I have just finished editing a 112,000 word novel. The protagonist narrates the story from the first person, and the plot is in the same vein as Catcher in the Rye, Less than Zero; an angst-ridden teen going through the ordeals of life.
My question is, how would this type of book be categorized? I would say something along the lines of 'coming of age,' though I'm not sure if that is really a genre.
Posted by BuffySquirrel (Member # 2780) on :
It's probably either commercial/mainstream/popular fiction or literary fiction, depending on how well written it is.
'Coming of age' is more a form than a genre, as such stories can be written in any genre.
Posted by Corky (Member # 2714) on :
Sounds to me like you're asking about marketing category instead of genre.
If the story takes place in the real world, the way Catcher in the Rye did, then it is mainstream, and probably young adult.
Posted by Corky (Member # 2714) on :
Of course, if that teen has to fight vampires and demons (metaphors for the ordeals of teen life) because she's the "chosen one," then it would be horror or fantasy.
Sorry, BuffySquirrel, your username influenced me in this post.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
"Catcher in the Rye" is a coming-of-age story. So are the "Harry Potter" series. So are most of Heinlein's "juveniles."
Further information is needed to make further genre classification...
Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :
The best advice I've ever heard is this: Just write your story, find a publisher, let the editors decide what genre shelf to sell it on.
For the sake of your query letter, I don't think it's necessary to try to tell the publisher what genre it is. Just a simple plot summary should adequately let them know if your work will fit into their 'stable'.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Does anybody know any teenagers that aren't ridden with angst?
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
Sure!
Posted by franc li (Member # 3850) on :
J.K. Rowling didn't think she was writing Young Adult Fantasy, IIRC. She was writing a variation on the English Boarding School drama.
Posted by BuffySquirrel (Member # 2780) on :
If you just write your novel then send it to a publisher without any regard to what genres that publisher handles and doesn't handle, you may well get a snippy response. Ditto agents. It's better to look at how novels like yours are categorised and pitch it accordingly. Don't waste other people's time (and yours) sending it somewhere it's not wanted.