Friday, August 16, 2013

Tip-toeing Through the Genre Cow Shit

Wow!  I was checking out a new press and read this article they had posted on the home page (there was no author credited for writing the piece) about literary writers swimming in the genre pool.  Talk about a writer feeling like they'd just stepped on a cow flop!  You can read "Writers Gravitate to Genre" here.  Sad to say the comments are closed.  I wonder why? :)

Feel free to vent your frustrations here.

4 comments:

Dusty said...

Wow. I've always believed that good writing serves the same ends regardless of genre. Human condition can just as easily be explored in horror and sci-fi as in any "literary" piece. I don't really even like the word "literary."

There may be genre fiction that adheres to formulas and cliches and happy endings, but the best of genre fiction doesn't.

Let's remember that the same guy who wrote Gerald's Game also wrote The Shawshank Redemption.

sandra seamans said...

I agree, Dusty. The word literary reeks of snobbery. There's so many writers who work in the various genres whose writing just blows me away that I don't even think genre or literary, just fantastic storytelling.

I hate the fact that publishers feel the need to categorize everything. I wish adult fiction could be like YA, anything goes as long it tells a good story.

Al Tucher said...

I don't know how many times the snobs need to be reminded that Shakespeare was in it for the money.

sandra seamans said...

Oh no, Al, must you sully their ears with talk of money! :)

Of course that's their poor excuse for actually having to write genre. I wonder if they have a secret handshake so they know who they are?