Hello, I finished writing my first book but can't decide what genre it is! Is dark comedy considered one or does that sound new? If I had to I'd consider my style closer to Chuck Palahniuk's older stuff and I know he uses the term Transgressive which sort of resonates. Is it obnoxious to try and start a new genre? My story is about a kid in high school whose mom gets sent to prison and he has to get the rent paid while trying not to go insane from his reclusive social life. It's dark but I do my best to carry it with comedy until things turn good for him. He's morally conscious but sexually depraved with overbearing hormones and teetering on the edge of a violent meltdown. Things get worse but popularity finds him. He enjoys it but eventually it makes him feel empty and in the end the real breakthrough is a spiritual sort of enlightenment... Which happens after he's involuntarily dosed with psychedelic drugs. (With SOME side guidances from an inspiring mentor.)
New genres basically start when a book is so popular other writers want to emulate the style and techniques. So there's no way of starting one. It all has to do with popularity. So all you can do is write your book and see what happens. For now I'd call it general fiction with maybe a dark comic edge. And find writers or books it most represents when you want to describe to an agent. I haven't figured out my genre either - so that's the route I'm going. I'm hoping like Chuck Palahniuk I'll just be a brand in and of myself.
