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I need help with beta readers and identifying my genre
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L.C.
(new)
Sep 15, 2020 09:47PM
Honestly, this sounds like Adult Historical Fiction to me. The themes sound way too mature/graphic to be YA. I know some people simplify and say if a character is a teen, it's YA and if they're an adult, it's Adult, but that's simplifying too much. There are definitely exceptions and this is one of those where it would be Adult Fiction with a young protagonist.
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It sounds to me more like a single-generation family saga. What aspect of the novel is most prominent? Who is your target reader? Who would enjoy a book like this? What other books would they enjoy? Before labeling something as historical fiction (or any other kind of genre fiction), do some research. Read some books in that genre and make sure your novel will fit in terms of tone, content, tropes, etc.
Not to muddy the water further, but I'd be inclined to categorize this as literary fiction. You're describing what sounds like a more challenging book which mixes styles and genres and that delves into some dark, deep, and challenging themes. Your comps also lean toward the literary end of the spectrum.
My first novel had that problem. It was (and is, I guess) a story set in 1974 and 1987 about a young doctor who tries to cope with his father's death by suicide. My book does not have a well-defined audience or market ....... Which tends to be the problem with literary fiction. Although there are definitely readers out there who seek out books that are more challenging or that cut across genres, the audience is not easily defined and small, making it very difficult to market the book, whether you decide to publish yourself or query with it.
Are you trying to define your audience right now in terms of querying or self-publishing? Or, are you trying to get a better hold of genre in order to revise your book into something more genre-specific?
(In terms of marketing the book to agents, your comps should give the agent an idea of what your book is like and where it would slot. In terms of marketing the book on your own as an indie author, you can target your ads to certain titles, which helps find readers.)
You edit the same way I do. I convert my drafts into something I can read on my iPad and takes notes as I read.My first book is solidly literary fiction, although I tend to call it "general fiction" because I don't think my prose measures up to the literary badge. But the themes of the book definitely are at home with other literary fiction novels. (It's a dark and challenging book, as one would expect a book on suicide to be.)
Not all agents require comps, but in your case, I would definitely give comps in your query letter because I think it'll help agents define your book. Nearly all literary fiction novels will cross into other genres, so I don't think that's an issue. Right now, based on what you've said, I would call your novel, "a literary novel with elements of satire, dark comedy, and horror." I wouldn't bother hitting on historical as the date the story takes place will presumably be part of your blurb, as will the fact that this story surrounds a family.
(You can also wait until you have a draft ready to show readers and ask them where they think your book slots best or what they think you should emphasize in looking for an agent. Sometimes we get too close to our work and it's hard to see it through a reader's eyes.)
I would say based on your comparable titles, which include some Man Booker Prize listers, I'd go with literary fiction.
