Am I in the correct genre?

Status
Not open for further replies.

SDSPNovel

Registered
Joined
May 8, 2015
Messages
39
Reaction score
2
Hi all,
Im trying to figure out where my writing fits into the world of genres. I am thinking its a modern love story, but need some direction. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated!

As it stands currently, its a love story from the male perspective (probably taking me out of the romance world?). It is written as kind of a blog if you will. The male character, who is a writer and he falls in love with a married woman. He makes a secret blog for him to write to her on, and they end up writing back and forth to one another as their relationship evolves. The story goes between the blog entries and the real story as they embark on a fairytale romance, falling truly in love for the first time as they realize they have found their soulmates, and despite trying to break it off because she is married, she ends up leaving her husband and they end up living happy ever after. The reader is placed in the perspective of the male was he writes to her and battles the choice of letting her go or fighting for true love.

Hope that makes some sort of sense. This is my first time trying to describe it, so if it makes no sense at all I wouldn't be surprised. Please ask questions if you are thoroughly confused. Thanks for any input!

Brett
 

WriterBN

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
Messages
1,323
Reaction score
87
Location
Delaware
Website
www.k-doyle.com
It sounds like a contemporary romance, but I'm far from an expert in the genre. I'm sure others will chime in.
 

lacygnette

Sucked in by AW again
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 19, 2010
Messages
1,862
Reaction score
253
Website
www.terrilewis1.com
I'd say romance. The happily-ever-after gives it away :) Now if he went crazy or she committed suicide....
 

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
22,669
Reaction score
7,356
Location
Wash., D.C. area
Yeah, sounds like a romance to me.

However, write the story now and decide how to describe it later. All genre does is help you find an agent and a publisher, and help the reader find books he or she will enjoy. In other words, marketing.
 

Latina Bunny

Lover of Contemporary/Fantasy Romance (she/her)
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
3,820
Reaction score
738
Lol. Interesting how the participants in the romance forum say no while those in other fora say yes.

And excellent discussion in that thread.
Pretty obvious, no?

It'a most likely because most of us genre Romance readers have some experience reading (and/or writing) genre Romances, and we can sort of see some tropes and trends that speaks to Romance readers or are more acceptable to certain markets...

It also seems some people who are new to genre Romance tend to not be familiar with some Romance tropes and requirements, etc, and sometimes being up stories that are not genre Romances. Not all "love stories" are genre Romances, after all.

The OP's story has a couple of uncommon things that are usually not found in most genre Romances (in some markets): First, the story is mostly told from just the male partner's POV. Usually, most Romances are told from both of POV characters in a two-person romantic relationship.

And second, the story has the main couple cheating throughout most of the book. Cheating among the main couple is not usually accepted by many Romance readers in some markets, and it doesn't sound very romantic...

I think the OP's story leans towards being a Contemporary love story, not the usual genre (m/f) Romance.

To the OP: Anyway, I think it would fit contemporary of some sort anyway, so just keep writing, and then send it to agents who accept contemporary fiction, and see where it goes from there. Maybe the agent would be able to tell you if it's a genre Romance as well.

Good luck. :)
 
Last edited:

Latina Bunny

Lover of Contemporary/Fantasy Romance (she/her)
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
3,820
Reaction score
738
Epistolary? Since they're basically exchanging letters a lot of the time.

That was what I was thinking as well. It sounds like the story will be told in mostly told in letters.

I'd say romance. The happily-ever-after gives it away :) Now if he went crazy or she committed suicide....


"Happily Ever After" does not always automatically make something a genre Romance. There are some tropes or other aspects of a story that may not appeal to some Romance markets.

Also, the romance has to be the major focus of the plot. It can't be a subplot, even if it ends happily. For example, you can have a fantasy/scifi story that has a romance subplot that has a "Happy Ever After" ending. Doesn't mean that it's a genre Romance.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.