I've just started a new WIP, and I am feeling rather good about it. However, I'm not sure what genre it should be in. It's futuristic, but I wouldn't necessarily call it science fiction because it's more about a drama of the main character. Also, there isn't anything that abnormal about the settings. Calling it just a drama though doesn't hit me as being correct either. What genre would you suggest?
I don't know, I would need more details. It can be multiple things though. A lot of stories aren't that well described by merely calling them "fantasy", "sci-fi", "drama" or whatnot. Sci-fi drama can be a thing, as opposed to more of an action sci-fi or a murder mystery.
Is it just a novel set in the future? No science of pseudo-science involved? Sounds like Brave New World or 1984. What would you classify those as?
Sci-fi. Even if it was set in 2024 and everything was exactly the same, that would involve enough speculation about the future to make it sci-fi. If a story like that wasn't sci-fi, it would move the date to the present day or not mention it.
I keep on wanting to just call in a futuristic drama even though there is some science that in current times isn't being used yet. I use the term "not being used yet" because I'm assuming some scientist has at least thought of it, like having a home be cleaned with the press of a button on the wall. In that scenario, I guess the story is sci-fi. How society is managed is different in my story. The world isn't grouped into countries anymore but does mention the country-categorization of the past. The plot, itself, could be inserted into any timeframe though.
I guess it is somewhat like Brave New Year, although humans aren't modified. Their world is. Maybe it's sci-fi.
There's a lot of overlap between Sci-fi and Speculative fiction. The Handmaid's tale is considered both, despite not having common Sci-fi elements, otherwise it wouldn't have won the Arthur C. Clarke award or have been nominated for the Nebula award. It's possible these awards specify Speculative fiction as another possible eligible genre, but I'm not sure. Brandon Sanderson talks about what he considers the three elements of storytelling: Plot, Setting, and Character, with some Conflict glueing the three together. If the setting in the OP's story doesn't impact the characters or the plot significantly, then it does raise the question why it's chosen. Even if the futuristic society is so automated it causes the MC to get bored, feel isolated and neglected from their spouse, that would still be an important part of the story and Sci-Fi would be an appropriate classification, even if it also falls under Tragedy, Dystopia, Utopia, Speculative fiction, etc.
Sci-fi is a huge genre, but pretty much by definition should include some element of science. A story about ordinary people living their ordinary lives some years in the future -- but not all that many years, and not involving sciency stuff -- would not (IMHO) properly be classified as science fiction.
I'd maybe go with speculative fiction, though that's not a term you hear much anymore. Like Handmaid's Tale, 1984, Brave New World, as others have mentioned. It's the future, and it speculates what might (or has) happened. Again, not a very common genre, at least as far as labelling bookshelves go.
I'm assuming it's set in the future to justify this abolition of nation states? This, I think, would technically still qualify as science fiction. The definition of sci-fi is, roughly: "Speculation on how possible future developments might affect society and the human condition." Those developments are usually scientific/technological, but arguably it might also apply to sociological ones. That said, the issue of genre isn't really a concern for us writers. Or at least it shouldn't be. Genre might be important when it comes to marketing and deciding which section the bookstores should place your story in, and of course there's nothing wrong with deliberatelly writing within a particular genre. But, really, it's kinda not our responsibility to categorize our works. Other people will be doing that for you, whether you like it or not, so why worry about it? You just tell your story. If you somehow manage to write one that doesn't fit into any genre... well, good. That's quite an impressive feat, and you may even have inspired a whole new genre.
Since a lot of people self publish, these categories and hidden categories are important. Even if you pursue traditional publishing, it's important to know how it fits in a particular genre when you pick agents to query. I've had similar questions about more specific categories like 'space opera'. What elements are necessary to be considered in that genre? I agree, when writing a story, these delineations shouldn't interfere with the story, but when you begin marketing it's important to be mindful of this so the right readers see your ads and that their expectations are understood. Also, I've heard some self published authors value being able to say '#1 Best Seller' in a particular Amazon category ('billionaire romance', 'space colonization', etc.) but some try and cheat the system and put a 'Thesaurus' tag on their crime thriller but I think Amazon won't tolerate that if it's detected.
Sure, though it's actually pretty arbitrary. Works that were originally considered a certain genre can be re-classified as a different genre that hadn't yet been codified when it was written. New genres and sub-genres always emerge in retrospect - Frankenstein wasn't considered the first science fiction novel until people actually realized that science fiction was a thing. Yes, marketing is important, but it's not writing, I guess is my point. It's not actually a part of what we do, more like a supplementary skill that can be useful. I just think it's worthwhile to keep that in mind. Generally, space opera is pretty much science fiction that is more concerned with big dramatic events - usually space wars - as well as the people involved in them, rather than focusing on the science and technology and how they affect society and the setting at large. It's related to the concepts of "hard" and "soft" sci-fi, space opera usually being on the softer side. (That is, not overly concerned with scientific realism.) The term is coined from "soap opera" and "horse opera", the latter being a style of western movies. "Opera" in this case implies some kind of dramatic or even melodramatic emotional story being the focus. Star Wars is pretty much pure space opera - it doesn't even try to justify the technology because it's all there solely to support a story about space wizards fighting an epic battle between good and evil for the fate of the galaxy. Star Trek is also space opera but less so, because it at least pretends its made-up science is legit and is more about people in the future solving various problems.
With so many authors choosing self-publishing, I can understand how they may think genre categorizing has so much importance. But I also think those authors are putting the cart before the horse and taking significance away from their writing.
I don't think knowing your genre takes anything away from the writing. In fact knowing your genre in many ways can keep a story on the right track. I thought that's what you were looking for when you started this thread.
True, that is what I stated at the beginning. After reading all the responses though, I can see that there's a good possibility that I've gotten ahead of myself. Now I'm thinking I should wait until, at least, until the 1st draft is done, maybe ever the 2nd one.
When I write genre work it's always deliberate. It's also a deliberate choice when I write non-genre work. I know people tend to say "just write" to a lot things, but I do believe it helps to know what arena you're jumping into.
Although I generally agree with you, deadrats, if the plot can work without a hitch in more than one genre, why give it pause before that 1st draft is done? That's what I was doing when I initially write the post that started this threat. My opinion has changed.