What makes a reader partial to a genre?

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jjdebenedictis

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Hi, all! I was just musing about this and I'm really interested in hearing your thoughts.

Everyone's got their own tastes. We all know that a book might thrill one reader and leave another cold. We also know that many of us have a few genres that we strongly prefer.

What inner qualities do you think make a person partial to a particular genre? Or, conversely, what drives them away from another genre?

For example, I love dark fantasy but I avoid horror. There's a lot of overlap between those two flavours of speculative fiction, but for me, the crucial difference is I don't enjoy feeling frightened. The better the horror writer does his or her job, the less I like the book.

It's less clear to me, however, why I love fantasy and science fiction so much. I'm a science nerd and have always had a wild imagination, but are those the only traits required to make me so happily susceptible to the charms of these genres? It seems like the resonance I feel when I read those genres has more to do with my inner yearnings and personality than with my interests or imagination.

What do you think it is, about you, that makes you love a particular genre? What do you think the common denominators are for people who are into romance, horror, historicals, science fiction, thrillers, etc? And, if you're an omnivorous reader, what is it about you that makes your tastes so flexible?
 

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I like puzzles. I like trying to figure things out. Probably from that, I find mystery fiction entertaining.

I don't much get entertained by the formulaic and predictable, and therefore the Romance genre doesn't appeal to me. Similarly the technothriller genre.

Some people hate puzzles, hate the unknown, and therefore won't like mystery fiction. Others find comfort in the known and predictable, and go for genres that exploit those qualities. Nothing wrong with either choice.

caw
 

SomethingOrOther

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... And, if you're an omnivorous reader, what is it about you that makes your tastes so flexible?

Fairly omnivorous reader here.

I get bored easily. After reading one too many books featuring AK47-wielding horses nibbling people's ears off and pooping on their bellies I sure need to change the pace up and read a few books about AK47-wielding horses sitting down to crumpets and tea. Also, as a reader, I'm less attached to the sort of Big Structural Elements you'd disproportionately find in a specific genre — types of worlds, plot patterns, and other conventions — and more attached to skillful use of language & detail, specific authors' awesomeness, and the like.

These are excellent questions, by the way. Lots of stuff to think about. I'm pretty sure the web of reasons for the average person's genre preferences is pretty involuted, and this question might not be the domain of simple explanations (although simple post hoc explanations are def possible). Possible factors:

(1) Outlier reading experiences (very good, or very boring or horrific) could lead you to seek out (or avoid) a certain genre more actively.

(2) As you suggested, the emotions you prefer to feel definitely play a role. I like stuff that makes me feel either very uncomfortable or super comfortable, which influences my preferences accordingly.

(3) The nonfiction analogs you're interested in. Examples: my interest in SF in any given month correlates with the number of futurism-related articles & essays & papers I've recently read. People who are into specific areas of history &/or anthropology might have a greater interest in fiction that deals with that subject matter. Etc.

I could go on, but I have work to do. Nice thread. :)

[Speaking of this, I've been half-assedly searching for a good tennis novel (taking recommendations, if anyone has any), and I'm pretty sure I can trace that interest back to reading IJ and starting to follow tennis more actively. (I'm aware "tennis novel" isn't a genre.)]
 
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Siri Kirpal

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Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

We all have different tastes, and the routes to those tastes include everything from our genetics to our childhoods to our education.

Personally, I like puzzles, so I like mysteries. I like deep thought and elegant word choices and piquant characters, so I go for literary fiction. I find erotica intensely boring because the action stops the action of the plot. For that reason, I like much children's literature...but not stories of horse girls as I don't care much for horses. I love architecture, so I like books where the building is part of the plot (Hogwarts). Etc. Etc. Etc.

Oh, and like the OP, I don't like being scared, so no horror, though I can stand a dark literary novel. (The Brothers Karamozov is my favorite book.)

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

DeleyanLee

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What inner qualities do you think make a person partial to a particular genre? Or, conversely, what drives them away from another genre?

I think it has to do with the experience of the novels, honestly. The mix of conflicts (internal, interpersonal, external), the mix of light and dark, of hope and despair, and an ending that satisfies.

For example, I love dark fantasy but I avoid horror. There's a lot of overlap between those two flavours of speculative fiction, but for me, the crucial difference is I don't enjoy feeling frightened. The better the horror writer does his or her job, the less I like the book.

There's a lot of overlap, but in my reading experience of the two, Dark Fantasy still has a general genre promise that Good will win in the end, and Horror giggles madly at the suggestion. (I could be wrong now, it's been a long time since I've read a lot of Horror.) If you have or want some optimism in your entertainment as I do, then your preference makes total sense to me.

It's less clear to me, however, why I love fantasy and science fiction so much. I'm a science nerd and have always had a wild imagination, but are those the only traits required to make me so happily susceptible to the charms of these genres? It seems like the resonance I feel when I read those genres has more to do with my inner yearnings and personality than with my interests or imagination.

I think those of us who are attracted to speculative fiction are the ones who keep asking "Why?" and "Why not?" and aren't satisfied with standard answers that other forms of fiction provide.

What do you think it is, about you, that makes you love a particular genre? What do you think the common denominators are for people who are into romance, horror, historicals, science fiction, thrillers, etc? And, if you're an omnivorous reader, what is it about you that makes your tastes so flexible?

Depending on my mood, I enjoy reading Romance, Historical Fiction, Mystery or Fantasy when I want fiction. I enjoy Romance when I want high interpersonal conflicts and the guarantee of a happy ending. Historical when I want to dive into the cracks between the facts I think I know and into possibilities of who people might have been and I'm OK with an ending that may not be happy, but should satisfy. Mystery when I want to try to solve a puzzle, be dazzled by the MC's brilliance ('cause I really suck at such puzzles) or just plain want to see how many cars Stephanie can destroy in this book. But Fantasy's my main love, because in Fantasy I can get lost in the "Why not?" of imagination and still have that hinted "Good wins" ending that I want.

Without some promise of the Good guys winning, I won't allow myself to become emotionally invested in the story. If I have that (from whatever means), I'm more likely to read and enjoy it. Not everyone wants or needs that. *shrug*
 

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My dad was an extremely avid SF reader. He even got my name from an SF novel he read. He tells me it's from Edgar Rice Burroughs but I'm not sure. I grew up with SF and I think that is one of the reasons why I love it so much now. It reminds me of family.

I'm currently getting into romance and I think its finally because I am happily married myself. When I a younger adult and single romances just pissed me off and depressed me. If that lifeless twit Bella can find love why can't I? Then depression and Ben and Jerry's banana split ice cream with a 12 hour marathon of anime with romantic themes. But those were so over the top that it was hilarious.

I think it has a lot to do with my personal relationships in real life.

Rereading this I think I need therapy. lol :)
 

CJ Knightrey

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Hmm, good question. I absolutely love fantasy, whether it be urban, epic, whatever, I just like the supernatural/paranormal. I love things that are unreal, something different from the day to day life I live, something where the stakes are so high. I tend to not read contemporary or literary for the most part, though there are a few books (like Fifth Business and Crow Lake for example) that I love. It might be because I have an insanely over active imagination and I'm always asking 'why?' 'why not?' 'what if?' and I'm not satisfied if there isn't magic or monsters. ;)

The one that throws me off is horror though. I love to write horror, all my stories no matter how seemingly innocent at first have scary stuff creep up in there. Yet I can't watch scary movies for the life of me. I'm that obnoxious girl in the movie theatre watching the movie through her fingers crying like a baby.:Shrug: I don't get it.
 

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I'm fairly omnivorous when it comes to genre. It started when I was very young. My dad read me a story pretty much every single night at bedtime. I had a small bookcase full of children's books. I couldn't wait to learn to read, and picked it up easily. (Spelling didn't come so easily in the whole "sound it out" era. I got really puzzled when wash wasn't spelled warsh.) My young life was at times unpleasant, and books were a good way to get a break from that. I tend toward genres and books that have happy endings, or at least endings where something is accomplished and it isn't awful. Sci-fi, witty romances, fantasy, thrillers, some mysteries, some classics. Books gave me a break from both boredom and anxiety, so I was willing to read almost anything available to that end. Little wonder I got so omnivorous, really.
 

jjdebenedictis

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I love to write horror, all my stories no matter how seemingly innocent at first have scary stuff creep up in there. Yet I can't watch scary movies for the life of me. I'm that obnoxious girl in the movie theatre watching the movie through her fingers crying like a baby.:Shrug: I don't get it.
That doesn't seem strange to me. I find it a lot easier to take violence in books than in movies. Seeing or hearing it makes it a lot more "real" to me than what I experience in my imagination.

I'm the one who will happily read gruesome, bloody fight scenes but will be crawling under my chair whimpering if someone in a movie so much as gets their finger broken.
 

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This is very interesting, and I don't really have an answer. I'm pretty omnivore myself when it comes to fiction. SF, Fantasy, Paranormal, anything with romance - contemporary or historical, erotica, steampunk, high fantasy, thrillers, mystery, YA/NA/Adult - I don't really care, classics, and probably something I forgot.

I read depending on my mood, and I want to have some kind of emotional response while I'm reading, I don't mind reading something that makes me sad, or even angry, just as I don't mind feeling happy or giddy while reading either.

To me, reading is like entering a different world, making some new friends, and trying to figure out why they do what they do.
 

gothicangel

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I have seemed to moved through stages. When I was a teen all I read was horror, and then in my twenties it was crime fiction (preferably noirish.) Now in my thirties its HF, and I also dabble in literary.

Why do I like historicals so much? I don't think its escapism, and I'm quite happy to read I, Claudius as well as the sword-n-sandals stuff. I suppose its the same as why I study archaeology, looking for voices that make the museum artefacts come back to life after 2000 years.
 

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I like Fantasy because it can create interesting story ideas and scenes that wouldn't be possible in the normal world.

A five year old taking over the world? Impossible in our world. Could happen in a fantasy one.
 

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What do you think it is, about you, that makes you love a particular genre? What do you think the common denominators are for people who are into romance, horror, historicals, science fiction, thrillers, etc? And, if you're an omnivorous reader, what is it about you that makes your tastes so flexible?

For me, it's all about escapism.

Books set in contemporary settings with nothing Fabulous! and Exciting! and Daring! and Thrilling! happening simply don't appeal. I enjoy dropping off into a world that exists just on the other side of this veneer of Real Life[SUP](TM)[/SUP]. Of worlds that exist just beyond a misty veil of everyday life. Where angels and demons live among us. Beasts and beings of all manner wear the skins of humanity trying to scratch out a life along with the rest of us. Of things that 'it could happen, we don't know it doesn't exist!' Secret sects and societies hidden from human view but you can see them lurking in the shadows and in the boardrooms and in the rundown parts of town and in the million dollar neighborhoods, if you would but just avert your gaze a liiiiiittle off to the right.

I want to be transported to far off worlds with firefights in space, marines storming alien worlds, alien archaeological finds that release untold horror in the universe, knights in armor on magnificent steeds, bastard thieves living their duplicitous lives, magicians wearing the finest clothing and practicing their arts with flair and skill, women with flowing hair and being so utterly bad ass in their court raiment that I prance across the living room waving my broom....
 

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I like, in order, Fantasy, Science Fiction, then everything else. I blame the
Lord of the Rings, really.

I think I remember an interview with some member of KISS, who said that the best
any rock band could hope for was to be a good imitation of Led Zepplin. LOTR is
the same way. I've tried to replicate the experience with every book I've read
since The Return of the King.

I might not even like the series now, and I'm not interested in carbon copys
(they suck, mostly). I think I'm after the level of immersion I experienced at
Helm's Deep or in the mines of Moria.

"You shall not pass!"

Darn right. Get 'em Gandalf.

(the scene)
 

Chris P

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I am a contemporary fan all the way. Even if it was written in the 1930s (shoot, even 1830s!) I like it if it describes people I might know living lives I might lead. Vanity Fair, A Handful of Dust, Rabbit Run, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, whatever. Even I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.

As I get older, I value the connections to other people more and more, and sharing their experiences through story telling is a big part of that.
 

kaitie

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I assume it's just that everyone is different and individual tastes matter a lot. I like scary, suspenseful books so I gravitate toward horror and suspense. I love paranormal, so anything with a paranormal twist is usually candy for me. I also have discovered a fondness for humor, but I have a very specific sense of humor, so it has to be the right kind of funny for me to enjoy it.

But in the end, I'll read most anything. The only thing I actively avoid are books that I know will be sad. I do read them, but I have to work myself up to it and be in the right mood for it. I read books for enjoyment and escape, and while I don't mind a cry here or there, the really dark and depressing books are the opposite of what I'm looking for. If I read those, it's because I know it's a good story or a good social commentary or something along those lines, and it's closer to reading an assigned book than picking it up because I want to read it.

I actually notice a stronger preference in terms of what I write rather than what I read. When it comes to reading, I'll cross to other genres on a regular basis, generally because my friends are always telling me to read books, or I'll think something has a cool cover and pick it up even though it's not a genre I usually read, and so on. And I usually enjoy the books I read, so it's all good.

However, when I write, I write a particular sort of story. I used to write darker, more depressing stuff, but that was when I was all angsty. Now even when I do suspense, I tend to write light suspense rather than horrible murdering psycho killers (even though I love to read those). It's because writing a book requires being in the tone of the book, having the emotion of it in my head for months, and it's just not worth it to me to put myself in a really dark place for months just to write a book.
 

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When it comes to SFF, I don't think I've ever forgotten the effect on me of Brunner's The Telepathist, which was not the first SF book I read, but was the one that really turned me on to the genre. I think I'm probably just trying to recapture that sensawunda.
 

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I like worlds that are weird and unique and different from mine - so I have a great love of SF, F, and HF...since all have worlds that very much are *not* the one I inhabit day to day.

With that said, I'm pretty omnivorous. I can't think of a genre I haven't read at least *something* in.
 

Bookewyrme

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I'm similar to Bearilou. Reading is always an escape for me, so I want fun and excitement and difference from my own experience and world. That's why I gravitate towards SF/F and Historical fiction ultimately. I also tend to steer clear of "dark" stories generally. I'm looking to be pepped up, frequently when I'm already down, so I want cheerful or funny or beautiful.

However, I would say early inoculation played a part too. My mother was a huge SF/F fan, and she gave me C.S. Lewis' Narnia books at a VERY early age (7 I think). The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe wetted my appetite for stories involving fantastic creatures and epic deeds.
 

JoNightshade

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I require intellectual stimulation. I have to be learning something, stretching my brain, figuring out what makes someone tick, or appreciating the skill of the prose on the page. SF is my go-to genre for this reason, but I also read a lot of creative non-fic about science and psychology. I appreciate any book with interesting characters that puzzle me, and I've recently discovered a love of procedural crime. I also do "literary," as long as the writing is skillful and not merely pretentious.

Genres I don't often enjoy: romance and fantasy. I hate knowing that the happy ending is guaranteed, and fantasy is not based enough in reality to be stimulating to my brain, unless the characters are truly the focus.
 

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I like to read fantasy, science fiction, and some horror. The more speculative, the better. I like to read about things that aren't real or could be real in the future.
 

Almondjoy

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For me, it's all about escapism.

Books set in contemporary settings with nothing Fabulous! and Exciting! and Daring! and Thrilling! happening simply don't appeal. I enjoy dropping off into a world that exists just on the other side of this veneer of Real Life[SUP](TM)[/SUP]. Of worlds that exist just beyond a misty veil of everyday life. Where angels and demons live among us. Beasts and beings of all manner wear the skins of humanity trying to scratch out a life along with the rest of us. Of things that 'it could happen, we don't know it doesn't exist!' Secret sects and societies hidden from human view but you can see them lurking in the shadows and in the boardrooms and in the rundown parts of town and in the million dollar neighborhoods, if you would but just avert your gaze a liiiiiittle off to the right.

I want to be transported to far off worlds with firefights in space, marines storming alien worlds, alien archaeological finds that release untold horror in the universe, knights in armor on magnificent steeds, bastard thieves living their duplicitous lives, magicians wearing the finest clothing and practicing their arts with flair and skill, women with flowing hair and being so utterly bad ass in their court raiment that I prance across the living room waving my broom....

This.

Honestly, I will read contemporary novels once in a while, to read something different, but I mainly stick to fantasy/dystopian type books. I love being whisked away to a totally different world. Contemporary just cuts it too close for me. I don't want to have to worry about my surroundings while I'm reading or my stresses in life, and sometimes while I read contemporary, they sneak in. That never happens with dystopia, because I'm so completely absorbed
 
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