezines are, or do I need to use a different byline for each genre?
 
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Kerosene

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Speculative fiction is just an umbrella term, not a genre.

Get an agent first and ask them. They will either say you can publish both, or work under a pseudonym to be safe.
Some agents will work with the same genre and work with a pseudonym for both, other don't.

Other than a novel, it really doesn't matter. So write a single good book, get an agent by querying the book correctly, and go from there.
 

Todd Young

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Personally, if I like something an author's written, I'm likely to like something else they've written. I remember finding out that Agatha Christie published novels as Mary Westmacott, and then I read all of those and liked them just as much if not more than her mysteries.

Still, I think you're likely to confuse people who are looking for a certain sort of book.
 

Polenth

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Print publishers may be less likely to use the words speculative fiction, but most bookstores have a joint fantasy/science fiction shelf, rather than separate shelves. The horror shelf is usually next door. It's not a new thing to acknowledge the cross-over in readership. Nor is it that unusual for an author to work in more than one speculative genre under the same name.

So the short answer is no, I wouldn't use a different byline for each. You'll be missing out on your cross-over readership if you do.
 

Mutive

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An awful lot of writers work in both science fiction and fantasy, so I suspect that's where it's coming from. The authors and audiences have a lot of cross over, so sometimes it's simpler to just call something "speculative fiction" than it is to say, "Well, Nancy Kress originally wrote some fantasy novels, but now she's really into genetics. But we're guessing that if you liked her fantasy, you'll also like her science fiction, so we're putting them all together..."

Not to mention that a lot of science fiction/fantasy blurs boundaries, anyway. Would you consider Weber's book about a robot who's asked to guide a kingdom that is now medieval along using technology that seems magical science fiction or fantasy? (I guess technically it's science fiction...but the elements are closer to those found in a traditional fantasy novel with kings and mages and heroic quests and all that.)

I do get the fear of "genre hopping", but it's less of an issue for SF, F, and H than it is for most, as there's a lot of cross-over between those three, anyway.
 

K_Avery_Hiscox

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Thanks for weighing in, everyone. Its great to hear your thoughts on this.

WillSauger: I'm definitely hoping there's an agent in my future. Probably once my current novel's done I'll start sending query letters.

Todd Young: I never knew Agatha Christie published under a pseudonym. I'm a fan of her writing, so I'll definitely be checking those books out. Should be interesting to compare them with the stuff she published under her own name.

Polenth: I'd completely forgotten print bookstores grouped the sci-fi and fantasy novels together like that. Tells you how long it's been since I was in a brick and mortar retailer...

Mutive: Good point about the genre overlap. I've been noticing a lot of that in newer books.

Cheers. :)
 

Myrealana

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A lot of writers under the "Speculative Fiction" umbrella cross over between SciFi, Fantasy and Horror and from YA to adult. Readers who enjoy one type of SpecFic tend to also read other types as well.

If you were going to write a straight up romance, you might want to pick a pseudonym different from your epic space opera, but if you're just jumping from fantasy to SciFi or vice-versa, your readership will likely have no problem with it.