What Genre

chokdee · Feb 2, 2019

I am tring to write a query letter but cannot fit my novel into a single genre which it appears should be places near the begining.
My novel is starts as a romance then goes to a Morrocan prison then into a spy type conspiracy and finishes with a happy ending to the romance.
In one sentence: ‘A Cabaret style romance but with a happy ending wrapped around a Midnight Express experience which is the result of a John le Carre type conspiracy.’
How on earth does that fit into a genre.
Help please
chokdee

starrystorm · Feb 2, 2019

Of the top of my head I'd say Romantic thriller but I'm a bit confused on the "Cabaret style". Isn't that a way to align tables? Also, I think it would be clearer if you didn't use so many cultural references like "John le Carre" or "Midnight Express." I don't know what those are.

ETA: I just saw this was under "Ask an Agent" I'm not an agent or have ever had one. This was just my opinion.

lizmonster · Feb 2, 2019

Where do you see it shelved at a bookstore?

If you can't answer that question, you need to do some reading until you can. It sounds a little like romantic suspense, but when you throw in Cabaret I start to wonder if you should stay away from the romance tag entirely. In your shoes, I'd pick up some romances, some romantic thrillers, and some straight-up thrillers and see what feels right.

You need to be able to accurately describe the genre in a word or two. A lot of folks think they can get close enough, and let their agent or publisher figure it out from there. I'll tell you from experience that's a huge risk that you don't want to take with your career. It's worth taking the time to do the research and figure it out now, before you query. It really, really is.

chokdee · Feb 2, 2019

Thanks
Cabaret and Midnight express were famous films from around the mid 70's and agents I am sure would know of them.
Cabaret is a romance between a hedonistic girl and a shy young man which fits my characters really well and Midnight express tells the true story of a young guy locked up in Turkey for smuggling drugs again a good match for my character.

starrystorm · Feb 2, 2019

Thank you. This makes much more sense. Yeah, I'm sure agents would know what those are. Sounds interesting. Thank you.

lizmonster · Feb 2, 2019

chokdee said:
Thanks
Cabaret and Midnight express were famous films from around the mid 70's and agents I am sure would know of them.
Cabaret is a romance between a hedonistic girl and a shy young man which fits my characters really well and Midnight express tells the true story of a young guy locked up in Turkey for smuggling drugs again a good match for my character.

I'm familiar with Cabaret and Midnight Express. But you probably don't want to comp with films in your query letter - it's not bad for an elevator pitch, but in a query you need to show you understand your particular niche.

Your book is sounding a lot like a thriller. I'd head to the bookstore (or download some Amazon samples) and see what you can find.

Toothpaste · Feb 2, 2019

Definitely sounds like a romantic thriller to me. Depending on how HEA the ending is it could even be a thriller romance (romance as a genre is a little different than romance as a concept). It's up to you to figure out which you have. Pick up a couple of each and see what you feel sits best.

Also, a word of warning, don't fall into the trap that some new writers fall into thinking their work defies categorization. It's very unlikely that is true, and most agents will assume you simply don't know your genre rather than think you are doing something never before seen. I'm not saying you are doing that at all, just saying that this is something to always keep in mind. Knowing your genre is important and a good thing. It shows you are a savvy author who is well read, understands the profession, understands their market etc.

Also I think the confusion with "A Cabaret style . . ." etc, is that despite the capital letter you used at first read one doesn't think of the musical but more the genre of theatre. When you say cabaret style I immediately think of fourth wall breaking, no sets, song and stand up comics. And also not books. Which is a bit confusing. Of course in a query you'll be using either italics or all caps so that should help a bit. But I do agree that you might want to make your comparisons novels. I don't think it's the be all and end all, and if you can't find anything in a novel you like, why not cite the film I say. But I do think comparing to the same medium is preferred

.

Good luck!!!

Atlantic12 · Feb 3, 2019

What's the most important element of the story? Whose story is it? What experience do you want the reader to have? A book has more than one answer to these questions, but try to find the primary one. That'll help you find genre.

It's ok to fit between stools, but the story still has to feel like it knows what it is at its heart.

chokdee · Feb 3, 2019

Thanks for all the input guys and gals.
I am getting to grips with genres etc and this site helped me distinguish between Romantic Thriller and Romantic Suspense.
https://penandthepad.com/difference-romantic-suspense-romantic-thriller-6713051.html
Accordingly I have written a prospective query letter that I copy below. Any comments more than welcome.
Re the two films I mention I loved them both at the time but Cabaret has a rather sad ending and Midnight Express missed an opportunity to show more of the before and after love story.
I have hopefully included both these elements in my novel. For anyone who has not seen them I can strongly recomend them for downloading. Film or book they are both great stories.

poss Query Letter

Dear ***
Having read your profile on the agency’s website I thought you may be interested in my novel. This is the first time I have completed one. It is 100,000 words long and provisionally titled: BROKEN FINGERS, MENDED HEARTS
For me it defies a single genre categorisation but Romantic Suspense is probably the closest. In one sentence: Cabaret meets Midnight Express with some conspiracy thrown in.
It was born out of my experience of a Moroccan prison in the mid-1970s which provided the kernel for my story. I took the essence of an extremely distressing time and placed a story of love around it. I also introduced a conspiracy by way of explanation and the revenge that allows for a happy conclusion. The mix of personal experience with characters I have known and fictional plotting produces what I hope is a good story with an authentic flavour to it.
Writing it has made me laugh and cry at times so that in itself has made it a self-fulfilling exercise but being so close to it I have little idea of it’s true worth to a reader which is why I would value your opinion.
As requested I have attached *****
Regards

Elle. · Feb 3, 2019

Query letters needs to be posted in the Share Your Work SYW section under Query Letter Hell QLH but you need to have 50 posts before you can create a thread on there. Based on the above my advice would to be go the Query Letter Hell section and read all the stickies to see what a query letter is and isn't as well as the do and the don't also read other people's query on there and the feedback they receive. Unfortunately the above query is just mostly don't.

I hope this helps.

chokdee · Feb 3, 2019

Thanks for the feedback. This place has so many different sections topics etc it is tricky to know where to post.
This query letter thing is doing my head in. Mine was written with several agents requests as to what they want to see in mind
Respectful opening Dear....
Genre
One line description
Reason for writing it/personal input

I do that and now hear that these are mostly don't dos.
It would help if you could say what I should have omited and what I did omit as I am now very confused.

mrsmig · Feb 3, 2019

Repeat: requests for crits on your query go in the password-protected Share Your Work subforum (the password is vista). You are not allowed to start your own thread in the SYW subforum until you've accrued 50+ posts here at AW.

I strongly suggest you go over to the Query Letter Hell section of the SYW subforum and read the stickies. And be especially sure to read the instructions.

chokdee · Feb 3, 2019

OK, Big Sorry I broke a rule I didn't know about.
Does that exclude me getting an answer of what should and what shouldn't be in a covering query letter?
I spent a fair bit of time on mine and it is here and it is apparently no good. Are we not allowed to discusss it?
It would help if someone in the know could advise me.

mrsmig · Feb 3, 2019

You are not supposed to post query letters for crit, and we are not supposed to give those letters crits, until you've accrued 50+ posts, and then only in the SYW section. I expect a mod will be along shortly to lock this thread for those reasons.

A general discussion of what goes into a query letter is certainly allowed, and is covered exhaustively in the SYW sticky threads I referenced in my post above. There are actually links to those places in my post - those parts in blue. Click on them, and you'll be taken straight to that part of AW.

ETA: On your very first thread here at AW, a mod gave you a bunch of links to help you navigate the site (and told you about the 50 post rule, too).

Elle. · Feb 3, 2019

As it has already been pointed out, you just need to head to the Query Letter Hell section and read the stickies which cover all that you want to know including How To Write a Query Letter

read all of the information and then if you have any questions after that then feel free to ask.

Toothpaste · Feb 3, 2019

You can also beef up your post count by critiquing the work of others. Reading queries of your fellow writers I think would be a huge help in educating you to the correct query format

.

chokdee · Feb 3, 2019

OK, Thank you.
I do find it surprising that people here are more concerned with the rules and post counts than with holding a harmless discussion.

EMaree · Feb 3, 2019

chokdee said:
OK, Thank you.
I do find it surprising that people here are more concerned with the rules and post counts than with holding a harmless discussion.

Insulting the people trying to help you really isn't going to win people around to your side.

Introversion · Feb 3, 2019

chokdee said:
OK, Thank you.
I do find it surprising that people here are more concerned with the rules and post counts than with holding a harmless discussion.

Them’s the rules of this here game. We can play by the site’s rules, or find another game. That’s just the way it is.

lizmonster · Feb 3, 2019

chokdee said:
OK, Thank you.
I do find it surprising that people here are more concerned with the rules and post counts than with holding a harmless discussion.

The rules exist for a reason. They're not arbitrary. 50 posts for SYW does a lot to discourage drive-by members who aren't interested in contributing to the community. You're also much likely to get crits if you engage and get to know people before asking for favors.

To be blunt: we've all got our own work to do. We help each other when we can. The questions you're asking are well-trod and well-covered in the links you've been given. It would be courteous for you to review all the work these kind people have already done on the subject before asking again. Clarifying questions are always more than welcome.

mrsmig · Feb 3, 2019

You didn't ask for a discussion. You asked for feedback on your query letter.

Based on the query you posted, it's clear you should do more research into what information should be contained in a query letter and what format it should take. People have kindly pointed you to places where you can find answers to your questions and see examples of others' queries. You can either go do your research (and maybe engage with the community while you do it, and get your 50 posts in no time flat), or you can sit here and complain about the rules. Your choice.

AW Admin · Feb 3, 2019

chokdee said:
OK, Thank you.
I do find it surprising that people here are more concerned with the rules and post counts than with holding a harmless discussion.

Crits or critiques are pretty special, and have their own sub forum called Share Your Work (SYW). You need 50 posts to start a new thread in SYW.

Lots of times new members think they know what it means to be critted, and that their work is ready for it, when it isn't. So having to have 50 genuine, engaged posts gives new members a chance to figure out how critting works.

Until you have 50 posts, why not go to Share Your Work and read some crits, and carefully read the stickies, and maybe try your own hand at doing a crit ?

The password for Share Your Work is vista.

There's an FAQ listing passwords.

Once you have 50 posts, you can start your own thread in Share Your Work. Until then, reading crits, and trying your own hand at critting will help you understand what it's like to be critted.

Old Hack · Feb 3, 2019

chokdee said:
OK, Thank you.
I do find it surprising that people here are more concerned with the rules and post counts than with holding a harmless discussion.

Before we put the 50 post rule in place we would often get new people turning up, getting help with their work, and then leaving, without having ever contributed to the site in a positive way.

You're welcome to discuss things here but please don't ask for critiques until you've got at least fifty posts under your belt.

I suggest you go to Query Letter Hell in Share Your Work and read all the stickies there, which will give you a lot of information about how to write a good query letter. Give feedback to as many people as you can while you're there: you'll learn a lot from doing that.

I'll leave this thread open but will lock it in a heartbeat if I see any more requests for critique, or general stroppiness.

What Genre

chokdee

starrystorm

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen

chokdee

starrystorm

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Atlantic12

chokdee

Elle.

chokdee

mrsmig

Write. Write. Writey Write Write.

chokdee

mrsmig

Write. Write. Writey Write Write.

Elle.

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

chokdee

EMaree

a demon for tea

Introversion

Pie aren't squared, pie are round!

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen

mrsmig

Write. Write. Writey Write Write.

AW Admin

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman