Costco's impact on my sanity...I mean genre confusion

[cheekychook]

Yesterday afternoon I came home from Costco very happy with a passenger seat full of sale-priced ink for my printer. At the rate I’m printing things out these days this was really very exciting.

Today I spent a good chunk of my afternoon reading conflicting articles/blogs/posts about the definition of Women’s Fiction. Mind you I already feel like I have a good grasp of what constitutes Women’s Fiction, but I also know that it doesn’t matter what I think, it matters what the people I may soon be querying think, so I read. And I read. And I read some more. By the time I was done I had forgotten all about my previous happiness regarding my ink purchase, I was just exceedingly grateful for the Costco-sized bag of m&m’s that was thankfully in reaching distance from desk.

I won’t clutter this post with endless links, instead I’ll summarize the cause of my frustration-induced chocolate overload.

One agent thinks Women’s Fiction is anything written by a woman. (Not kidding.)

Another thinks it’s anything written by a woman FOR women. (Okay.)

Another said it’s writing where the female character makes a journey that leaves her more enlightened at the end. (Sounds strangely similar to Chick Lit, which all these agents seem to agree is not synonymous with Women’s Fiction, but again, okay.)

Another said it’s any writing that will tug at a woman’s heartstrings. (That one caused a definite tugging up of one of my eyebrows.)

Another said it’s all a matter of plot, a storyline that will appeal to women, rich in emotions, often including a love story. (Eyebrow still up, though crowded by furrowing forehead.)

One said it encompasses all stories that appeal to women (including the stereotypical “Chick Lit” books) but is more often leaning toward literary fiction. (Furrow deepening.)

The next was adamant the it’s a commercial fiction sub-genre, not at all literary. (I think I’m developing a tic---carpal tunnel? Extended raised eyebrow syndrome? Too much red dye no. 5?)

Another speculated that it’s writing that explores the complexity of relationships and can be written from any pov. (These chocolates are making me thirsty.)

The last insisted that it can’t possibly be written from the male pov because that flies in the face of the definition of the genre. (:thud)

Why is this bothering me? Because I have written a novel that, while definitely in the commercial fiction genre, will likely appeal more to female readers than male. (Though the one guy in my crit group has laughed harder and cried more often while reading my pages than any of the women in my group, so maybe I’m wrong.)

It explores relationships, has more than its share of romance and witty banter, and is written from both the male and female MC’s povs. I read what I consider to be Women’s Fiction and it does fit my definition of the genre, though I didn’t write it specifically for that; I wrote it to write the story.

The woman who runs my critique group has said my novel is “contemporary women’s fiction”, which she defines as mainstream commercial fiction that appeals to women and has a love story component---she added the word “contemporary” because I don’t fade to black for sex scenes. I realize that we, as writers, need to research agents to see who might be interested in our work, and I’ve been doing that, for a while. What’s getting to me is that, in regard to my novel, I can’t find a consistent opinion about whether or not my work is considered Women’s Fiction.

The dual pov, in which my male MC tells probably 55-60% of the story, seems to put me into a grey area. I don’t expect anyone here to have a definitive answer, but I’m looking for opinions---- with all the differing views out there about what the genre of Women’s Fiction encompasses, is it even possible to label anything other than the most stereotypical story of strong-female-protagonist-on-a-journey as WF? Is anything that strays from that really outside the bounds of the genre? Or, since it doesn’t even have its own section within the fiction shelves, should most just stick with the term “commercial” or “mainstream” and let the readers decide if it’s their cup of tea or not? Regardless of the label that’s what happens anyway, right?

I’m trying to think of movies that may or may not fall into the same category…the ones that come to mind are When Harry Met Sally and Jerry Maguire….strong female MC, strong male MC, love story central to plot, appeal to both men and women….but regarded at least somewhat as Chick Flicks.

Talk amongst yourselves. I need more m&m’s.

[AnimaDictio]

I think your post is Women's Fiction, because it's about a woman (you) on a journey to discover the meaning of life ... or ... a recently invented genre. But then again, your intended audience is male and female so maybe that disqualifies you. Also, there is one laughing, crying male who plays somewhat prominently in the post. That makes me think it's probably mainstream. Unless the guy is gay. Is he gay? Because that might make it Women's Fiction again.

Hope that helps.

My post, by the way, is either comedy or horror, depending on your perspective.

[cheekychook]

He's straight.

And I thought your post was funny, though I'm not sure about my judgment these days...

[Down the well]

One agent thinks Women’s Fiction is anything written by a woman. (Not kidding.)

Another thinks it’s anything written by a woman FOR women. (Okay.)

Okay, this bothers me more than a little. By that definition, The Good Earth, To The Lighthouse, and O Pioneers! were all women's fiction. It's like saying nothing written by a woman could have any value to a male sensibility. Rubbish.

The rest of the definitions all seem to be variations of the same basic idea. But sheesh. I don't need any more confusion on genre.

[Mira]

Wow. This is rather daunting. :)

First, I commend you for a chocolate induced haze. That's almost a requirement when one has anything to do with women's fiction. Right? :)

So, in terms of what genre your novel is, here is my unenlighted advice. Take at your own risk! :) I might stay rather general. Don't let an agent turn you down because your genre is too specific. I'd decide who your favorite agents are, and then figure out where my book lies in their catagories. See what they represent, and call my book that accordingly - within the realm of honesty. I wouldn't query someone who only represents YA, or something like that, but anyone who represents commecial or literary fiction I would see as fair game.

I don't see this as manipulative, because I think the catagories are abit arbitrary. Also, your examples above show how even publishing folks don't agree on the catagories. There's no downside to querying any agent. The worst that will happen is they say 'no.' So, I'd try to write a bang-up query with a great hook and summary and then query any agent who interests you. Let the pages and the summary speak for itself. That would be my advice, for what it's worth. :)

Good luck!

[Ermo]

I agree with Mira. I would just identify a more broad genre and let the agents figure it out. If you have a killer query and book, the agent isn't going to care that maybe you misidentified the genre. Good luck.

[cheekychook]

Thanks for the input. :)

I plan on querying as commercial fiction, because I know that's accurate. I just can't help wondering, if I were male instead of female, and I'd written the same story, would the people currently telling me it's "contemporary women's fiction" be changing their tune? I don't doubt that more women than men will be attracted to my story, but that's the case for a LOT of fiction. I wish there was a clearer, more agreed upon definition of what Women's Fiction is, but it seems there isn't...at least not yet. Until there is I'll stick with looking for agents who rep work I enjoy and who seem like people I'd work well with, because that's what really matters.

Not to add to the confusion, but I read an article today about how Nicholas Sparks writes women's fiction. Last I checked he is a guy (therefore not a woman writing FOR women, as was suggested in one blog). He also often has a male MC and writes from his pov (which, according to one blogger, flies in the face of the WF genre). And, Nicholas Sparks himself has made it quite clear, in interviews, that he considers himself a commercial fiction author who writes LOVE STORIES (not romance, not women's fiction---mainstream fiction where love is a central theme). If Nicholas Sparks can't properly identify his genre then I'm okay with not being able to nail down mine.

[wilderness]

I think because of the male POV it would lean on commercial fiction. You could use a movie term, "romantic comedy" (if it is in fact comedy). But mostly, I agree with Ermo; write a good query and let the pros figure it out. Not every novel fits neatly and Nicholas Sparks is a good example of that.

[jkmcdonnell]

The way I see it, the difference between women's fiction and chick lit is a more literary style in the former - so why isn't it just called 'literary fiction'?

[cheekychook]

See, the chick lit vs. women's fiction distinction is something I think I do understand.

When chick lit first became a commonly accepted genre (roughly a decade ago, if memory serves) it had pretty specific guidelines. There were a few publishers that picked up on the hotness of the genre and started their own Chick Lit lines---Red Dress Ink comes to mind. They had VERY specific guidelines for submissions and very few sub-catergories within the genre....all books HAD to have a strong female protagonist, she HAD to live in a major city,she HAD to be under 35, she HAD to have a major career or at very least major career aspirations, there HAD to be a romantic complication, the ending DID NOT have to include a wedding/proposal/romantic ending, but it did HAVE TO turn out that the woman was "better off" at the end of the story than she was at the beginning. Strong voice for the protagonist was another guideline they insisted on. Length was also very specific.

In the case of Red Dress I'm guessing the stringent criteria stemmed, at least in part, from the fact that they were an offshoot of Harlequin---romance publishers have guidelines strict enough to literally make your eyes spin---and in comparison Red Dress Ink's submission guidelines probably seemed like they were loosening the reigns. JMO.

As the genre grew in popularity lots of sub genres developed and they eventually developed categories for mom-lit, over 35 year old lit, etc. The chick lit bubble expanded way too big, reached maximum size, then started to deflate. Now a lot of people won't even utter the words "chick lit" without whispering them---it's not that women don't still read the same kind of stories that chick lit refers to, but the name has become taboo...it's no longer "the in thing."

Instead a bigger, broader term is now used to encompass a whole variety of female-geared books.... Women's Fiction. Regardless of who defines it, WF has never been as stringent or limiting as the "chick lit " title.

Women's fiction seems to be a very wide, generalized term that applies to a broad range of books that will appeal to a female audience...it encompasses chick lit, but is not at all limited to it, and it may include occasional examples of literary fiction, but those are the exception not the norm.

So, all chick lit is women's fiction.

All women's fiction is not chick lit.

Some women's fiction may be literary.

Most women's fiction is mainstream/commercial.

I think.

Anyone with a better (or different) understanding please jump in and correct me!

The question that remains for me is: Does Women's Fiction, with all it's questionable and varied definitions, really count as its own genre (because if it does the guidelines should be more agreed upon by a wider range of people in the publishing industry)...or is it really just a way of labeling commercial fiction that is more likely to have a strong appeal to women?