Where is the line??

[valkie]

ok... this question may sound a bit out there, but I need to get some feedback on it.

I've had an idea for a book for quiet a few years now (18 to be exact) and I'm finally getting off my backsides and going to get down to it... but I have one problem. I don't know where exactly in the genrea tree I fit.

I'm an avid reader of both Fantasy and Romance, main reason being that both genus have aspects that I enjoy, however I can never seem to find an author that blends to two elements well.

I'm concerned about the marketablity of a wip that covers such a blended ground. I feel that it would end up reading much like a romantic fantasy or a paranormal romance, however I don't really know what it is that separates these two genus.

while I know that the romance market is larger than the sf/f, I'm cautious of alienating one or the other with including elements of the other. I know I'm probably over thinking this WAY too much, but feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks, Valerie

[Esfires]

My (admittedly layman) advice would be just to write it and let your agent/publisher decide which shelf it goes on. That's their job, and they're much better at it then you ever will be.

[hopewrites]

that is the advice I have seen given for every "what's my genre" question that has come up.
as for alienating people, I think you should be able to write a good "sf/f" with heavy romantic elements without alienating anyone. (the reason I word it that way is I have heard a rumor that when writing romance there is a formula to where the sex scenes go, and I prefer to let a story happen 'organically' rather than have it written 'by the book')

[Warren_Paul]

Fantasy and romance go hand in hand. Many, many stories that have been published in the genre are romances - or at least have romance story arcs in them.

I think people want 'realistic' stories, which means romance is involved, because really, human life revolves around relationships with each other. I'd personally love to read a book than blended the fantasy and romance genres together, as long as the romance is believable.

A story based in a ficitonal world and is all about two characters falling in love, having a relationship that leads towards sex and such, would still be a fantasy novel - the romance doesn't change that.

If that same story is based in real world, with fantastical elements, it's paranormal romance, or urban fantasy.

If it's based in the future (doesn't matter if real world or fictional) that same story would be sci-fi.


Long story short; don't worry about it.

[mithril]

you might also like to check Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series. Though it's primarily a romance series, the paranormal/sci-fi aspects have been developed surprisingly well over the series.

[springs]

Hi Valkie, join the club, there's a few of us here who've raised the same question - which indicates that at least some people are interested in cross over novels.

I think it's a good idea to know which genre you're going to pitch it as, most publishers will want some indication of where they might sell it. But, you don't need to do that until you get to the submission stage.

I'd write the book and see where it comes out. You also have the benefit that if one of the genres becomes a bit passe, you can pitch to the other instead!

[Anne Lyle]

I blogged about this on Valentine's Day, but in summary, if your main plot is "boy meets girl", the genre is romance; if the love story is only a subplot and the book stands up without it, you can sell it as fantasy.

For a good example of the former, see Ten Ruby Trick by Julia Knight, published by Carina (an imprint of Harlequin). For the latter, I recommend The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. Both are excellent blends of fantasy and romance, but the balance is slightly different in the two.

[I, Brian]

Originally Posted by valkie

while I know that the romance market is larger than the sf/f, I'm cautious of alienating one or the other with including elements of the other. I know I'm probably over thinking this WAY too much, but feedback would be appreciated.

You are over thinking it - just write the story if that's what you want to do.

[TheTomG]

"Just write the story" still stands as the best single piece of advice anyone can ever be given, heh!

[Dozmonic]

Whatever genre has the strongest elements is how it'll likely be classified. If the romance aspect really drives it and the science fiction aspect is more of a setting, then it'll likely be classified as romance. However, even if the romance is strong but it has what mainstream people believe to be science fiction - super futuristic, spaceships, spacestations etc then it's likely to be classified sci-fi.

[AnyaKimlin]

Romance usually requires the focus to be on the hero/heroine's or hero/hero's relationship and to have an Happily Ever After.

CM Torrens is probably my favourite romance/paranormal writer, she wrote a fun story about Death falling in love.

[James Beam]

Originally Posted by valkie

I'm an avid reader of both Fantasy and Romance, main reason being that both genus have aspects that I enjoy, however I can never seem to find an author that blends to two elements well.

I'm concerned about the marketablity of a wip that covers such a blended ground. I feel that it would end up reading much like a romantic fantasy or a paranormal romance, however I don't really know what it is that separates these two genus.

Romance is a function and paranormal and fantasy are worlds.

You create the world and romance is just one of the things that's going on within it.

[valkie]

thank you everyone for your feedback!

The 'just write the stupid thing and worry about where it's going to go later' was were I was leaning towards