Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Help with Genre Definition

This is topic Help with Genre Definition in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=003872

Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :

I was wondering if anyone knows a link to help me differentiate in my mind the difference between fantasy and dark fantasy.

Part of the reason is that I had a story I was considering entering in WOTF someday. I look at it as a horror-type story (not a blood/guts Texas Chainsaw type of thing) with a speculative/supernatural element to it, but it doesn't jump out a scream "Fantasy!" in the normal sense.

Thanks

Posted by pantros (Member # 3237) on :

There really isn't a hard and fast list on these things.

Fantasy is really anything involving magic or mythical creatures.

Dark is more of a feel than anything else. Though Violence and gore tend to be dark more often than not, they are not where the line is drawn. Happy ending? Doesn't matter one way or the other. Think along the lines of cheer and hope. Does the majority of the story express these? If not, it's dark.

Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

The debate has raged for years on what is the definition of fantasy versus science fiction. There is still no clear cut definition. If we can't decide where the lines are between those genres, we can't clearly decide what the difference between fantasy and dark fantasy is. Maybe try to find books that are called dark fantasy, read them, and decide for yourself what the difference is.

Matt

Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :

Actually, I'm trying to discern the line between fantasy (or dark fantasy) and "horror".

I've not yet seen a book labeled "dark fantasy" in my significant but not exhaustive browsing, but I'll keep looking.

Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

quote:
I was wondering if anyone knows a link to help me differentiate in my mind the difference between fantasy and dark fantasy.

You're the one that brought up dark fantasy. I thought if you mentioned it you'd heard of it. But I did a quick search on 'dark fantasy' on yahoo. The first result was a Wikipedia article talking about what dark fantasy is, and it even included a link to some dark fantasy works. Amazing what the internet can do.

Here's the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_fantasy

Matt

Posted by luapc (Member # 2878) on :

dee_boncci, just make sure the story can't be considered horror (as a lot of what is called "dark" anything often is) if you want to submit it to WOTF because they won't take anything horror. It can have elements of horror, but should clearly be a fantasy piece or it'll be rejected.

I would say just write the story the way you want to, and then pick the market for it. If you think it'll fit with WOTF, then send it. The worst that can happen is it'll be rejected, but there's nothing like a really good story to change an editor's mind about what they'll take.

Good luck with it!

Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :

RMatthewWare

Thanks for the info. My second post in the thread was to clarify my initial question, which after I thought about it, wasn't what I meant to ask.

I detected hostility in you most recent response. I apologize if I offended you in some way.

Almost everything we talk about on this discussion forum could be googled, I suppose, instead of brining it up here.

Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

No, I'm just REALLY sarcastic (sorry). I think the point I was trying to make in my first post is that there will not be much of a definition of what the difference between the genres is. You're just going to have to do your best to come up with your own definition and run with it.

Matt