The word genre is used frequently these days, especially online. There’s talk of this book representing this genre and that story fitting neatly into that genre, and we find ourselves wondering what this genre thing is anyway.
So, what do we do? We go online and perform a search of the word, because surely we’re not the only ones who have wondered what it is and why we should be aware of it, let alone care about it. Besides, looking things up online is what we do nowadays, right? So we dive right on in.
And that’s when we discover that a particular website defines genre as one thing, which somehow inconveniently contradicts the definition used by yet another resource. And we find ourselves in a more confused state than we were in to start with, eventually leading us to ask ourselves why we even bothered trying to figure it out in the first place.
What do we do then? We likely start to piecemeal a definition together from the bits and pieces that we encounter that appear to make the most logical sense, because there’s no way we’re walking away empty-handed after all of that hard work. But even that leaves us significantly less than satisfied, and we begin to think that this genre thing might be better left unknown.
And then we think, There’s got to be something better than this. It can’t be this hard. Then it hits us—we need a simple definition, and maybe we were onto something with that piecemealing. So, why not give it another shot?
The result? Genre, in publishing, is simply a way to classify the content or stylistic elements of a piece of writing. In other words, it’s a term that wraps up the characteristics and special elements that either separate the work of writing from others or likens it to them into a select sub-group and then slaps a special name on it.
And sure, there are a number of genres that have been identified, many of which will flood your screen when you perform a simple search. However, the most common ones tend to be romance, fantasy, memoir and biography, children’s literature, young adult, true crime, mystery, and horror, and they each have defining elements that pieces of writing that are housed within their literary ‘buckets’ hold in common.
8 Popular Genres in Publishing
Below is a list of eight of the most popular genres in publishing and some of the typical characteristics of works identified with them. Note: This is a partial list of the most popular genres in publishing, as the true number of genres often changes depending on who is doing the classifying.
Romance – Centered on amorous relationships and other incidental relationships
Fantasy – Centered on magical worlds and elements, larger-than-life characters, and major conflicts
Memoir and Biography – Centered on partial or full coverage of a person’s life
Children’s Literature – A large number of sub-genres centered on the same topics covered by adult genres, but at a language and content level appropriate for children
Young Adult – Designed for ages 12-18 and centered on realistic characters, first-person voice, coming-of-age themes, and age-appropriate content
True Crime – Centered on real crimes
Mystery – Centered on fictitious crimes and suspense
Horror – Centered on monsters, supernatural creatures, death/murders, suspense, and fear
The Reality
Oftentimes, though, an individual’s writing doesn’t fit neatly into solely one genre, with a large number of stories boasting elements associated with multiple genres, leading to such mashups as paranormal horror, historical romance, romantic fantasy, and more.
How does this happen? It comes about because the stories that we tell often mirror the multifaceted reality of human lives, even when the story’s focus is fantasy. Just as our lives aren’t cookie-cutter-one-size-fits-all blobs, neither are the stories that we share.
So, don’t be surprised or alarmed when your story doesn’t fit neatly into one specific literary box. After all, that just might be a good thing.
Is Genre Important?
Yes, absolutely! Genre is certainly important, as identifying your work’s genre gives your reading audience a clearer expectation of what they will likely encounter when reading your work. It saves the many potential readers out there the time and energy that they would otherwise have to expend sifting through your work to try to determine whether or not it aligns with what they’re looking for. And, as an author, it can assist you with the writing process by helping you to focus on the specific genre-related concepts and elements that you want to convey, especially those your audience will be expecting to encounter, and bypass those that don’t lend themselves to a successful expression of your story.
However, genre is not the be all and end all of conveying a story. And it should not necessarily be the driving force behind the story that you tell. Sure, having a specific genre and its typical elements in mind can help you present your story in a full, engaging, well-rounded way, but too strict of an adherence to a specific genre’s style might serve to stifle your story rather than enhance it. As with every thing, there must be balance.
Now, here’s the part where I’d like to hear from you. What is genre to you and why is it important? I look forward to reading your take on it. Be blessed. #sanguinemango
Sanguine Mango 