1. MidnightTheCat

    MidnightTheCat New Member

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    Literary fiction with elements of xxx?

    Discussion in 'Genre Discussions' started by MidnightTheCat, Dec 4, 2018.

    Hello there!

    I'm about to to pitch my novel but have been stuck on the definition of my genre for a while.

    My novel falls is the adult age category, and is literary fiction.

    However, that feels so non-descriptive... It's so general. Large chunks of my novel take place in a subjective, dream-like world of the protagonist. What do you think about pinning the novel down as Literary fiction with elements/an undertone/a hint of surrealism?

    Thank you :)
     
  2. Iain Sparrow

    Iain Sparrow Banned Contributor

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    What time period does your story take place?
     
  3. MidnightTheCat

    MidnightTheCat New Member

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    In the present!

    I might see what you're referring to...it's been quite a few decades since 'surrealism' was booming. What about 'surreal' elements, then? Thank you :)
     
  4. NobodySpecial

    NobodySpecial Contributor Contributor

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    The term for writing that doesn’t fit neatly into a single descriptive catagory is ‘interstices’. It refers to the spaces between the norms. How does ‘adult themed interstices literary fiction’ sound to you?
     
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  5. Iain Sparrow

    Iain Sparrow Banned Contributor

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    That was it exactly.
    If it were Historical Fiction you were writing I'd suggest that you scrap the word surrealism and go with supernaturalism.

    In your case, I might put it like this... Literary Fiction with a touch of the surreal. Also, I'm assuming the "xxx" in this thread's title denotes spaces, and not Triple X-rated content?:) Hopefully you're not writing Dinosaur Erotica that rises to the level of "Literary Fiction".:)
     
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  6. MidnightTheCat

    MidnightTheCat New Member

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    Although I'd browse through Dinosuar Erotica with utmost curiosity, I see that I have to reconsider the way I denote ' blank space' :D And I really like your last suggestion...with a touch of the surreal describes my novel really neatly!
     
  7. Just a cookiemunster

    Just a cookiemunster Active Member

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    :superlaugh:I literally thought this was about an X rated dreamworld
     
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  8. Nariac

    Nariac Contributor Contributor

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    Yeah, I thought it was going to be erotica as well.

    Part of me is disappointed it isn't. :p
     
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  9. LoaDyron

    LoaDyron Contributor Contributor

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    Ohh that XXX on the title, tsk tsk tsk, dirty mind. Anyway :p try your idea of surrealism on your story and then let us see :)
     
  10. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    I wouldn't be so quick to call my novel literary fiction even though it is. I think this is the sort of thing that shows more than you should tell it if it is intact literary fiction we're talking about here. I know there is cross-genre, but the two things you are describing don't mesh well for me as a reader. Literary fiction tends to focus quite a bit more on the mundane than genre works and not have dream-like worlds in it. I don't want any fantasy in my literary fiction. And I imagine you could drive some genre lovers away by calling it literary. I don't know your story so maybe you made it all work. But calling a novel literary really doesn't say much if anything about it that can't be said in better ways and demonstrated in the query letter.
     
  11. halisme

    halisme Contributor Contributor

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    If the dream state affects the real world, it's magical realism, otherwise, just surrealism.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2018
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