Is my book humor, pop-culture, or?

Kensingtons

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Please and thanks for your time and input!

So I've co-authored a hilarious (if I do say so myself) book about online dating. It goes past the Good Morning America esque clean and neat advice (Post interesting pictures! Pick keywords!). We used screenshots from our actual interactions to deliver useful, funny, and even poignant advice that's actually fit for the modern age. (That's pretty good- I think I'll use in my query. ;))

Anyway, I just don't really know what genre to pitch it as. It's nothing like the old classics that top the Amazon charts in 'relationship and dating' (you know, 'men are from mars' 'love languages' ect ect). It's definitely funny- but should I pitch it as humor? It's on trend pop-culture wise, with screenshots from grindr, tinder, and other dating sites used by millions. What's more, we have the cool, unflinchingly truthful tone often found in popular blogs about online dating. But does it have enough pop-culture?

Anyway- any advice you have would be helpful!
 

Becca C.

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Could it be self help? A lot of self help has a humorous tone. I think you'd be safe querying it as pop culture or humour.
 

Kensingtons

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Could it be self help? A lot of self help has a humorous tone. I think you'd be safe querying it as pop culture or humour.


Ohh yeah- self help! I guess I forgot about that very large genre. Oops. XD

I admit I don't know, but I feel like it might be an easier sell as humor, or pop culture? But then again, querying in humor and pop culture and self help might be a good call too.
 

Becca C.

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Yeah, query to agents who rep humour, pop culture, and/or self help, and you should be covered. Sounds like something that could be snapped right up if the book and platform are both solid!
 

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It's on trend pop-culture wise, with screenshots from grindr, tinder, and other dating sites used by millions.

My first concern is that you might be in breach of copyright if you want to use those screenshots for any commercial purpose. Please check this very carefully before you go any further: you'll almost certainly be liable for the costs of permissions if you sign a standard publication contract, and they work out very expensive.
 

Kensingtons

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My first concern is that you might be in breach of copyright if you want to use those screenshots for any commercial purpose. Please check this very carefully before you go any further: you'll almost certainly be liable for the costs of permissions if you sign a standard publication contract, and they work out very expensive.

Thank you for pointing that out! I think we'll use one of the many ways to generate fake text conversations, or make a fake dating app design to replace the copyright designs of Grindr, tinder, ect.
 

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Have you investigated what a book like "Tinder Nightmares" was sold under and if it was represented (it was a website first so it might have gone straight to publisher)? That might help categorise yours :) .
 

Old Hack

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Thank you for pointing that out! I think we'll use one of the many ways to generate fake text conversations, or make a fake dating app design to replace the copyright designs of Grindr, tinder, ect.

If you're using real conversations from those sites and just slotting them into a new design template you will probably still be in breach of copyright.

You have to be extremely careful here.
 

Kensingtons

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If you're using real conversations from those sites and just slotting them into a new design template you will probably still be in breach of copyright.

You have to be extremely careful here.

I guess I'm just confused as to what would be copyrighted. If we take the sites trademarked colors, logos, ect out- how would using our own conversations be in violation?
 

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If you're using things you wrote there then, so long as their T&Cs allow it (some discussion boards etc claim copyright on all that is said there--you have to check) then you're fine. If you're using the words of anyone else there, then you need to get written permission from them.