1. Delise

    Delise Member

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    How should I classify a story that is horrific but romantic?

    Discussion in 'Horror' started by Delise, Nov 28, 2013.

    I have a short story that is very hard to classify.
    The content would be considered horror or grotesque even for some people.
    The story to me though is focused on the romantic feelings that character has.
    I don't know which genre to post this under.
     
  2. Thomas Kitchen

    Thomas Kitchen Proofreader in the Making Contributor

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    Hmm...it's horrifying...to do with romance...sounds an awful lot like...like Twilight!

    I jest, I jest. In all seriousness, I reckon it should be posted under horror, simply because romance can be a main theme in horror, but it's much less likely to find a romance that has a lot of horror in it. I'm almost certain that if your story appeared in a bookshop, it would be classified under "Horror". :)
     
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  3. Delise

    Delise Member

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    *stares*
    You got me. I'm totally wetting myself about vegan sparkly vampires.

    Thank you for your help though.
    I guess you're right that if it's graphic it would be under horror for the general public I suppose.
     
  4. chicagoliz

    chicagoliz Contributor Contributor

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    I would also say Horror. All genres have romance elements in them, but Romance only has romance.
     
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  5. Delise

    Delise Member

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    Now if only the damned website would let me post!
    I keep getting this message saying I have insufficient qualifications or something
     
  6. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    Typically, I'd look at whatever the primary story line is - is it Romance or Horror? There are fantasy romances, paranormal romances, science fiction romances, and so on. The reason they get shelved in Romance is that the romantic plot is the primary plot. That seems like a good guideline here as well. If the Romance is a subplot, then it would go in horror. That's my take.
     
  7. Mckk

    Mckk Member Supporter Contributor

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    I honestly can't tell if you used "horrific" correctly (you probably did) but I can't stop giggling to myself that you just called your own story horrific :D

    Silly, I know.

    Anyway, if it's finished, when don't you get a beta to read it? One of my friends was convinced she's been writing fantasy romance, to the point of padding out her blurb to squeeze in the romance elements because it was absent in her draft. I read about 70% of her book and I had to tell her - it is *not* fantasy romance. It's just fantasy, plain and simple. Sometimes we have a concept in our heads and it muddles the way we see the story, because we can't get past the idea that maybe it's something different.

    What I mean is, a second opinion on what they think your book is about (horror or romance?) might help you decide :)

    And it depends on what you mean by "content" that would be horror for people. Is it just the details, like, I have some pretty creepy, borderline-horror creatures in my book, but it is not horror. Is the horror "content" heavy in the main plot?
     
  8. Robert_S

    Robert_S Senior Member

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    Mixing of genres is not uncommon.
     
  9. Delise

    Delise Member

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    you have a good point.
    there's uh cannibalism and some detailed lesbian rape.
    I guess it might not feel so romantic in the end.
    Though I'm not sure if I'll be having people on the edge of their seats in suspense and fear either.
     
  10. Delise

    Delise Member

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    Yeah but there isn't a Horror/Romance option on the forum. I just don't want to post to the wrong place and flip people out.
     
  11. KaTrian

    KaTrian A foolish little beast. Contributor

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    Perhaps you have written something uncategorizable? Could be a publisher's nightmare, but to a good number of readers it can also spell 'awesome.' Genre mash-ups are great 'cause you never really know what to expect, you can't count on genre tropes popping up, things are harder to predict.

    If you're thinking about posting it to the workshop, maybe horror would still be best. What with the cannibalism aspect.
     
  12. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    I''m under the impression that industry expectations for writing style and other elements of "romances" are more standardized than for many other genres. I could be completely wrong, but for that reason, I think that it would make more sense to treat the story as horror.
     
  13. mg357

    mg357 Active Member

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    romantic horror is what i suggest
     
  14. DrWhozit

    DrWhozit Banned

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    Same here. Sounds better than horrific romance.
     
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  15. Robert_S

    Robert_S Senior Member

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    In other words, marriage.
     
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  16. DrWhozit

    DrWhozit Banned

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    As long as it isn't horribly romantic right out in public, you should be okay.
     
  17. erebh

    erebh Banned Contributor

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    I think any kind of rape scene is frowned upon - or worse. It's definately not allowed in the erotic section so maybe some counsel is worth seeking from a mod with regards not where you post but what...
     
  18. Robert_S

    Robert_S Senior Member

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    When such sensitive subjects become a point, I have to ask if it truly adds value to the story or are you writing it simply to shock your readers.
     
  19. erebh

    erebh Banned Contributor

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    I like being gratuitously shocked!
     
  20. DrWhozit

    DrWhozit Banned

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    If this was a G rated site, I'd think rape is over the top, but if there's an erotic area, it couldn't truly be just that. This tends to make it sound less like horror or romance, but more like modern drama.
     
  21. MLM

    MLM Banned for trolling

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    Horror, because the people who are looking for a "horror" book are going to be more ok with it having romance in it than the people looking for a "romance" book are going to be if it has horror in it.
     
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  22. Delise

    Delise Member

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    The point is it happened to the character and now they have to deal with it.
    It's not meant to shock or scare anyone. It's fucked up shit that happens because humans like to hurt each other. Acting like it doesn't happen doesn't make it go away. It's a sensitive subject but I don't write it for shits and giggles.
     
  23. Delise

    Delise Member

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    I guess I find the shit that humans do to each other rather horrifying. I'm glad to hear peoples opinion on it though. It beats talking to myself.
     
  24. Delise

    Delise Member

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    I just joined and also don't understand what you mean by beta.
    Someone who just reads and critiques works?
     
  25. Robert_S

    Robert_S Senior Member

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    A beta version is like a first working draft.
     

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