Genres of Fiction, and Why They Aren't Discrete Entities

While the Jeff's away, the guests will play — I thought I'd take up his offer of guest posting to promote an interesting conversation about genre that's happening at one of the other blogs I write for, Big Other.

A. D. Jameson writes:

I love genre, because genres are basically conventions. They're expectations that both authors and readers (and editors, and sales people) bring to a text—suggestions as to what should be inside, and how it should be arranged. And I dearly love conventions...