Offbeat/quirky...New genre type

CACTUSWENDY · Oct 4, 2009

If this is not in the right place please feel free to move it.

This was news to me, it might be to some of you folks also.

I have been working on a WIP that does not fit in any of the regular genres and have had a nagging thought of what type of agent would I even seek out when it is finally done.

Offbeat/Quirky is now a genre that agents are listing. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to find this. I then went down through their published books that fall into that type and read the blurbs, and sure enough, they are offbeat/quirky.

When you go to the Agentquery.com and scroll down the list of genres you will find it.

To me this is great news. I'm sure some of you here will fall into this also.

Stunted · Oct 4, 2009

In my experience, even if you don't think your novel fits into a genre, it definitely might. Why don't you post a synopsis and see what people say?

No, but in answer to your question, I agree! That's great! Maybe this signifies a shift in the industry. (or not.) I'm happy, because I have some novels down the pipeline that may fit into that category (but may totally fit into an established genre).

SarahMacManus · Oct 5, 2009

CACTUSWENDY said:
If this is not in the right place please feel free to move it.

This was news to me, it might be to some of you folks also.

I have been working on a WIP that does not fit in any of the regular genres and have had a nagging thought of what type of agent would I even seek out when it is finally done.

Offbeat/Quirky is now a genre that agents are listing. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to find this. I then went down through their published books that fall into that type and read the blurbs, and sure enough, they are offbeat/quirky.

When you go to the Agentquery.com and scroll down the list of genres you will find it.

To me this is great news. I'm sure some of you here will fall into this also.

I didn't think "quirky" is as much a genre as a subgenre; ie. quirky fantasy (Pratchett), quirky magic realism (Rollins), quirky sci-fi (Adams), quirky literary (Irving) and so on.

I will have to check this out. I have often had my work described back to me as "Whoa, that's fucked up!" and took it as a compliment.

I've also been compared to Oscar Wilde, but my husband says it's only because we have the same haircut.

:/

motormind · Oct 5, 2009

To fit in there, does a work have have to be funny?

Enzo · Oct 5, 2009

Excellent. Should be the writing equivalent of movies like Being John Malkovich and Memento.

Etola · Oct 5, 2009

So I went to the suggested website, but I couldn't find a full description on their genre description page. I'm a little confused as to what distinguishes offbeat/quirky from satire, literary fiction, or magical realism (all of which have books in them which I would consider weird or hard-to-classify). For example, would "offbeat/quirky" contain something like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Only Revolutions, works by Salmon Rushdie or Toni Morrison, or something like I Am America, and So Can You?

Lady Ice · Oct 5, 2009

Offbeat/quirky is more marketing as opposed to an actual genre. I'd class comic fantasies and your typical 'outsider' teen.

Phaeal · Oct 5, 2009

I think offbeat/quirky usually has humor in it, if only the startled or bemused humor of "Wha....? Damn!"

For me, a prime element of the genre or mode (a style extending over genres) is a convoluted, wacky, conspicuously baffling plot. Another is (yes) quirky and offbeat characters often lost in the broken wilderness of postmodern life. Another is an emphasis on voice, perhaps even over plot. There may be a lot of mixed media special effects -- say, bits of film scripts, graphics, comics, musical references.

But if novels were families, offbeat/quirky would be the ones Tolstoy would prefer, as each being unhappy in its own way. If novels marched in parades, offbeat/quirky would be annoying the other novels by deliberately messing up the formations. Come on, they're offbeat and quirky! You aren't squeezing them into any one mold.*

* Except that the mere coining of a genre or mode to describe a type of work does imply that it has a type, many common elements.

And yeah, I see a lot of agents calling for these lately.

backslashbaby · Oct 5, 2009

Well it's very good news for my WIP, I hope! Thank you

ChristineR · Oct 5, 2009

Being John Malkovich is dark comedy and Memento is crime thriller.

Experimental is a genre, though.

CACTUSWENDY · Oct 5, 2009

All I know is that when I went to some of the agents sites, and read some of the blurbs of books they had sold and published in this description, they sure fit this type of theme real well.

What I found interesting was the number that do look at this kind.

Sometimes finding your 'place' is and of its self kind of liberating...lol.

didi768 · Dec 26, 2014

What Genre?

I too am struggling with where to put my stuff. I have 20 real life, humorous, true stories all under 700 words each and have no clue where to submit or what they are even called lol. I guess they are anecdotes. I have a title but don't know what this is so have no clue who to submit to!
Can anyone help me?
Thanks

Sage · Dec 26, 2014

Offbeat/quirky has been on AgentQuery for a while (I haven't queried in a couple years and I know I've seen it on there). I don't think it's really a genre, just sort of description of what they want, or perhaps a doesn't-quite-fit-a-genre genre

Jamesaritchie · Dec 27, 2014

Offbeat/quirky has always been marketable, but it isn't a genre, it's a weirdness, an unusual story that often has humor in it, or that's just so different it can't be described easily.

Think Tom Robbins, and you'll have an idea of what it's all about. Read his novel Another Roadside Attraction.

Makai_Lightning · Dec 29, 2014

Sage said:
Offbeat/quirky has been on AgentQuery for a while (I haven't queried in a couple years and I know I've seen it on there). I don't think it's really a genre, just sort of description of what they want, or perhaps a doesn't-quite-fit-a-genre genre

Thread originally from 2009. So it's been around at least five years. =p

But, yeah. If books aren't sorted that way when people go search a store to buy them, I wouldn't worry about whether it's a genre or a description that sums up the boom nicely. How do you/does the agent/does anyone market your product successfully? People apparently demand quirk, so it works.

jjdebenedictis · Dec 29, 2014

Sadder zombie thread than usual, given CactusWendy is no longer shuffling upon this mortal coil.

She was always so generous.

Sage · Dec 29, 2014

Ah, man, I didn't even notice. Bad mod. I'll close it.

Offbeat/quirky...New genre type

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Stunted

Ich heiße Superphantastisch!

SarahMacManus

motormind

Enzo

Etola

Still looking for stars...

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

backslashbaby

*

ChristineR

What happened?

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

didi768

Sage

Our Lady of Parentheticals

Jamesaritchie

Makai_Lightning

Love Addict

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

Sage

Our Lady of Parentheticals

Offbeat/quirky...New genre type

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Ich heiße Superphantastisch!

Still looking for stars...

Makes useful distinctions

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

~~~~*~~~~

What happened?

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Our Lady of Parentheticals

Love Addict

is watching you via her avatar

Our Lady of Parentheticals

*