Time for my very first call for help to the LinkedIn community.
The more diligently I read, the more confused I get. Very basic basics are under reconsideration. I’m still convinced what I write should be called Science Fiction. Little science and lots of fiction = Science Fiction. Used to feel like a no-brainer.
Looking at conventional and electronic publishers kindly providing genre characterizations on their websites I’m starting to wonder.
I’ll use Smashwords categories to describe my irritation:
Top level category: Fiction. Easy. Check.
First level subcategory: Science Fiction. Easy. Check.
Oops, so many second level subcategories for Science Fiction:
- adventure
- apocalyptic
- cyberpunk
- general
- hard sci-fi
- high tech
- military
- space opera
- steampunk & retropunk
- utopias & dystopias
According to my badly informed gut feeling, Plugger stuff ticks boxes 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10. I can safely exclude 2 and 8. Less sure for 3 and 9. Phew, really now? And I’m supposed to select just one?
Anyone willing to provide me with a content percentage estimate, with any straightforward criteria to facilitate genre attribution?
As if this wasn’t messy enough, I should probably at least mention some of the other first level subcategories, to help readers avoid uncomfortable encounters: Cultural & ethnic themes, gay & lesbian fiction, humor & comedy (it’s a bit of a farce, really, but there’s no satire category, so comedy will have to stand in), and…
Wonder if there is anyone else out there struggling with these boundaries. Feeling ultra-niche. Third language author with acute genre dysphoria, a foolproof recipe for success, hurrah?