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What Is "Non-Genre"?

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Does all fiction have a genre?

 

Does all fiction have a genre? Nope, it does not have to have a genre to be a fiction story. Here are my views on the matter.

Created on April 18, 2007
Last updated: May 29, 2008

 

Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular

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Does not all fiction have a genre? 

Many publications say they only accept "Non-Genre Fiction". A common question writers ask is: What is Non-Genre Fiction? Doesn't all fiction have a genre?

I had just read a post on a blog, which has a lot of commenters and noticed a debate over what is the meaning of Genre Fiction VS Non-Genre Fiction had begun on its comments.

So, here is my answer to that question. I hope that some of you find it helpful when submitting your future stories to publishers.When a publication says, they're non-genre focused, they mean that they only want literary fiction and will automatically refuse all stories that a genre driven. A genre driven story is one that falls under the following:

Romance
Fantasy
Sci-fi
Horror
(and the many other such genres out there)

Genre driven stories are focused largely on promotion of their genre and the story focuses totally on that genre. I.e., a romance focuses on a girl's romantic infatuation; a fantasy will focus on the life of elves wizards and he-men type characters fighting evil in a epic quest; sci-fi focuses on alien life forms traveling from one planet to the next and other such sci-fi type things; horror focuses on scaring the pants off the reader.

When a publisher say they are non-genre focused, they want to see a slice-of-life story about the day (or week or year) in the life of so-and-so. This is what is known as non-genre or literary fiction.

The story focuses on real-life type characters in real life type situations; stories that real like they could be the life of the guy next door or the girl down the road. Non-genre stories tell a story that is not dependent on a fantasy quest or the eloquent narration describing the alien landscape or the steamy sex-scenes. They simply tell a story about life and thus have no genre.

Well, that's what I see it to mean. Feel free to comment on your own views as to the meaning of non-genre.

~~EK

This article Copyright  Wendy C. Allen 2007

 

Mark Twain : Mississippi Writings : Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi, Huckleberry Finn, Pudd'nhead Wilson (Library of America)

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Great Stuff From Copper Cockeral Cards & Gifts 

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The Art of the Short Story

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Creating Short Fiction: The Classic Guide to Writing Short Fiction

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Thank You Kitty

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lisabeth

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Posted May 25, 2008

ross57

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Posted May 25, 2008

StellarWind2012

Hello, Im Catherine Barber...author of Stellar Wind 2012. I had a horrible time defining the genre of my novel. Its got facts, fiction, legends, adventure and so much more. Have you read it? I see that it's on your list. You can read the first chapter on my lens: stellarwind2012. Also, if you put Stellar wind 2012 in your browser you will find that its ALL over the web! Oprah for me and Stellar Wind 2012. Wish me luck!!!

Posted May 25, 2008

Tiddledeewinks

Guess you found your niche on the internet!

Posted February 07, 2008

SemperFidelis

Great lens. A perfect lens for fiction and non-fiction Amazon book sales. Perhaps a few Amazon modules? A 5 to you! Consider stopping by and checking out a new lens of mine, Cool Desert Nights. :o)

Posted August 06, 2007

Marti

Great lens! Best wishes to you!

Posted April 18, 2007

Marti

How wonderful to find you here! I linked to you on my S List lens! This is a terrific lens - Welcome!

Posted April 18, 2007

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EelKat

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I am owner of The Twighlight Manor Press and Copper Cockeral Cards & Gifts .
On the internet, I am know as EelKat, my alter-ego, the talking black bobcat from Planet Diona (a character from both my The Twighlight Manor series & The Planet Ptarmargin series, as well as The Chrystonite Chronicles).

In alphabetical order: I like Alan Rickman, Alice Cooper, Alice in Wonderland, anime, birds, candy, Carl Barks, cartoons, cats, C*C*DeVille, Colombo, comic books, CosPlay, Darkwing Duck, David Bowie, Disney, dogs, Don Rosa, Donald Duck, Dr. Who, dvds, eels, Etiole, fashion, Gothic, haunted houses, horror, ice cream, InuYasha, Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp, Kieth Laumer, manga, movies, NegaDuck, peacocks, pigeons, Lord Sesshomaru, Prof. Snape, Retief, roosters, sci-fi, Scrooge McDuck, Sir Roderic, Star Trek, Tom Baker, Twighlight Manor, Uncle Scrooge, video games, Vincent Price, Willy Wonka, writing, X-Files, Xena, Zorro.

I am the creator and Administrator of A Writer's Desk, the forum for writers.


I love cats, dogs, roosters, birds, and esp. eels. (Have or have had pets of all of the above.) 




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Well, that's me. Why not comment and tell me about you?

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