I know a lot of those who use this site are either fantasy or literary fiction, but I wondered if there were any of you struggling to pin your book(s) down to just one catagory. I know I have to before submission, but I find the catagories limiting. It's not just a romance or women's fiction and it certainly isn't chick lit. (I have nothing against chick lit and have written one of those too, but this one just isn't.) I think mainstream is the best way to describe it and offers it to the full audience it caters for, but that's not really a catagory. I noticed someone earlier call their book 'travel fiction'. I could tick that box too, but it's not best described that way. When I do describe it, I call it 'The story of a man with both physical and mental ilness who refused to go to the doctor.' The series of five books covers every area of his strange life. How do I pigeonhole that? - saga?
I have a similiar problem. My book is travel fiction but involves a criminal element and the break down of the main protaganist's mental health. I struggle with the idea of particular genres. I find with my writing that I take influence from certain writers such as Hunter S Thompson, J.D Salinger, Hemmingway and modern travel writers such as Bill Bryson rather than specific genres.
I think when we choose to read a book we use genre to guide us based on previous taste but for example my brothers reguarly throw books my way that I think I won't like but after reading the first few pages I'm sucked in. Sherlock Holmes is a good example of something I would never have contemplated reading. 'Shadow of the Wind' is another. The first two pages of Peter Benchley's Jaws is powerful stuff
Some writers out there really mix things up. Irvine Welsh really twists his stories and cannot be defined by genre. I myself have added a story on here which is all complete fact but should you read it you would think it was made up it sounds that ridiculous. To me, when I read other works on here I find I'm more sucked in by a writer's style and pace and not immediately by the genre of said pieces.
I suppose in a way we create our own genres based on those that came previous much like modern music is a spin on older music. We take what we like from the past and create the present. It is not plagiarism as such but it is building and improving on what came before. The Romantic period and the New Romantic period have specific similarities and specific differences. Gothic fiction to Modern Horror.
If it's a sound suck you right in read bugger the shelf position you shove it into.
I am in two camps. One is Fantasy the other is murde\mystery.
Is one of my favorite genres. Good Luck.