Favorite genre to read?

Discussion in 'Discussion of Published Works' started by Daniel, Nov 20, 2006.

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Favorite genre to read?

  1. Humor

    53 vote(s)
    3.2%
  2. Crime/Thriller

    174 vote(s)
    10.5%
  3. Horror

    127 vote(s)
    7.7%
  4. Fantasy

    598 vote(s)
    36.1%
  5. Science Fiction

    228 vote(s)
    13.8%
  6. Romance

    79 vote(s)
    4.8%
  7. Western

    5 vote(s)
    0.3%
  8. General Fiction

    237 vote(s)
    14.3%
  9. Other

    155 vote(s)
    9.4%
  1. G. Anderson

    G. Anderson Active Member

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    I tend to prefer to read those books where you follow the main character over years, possible even a life span. I like that there's not only one plot and that it's a both comforting and scary reminder that life is always moving and happening whether we like it or not.
     
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  2. GeorgiaMasonIII

    GeorgiaMasonIII Member

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    Wow, a lot of fantasy lovers here! I like some fantasy, but can rarely get into high fantasy. I'm a sci-fi girl at heart. My most frequent answer to "Why didn't you like [x book]?" is "There weren't enough spaceships".
     
  3. OJB

    OJB A Mean Old Man Contributor

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    Horror and Erotica, both for prose and poetry.
     
  4. Darkless

    Darkless New Member

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    I went with Fantasy, of course, since I love it.
     
  5. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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    Sci-fi, Horror, and Dark Comedy. :p
     
  6. MachineGryphon

    MachineGryphon Member

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    Sci-fi has always been my first love, although my attempts to write in the genre are pitiful. Followed closely by Thriller and Horror. Not really tried any Fantasy outside of Game of Thrones, but up for seeing what the poll results are about. :eek:
     
  7. Tenderiser

    Tenderiser Not a man or BayView

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    The poll is representative of WF's demographics rather than readers as a whole. Children's books and romance comprise the majority of book sales, and my love (horror) is wayyyyyyy down the list.
     
  8. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Yeah, romance alone accounts for like half the books sold worldwide every year. So, assuming this poll is somewhat representative of the aspiring writers population, then most people want to write SFF but most people want to read romance? This also assumes that the genres writers prefer to read also dovetail into their writing preferences. I'm sure there's quite a bit of flux between genres, but those are still some whacko numbers.
     
  9. Tenderiser

    Tenderiser Not a man or BayView

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    I don't think WF is representative of the writing community as a whole; we just attract disproportionate numbers of young writers, who disproportionately want to write fantasy. On bigger forums this kind of poll would produce a split more in line with what's being produced across the industry.
     
  10. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    I feel old :(
     
  11. Tenderiser

    Tenderiser Not a man or BayView

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    People born in 1999 are legally adults. Just throwing that out there.

    ...why are you crying, Homer? Don't cry!
     
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  12. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Coincidentally the year I was allowed to drink "legally." And it'd be cocktail hour if I was across the pond right now.
     
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  13. NoGoodNobu

    NoGoodNobu Contributor Contributor

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    I'm an apologetically yet unrepentantly• pretentious snob

    I predominantly only read literature—particularly the classics and more often works predating Modern than those of or after it, but I'm not particular about genre it seems

    When I read popular or genre fiction, it's often young adult (but that's mostly because I'm a prude, thus preferring a lack of explicit sex or vulgar language), but overall I enjoy fantasy and science fiction, some romance (if it doesn't overstep the bounds of my priggish sensibilities) and detective stories. But I haven't really branched out—either because I dislike contemporary works' styles, or I find there are still so many older works I haven't gotten around to that seem more pertinent for no readily apparent reason—aside perhaps from most literature being built upon, reliant on, responding to, or informing one other

    But if my taste in film is anything to go by—I really love anything & everything be it excellently executed (or else so bad it's positively entertaining by hilarity, but that lends more readily to visual mediums than novels I think)

    But I like satire, parody, and narration filled with witty snark & sarcasm best of all in any sort of genre or medium

    •I use repent in a religious context, as the intensity of feeling inevitably to lead to a consequent change or amendment
     
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  14. PoemNerd212

    PoemNerd212 Contributor Contributor

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    Sci-Fi and Fantasy have always been hard to choose between. I think I like both equally, though I tend to read more sci-fi just because my friends read it more. I also have a soft spot for romance plots, though it's not necessary for a good book.
     
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  15. Laurus

    Laurus Disappointed Idealist Contributor

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    I've pretty much only read literature. It's not that I have anything against genre writing-- it's just that no genre really ever captured me. I have two main categories of genre writing on my book shelf right now: George Carlin and the first of the Halo books. The rest is literature, academic, or philosophy. Unless dystopian is a genre? Because if it is, then that's my favorite genre and I do read genre.
     
  16. inkslinger

    inkslinger Active Member

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    Funnily enough, I probably would've voted 'other' or 'general fiction' if this were a couple years ago. But I've been on a huge crime fiction/thriller/suspense kick as of late, and it's somehow become the genres I gravitate to most. So that's what I voted.
     
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  17. Damien Loveshaft

    Damien Loveshaft Active Member

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    I voted other because I mainly read Boy's Love... However after that are romance, horror, and old literature in no particular order.
     
  18. 8Bit Bob

    8Bit Bob Here ;) Contributor

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    Right now it's fantasy, with poetry at a close second, and fiction/historical fiction tied for third
     
  19. RaitR_Grl

    RaitR_Grl Member

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    I agree with everyone who core for fantasy. Just the idea of reading about another world and the MC's epic journey provides a chance to escape from the stressessential of this world.
     
  20. Night Herald

    Night Herald The Fool Contributor

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    I cast my vote for sci-fi, but may just as easily have picked Fantasy. I chose Sci-Fi because of the somewhat higher emphasis on Big Ideas, and because more of my favourite books fall under that umbrella, though many of them are also tinged with Fantasy (think Book of the New Sun, Hyperion Cantos, Dune) so I don't know... sides of a coin, as far as I'm concerned. I don't read a lot of very hard Sci-Fi.

    I don't really read horror, outside of Lovecraft and Poe, but it's something I could see myself getting into.

    As for my involvement with Crime (the genre, mind) it begins and ends with Sherlock Holmes.

    Whenever I read outside of those genres, it's usually going to be "proper" literature (I'm not always 100% sure what qualifies) history (not Historical Fiction) or, rarely, philosophy.
     

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