I have been exploring the new AQ forums. The main issue I have is with every 'introduce yourself' post where I am required to state the genre of my novels.
This shouldn't be a difficult thing. Surely, I started writing my story with a target audience? Well, I did... sort of. Drift is aimed at young adults and has a romantic story line with supernatural elements. I turned to my trusty search engine to help me define my genres and ended up on wikipedia.
The following definitions were taken from www.wikipedia.co.uk today (it is a constantly changing encylopedia):
Paranormal Romance
Paranormal romance is a sub-genre of the romance novel. A type of speculative fiction, paranormal romance focuses on romance and includes elements beyond the range of scientific explanation, blending together themes from the genres of traditional fantasy, science fiction, or horror.
Well Drift matches this genre very well. The main focus of the story is the romance but there are also the shapeshifters and storm summoning which I think is fantasy.
Fantasy Romance
Romantic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction, describing a fantasy story using many of the elements and conventions of the romance genre.
This sounds very similar to paranormal romance to me except that is defined as being fantasy only (no science fiction). However, fantasy stories tend to be set in another time or world so I'm guessing if thats the case then Drift doesn't quite fit this genre.
Urban Fantasy
A subgenre of Fantasy; the action takes place in this world at this time, with no change in Earth's history, but rather in its dynamics (ie, physics: usually magic is possible). Another area most often under the influence of secular paganism
Drift is based in the present time and has made no change on earth's history other than the fact that there are now types of shapreshifters and magic users under the guise of paganism. Therefore this seems a good description of Drift and could possibly be its genre.
Young Adult fiction
Young-adult fiction (often abbreviated as YA) is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21
The main character is fourteen year old Fern. She has the usual problems that most teenage girls face and her love dilemas. I plan a few more books for the series so its good to know I can take Fern all the way to her 21st birthday.
I did wonder if it could be a 'supernatural' romance but I can't find a definition for that but there are book lists of similar stories to drift with unnatural creatures and beings in the present world like vampires and shapeshifters. The Collins and Oxford dictionaries define supernatual as being a manifestation or event that cannot be explained by science such as ghosts.
As you can see the genres are not all that clear and Drift fits into more than one type. The problem is so many forums stress the important of knowing your stories genre and almost ridicule you for not knowing.
They ask 'How can you write a story without knowing your target audience?' But, I do know my audience; my audience is typically young adults, particular girls who enjoys a romance story and anyone who love superpowers and wants to escape everyday life.
so for now Drift's genre is a Young Adult Paranormal Urban Fantasy Romance until it all becomes more clear to m
This shouldn't be a difficult thing. Surely, I started writing my story with a target audience? Well, I did... sort of. Drift is aimed at young adults and has a romantic story line with supernatural elements. I turned to my trusty search engine to help me define my genres and ended up on wikipedia.
The following definitions were taken from www.wikipedia.co.uk today (it is a constantly changing encylopedia):
Paranormal Romance
Paranormal romance is a sub-genre of the romance novel. A type of speculative fiction, paranormal romance focuses on romance and includes elements beyond the range of scientific explanation, blending together themes from the genres of traditional fantasy, science fiction, or horror.
Well Drift matches this genre very well. The main focus of the story is the romance but there are also the shapeshifters and storm summoning which I think is fantasy.
Fantasy Romance
Romantic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction, describing a fantasy story using many of the elements and conventions of the romance genre.
This sounds very similar to paranormal romance to me except that is defined as being fantasy only (no science fiction). However, fantasy stories tend to be set in another time or world so I'm guessing if thats the case then Drift doesn't quite fit this genre.
Urban Fantasy
A subgenre of Fantasy; the action takes place in this world at this time, with no change in Earth's history, but rather in its dynamics (ie, physics: usually magic is possible). Another area most often under the influence of secular paganism
Drift is based in the present time and has made no change on earth's history other than the fact that there are now types of shapreshifters and magic users under the guise of paganism. Therefore this seems a good description of Drift and could possibly be its genre.
Young Adult fiction
Young-adult fiction (often abbreviated as YA) is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21
The main character is fourteen year old Fern. She has the usual problems that most teenage girls face and her love dilemas. I plan a few more books for the series so its good to know I can take Fern all the way to her 21st birthday.
I did wonder if it could be a 'supernatural' romance but I can't find a definition for that but there are book lists of similar stories to drift with unnatural creatures and beings in the present world like vampires and shapeshifters. The Collins and Oxford dictionaries define supernatual as being a manifestation or event that cannot be explained by science such as ghosts.
As you can see the genres are not all that clear and Drift fits into more than one type. The problem is so many forums stress the important of knowing your stories genre and almost ridicule you for not knowing.
They ask 'How can you write a story without knowing your target audience?' But, I do know my audience; my audience is typically young adults, particular girls who enjoys a romance story and anyone who love superpowers and wants to escape everyday life.
so for now Drift's genre is a Young Adult Paranormal Urban Fantasy Romance until it all becomes more clear to m
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