Definition of Upmarket fiction

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DWSTXS

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you guys all know I was seriously kidding about the title don't you?.....
ORION -

Wow, Orion....I just wrote that down as my next book to buy! Now you say that was a joke? Hrmmph!.........get to writing I say! Hey, YOU promised it! LOL
 

Raphee

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Now that we have had this scholarly discussion on the next great ripped bodice novel; there are a couple of points that have come out from the various posters:

1 Upmarket is a cross between literary and commercial. I would agree.
2 Written for women by women...............That is what I am unclear on What does the gender of the writer have to do wit the subject material. This is not non fiction where we need a platform.
3 Should we use the upmarket term while querying.

On the last point, I emailed a friend of mine who is a soon to be published author. Her view is that we should say 'upmarket commercial' etc ; if we feel our book falls in that slot. It tells the agents that we know the new trends and lexicon of publishing.

It is the last point that catches my attention. I mean what is wrong with using words that show our knowledge of the industry; though I dislike the word; it appears so boutique like.
 

ORION

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I would not say "My novel is upmarket women's fiction." just like I would not say "My novel is literary fiction.
I WOULD say (as I pointed out before)
"I understand you are interested in upmarket women's fiction. I would like to show you my 90,000 word novel XXXXXXXXXXXXX.
My agent was not interested in what I knew until AFTER she signed me.
That being said often times ignorance is shown more by what IS said rather than what is not.
I could see my agent shaking her head with bemusement if someone sent her a query saying their novel was "upmarket commercial literary fiction."

There is a point where you can go to far IMHO
 

KTC

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I write literary fiction. (I was recently told this and I have to take the people who told me this at their word.) I don't think I would say my manuscript is literary fiction. I agree with Orion's wording above...I'd be almost afraid to say, "My novel is literary fiction..."





And RayRay...you must want something from me, saying pretty words like that. Barter is passe. (-;
 

talps

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I have this little voice in my head that often says Listen to ORION...

KTC, I've also been told on occasion that my work is more literary than commercial... But I agree with you - I've never been able to say as such in a query letter. I don't feel as though I've earned the stripes or somethin'.

Plues, what literary fiction authors used words like somethin'?

Back on topic... Keep it simple when it comes to labeling your own work and let the agent and/or publisher help you out if you're fortunate enough to get there. That's essentially what I've learned through this thread...
 

maestrowork

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I'm with Orion. I never said what kind of fiction my ms. was. I didn't even mention what I thought the agent was looking for -- they told us in their submission guidelines and expected that people only send them what they asked for -- I let them decide. I told them what the story was about, and the target market. After it was published, some called it romance and some called it literary and some called it mainstream. Whatever. As long as it sits on the shelve and is being sold.
 

Stew21

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I have this little voice in my head that often says Listen to ORION...

KTC, I've also been told on occasion that my work is more literary than commercial... But I agree with you - I've never been able to say as such in a query letter. I don't feel as though I've earned the stripes or somethin'.

Plues, what literary fiction authors used words like somethin'?

Back on topic... Keep it simple when it comes to labeling your own work and let the agent and/or publisher help you out if you're fortunate enough to get there. That's essentially what I've learned through this thread...


I have also been told that my most recent is literary fiction. I believe that was based on subject rather than voice though, because the narrator is absolutely casual.
I don't think I can bring myself to actually say so though. I sort of feel like "who am I to judge?"
 

IceCreamEmpress

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Saying something like "This is literary fiction" in a query letter is kind of like saying "This is a funny joke" before you tell a joke. You come off as trying a little too hard.
 
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