Angela Scott
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Stick up for your Genre! Demand Respect! Fight! Fight! Fight! (In a pillow fight kinda way)

5/1/2011

20 Comments

 
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If I told you I was writing a western book, filled with cowboys, saloons, and gunslingers, what would be your first thought?

I can almost bet you didn’t think, “Boy, that’s a serious piece of fiction I could sink my teeth into,” right? No. When you think of westerns, you tend to think of your grandpa. THAT generation reads westerns. THAT generation loves John Wayne and black and white films. Westerns are so outdated. Do people even write that stuff anymore? You’d probably pat my shoulder and say, “Good luck with that, Angela.” And you’d probably even try real hard to mean it.

Now, what if I said I’m writing a romance? What’s your first thoughts on that? Cheesy Harlequin books? Fabio? Romance is a big seller, one of the top selling genres out there, yet, I don’t think you’d consider me a writer of the highest quality if I told you I wrote romance. (Romance writers, put your dukes down. It’s not time to fight yet. I’m not dissing you, really. I love me some romance. I’m just presenting the judgment some genres face. Hang in there. Keep reading. Seriously, put the dukes down. The fight comes later).

To make things even MORE interesting, what if I told you I’m writing about zombies? Flesh eating, brain munching zombies? The real deal? Would that be a piece of fiction you could wrap your mind around and embrace as literary genius? I don’t think so. You’d just think it weird and that I was weird and I had to be some kind of hack writer of the lowest of the lows.

Okay, now let’s combine all three of those aspects—western, romance, zombies—and mush them all together to form a 80K word novel. What do ya think now? Really. Be serious.

I bet you laughed.

AND I wouldn’t have blamed you. I think I might have laughed too, if it wasn’t me we were talking about here.  Because in truth, I’m writing exactly that—a western romance with a scattering of zombie mayhem just for fun. It’s true. I know. You’re probably thinking, but she looked so normal.

The reason I bring all this up, is that when I mention my current WIP, I sometimes feel as though people kind of do the invisible eye roll and their brains (BRAINS) just assume I’m not a great writer at all, but more like a “bad writer”, a writer that can’t write for “real.”

Have you ever felt that way? Do you want a little respect (R-E-S-P-E-C-T—go Aretha).

I mean, in the terms of writing, I still think there is prejudice.  I know people who have romantic elements in their novels but REFUSE to be known as a romance writer, as if there is something bad about that (Okay romance writers, this is the time to stand up for your genre and come out swinging). I also think horror writers, paranormal writers, and even sci-fi writers experience less than favorable responses when it comes to their chosen genre.  For sci-fi writers, its like being the kid with the Star Trek costume at the prom. That kid’s interesting for sure, but he doesn’t quite fit in, nor does he get asked to dance because nobody wants to be seen dancing with that weirdo. No way. (Sci-fi writers, you can put your dukes up too, if you like. Or you can zap me with your ultra-molecular scramble radar gun. Whichever you prefer).

Don’t say this isn’t true, because I know it is. I know there is a lot of judgment taking place—I feel it. I’ve experienced it. I think it’s because in the terms of “respectable” writing, a zombie western romance is not it. Nor is sci-fi or horror, or erotica, or anything at all to do with a vampire.

In the mind’s eye of the masses, respected writing goes something like this (from most respected to the least respected):

Non-fiction books
Literary fiction
Historical fiction
Contemporary/Commercial Adult
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Adult
Contemporary YA
Paranormal YA
Fantasy/Sci-fi YA
Middle Grade
Children’s Books
Fantasy/Sci-fi Adult
Poetry
Romance
Westerns
Horror/Erotica
Zombie Western Romance (nothing lower than that)

I’m ready for a debate. Let me have it (in a nice pillow fight kinda way). Do you think your genre is too far down the list of respectability, let me know. Stick up for your genre. Tell me why your genre deserves more respect.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Actually, let’s come together and rally around one another. A writer is a writer is a writer, regardless. I know that I’m as serious about my Zombie Western Romance as a Literary Fiction writer is about their writing. It’s not about being a serious writer. It’s about being a respected writer. Give my Zombie Western Romance a chance, that’s all I ask.

It’s kinda like Tofu. At first, it’s mushy and looks nasty and awful. But fried until its crispy, with a bit of stir fry sauce to dip it in, and it’s actually something you can stomach without gagging.

That’s all I want. I want to be like Tofu.


How about you?


20 Comments
Margaret Almon link
5/1/2011 11:43:57 am

I did an MFA in poetry, and that genere could probably give Zombie Western Romance a run for the money for lowest place. . .Then I became a librarian, and noticed that you could buy stickers to mark books for each genre--like the Scarlet A, since literary fiction and non-fiction do not have stickers!

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Jason McKinney link
5/1/2011 11:49:10 am

Hey now! I like westerns! Seriously, Angela, I've been interested in the Zombie/Western/Romance novel you've mentioned in the past. It's the out of the norm stuff like that that makes for good reading. I'm all for it.
Besides, being normal is boring. Looking normal while being mentally abnormal is fun.

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Juliana link
5/1/2011 01:37:51 pm

Bah! I say you MUST be a good writer to take on a Zombie/Western/Romance.

Honestly, I think everyone feels like this, no matter what genre they write in. I know I do. Then again, I am half way down the list...

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Raquel Byrnes link
5/1/2011 02:51:56 pm

Ahaha! Zombie Western Romance...LOL.

I write romance. I know what goes into it.

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Sophia Martin link
5/1/2011 03:26:55 pm

I hear you. I write paranormal mystery. It's a book about a psychic. I hate having to talk about it, because I can just *feel* the eye rolls. I'm an English teacher and my colleagues, when they hear that I write, expect literary fiction. No, I write to entertain, and solely to entertain. Sorry to disappoint.

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Shelley Batt link
5/1/2011 10:29:50 pm

I love westerns and black and white movies. I love romance as long as it isn't too cheesey. But I've never read anything with zombies. They might be a bit scary for me but I would love to give it a try. Hang in there. Look at it this way. Your story is unique and that is a good thing in the publishing world. My current WIP is a tween/Ya (not sure yet) thriller (hopefully) with a splash of historical with a splash of supernatural.

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Nancy Lauzon link
5/2/2011 12:07:10 am

You go, Angela! Genre writers have been looked down upon by book snobs for years, and it gets so old. My sister (who shall remain nameless) refuses to call herself a romance writer, even though that's what she writes. Her publisher markets her as a 'women's fiction' writer, and her books contain a 'love story'. What's the difference?

Keep writing your Zombie Western Romance, if that's where your heart lies. It could be the next breakout trend, whenever everyone gets sick of vampire romances. I'm not kidding. Do you know how many people told J.K. Rowling that she couldn't write a book about wizards that would appeal to both kids and adults? Who's laughing now?

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Julia Munroe Martin link
5/2/2011 12:29:03 am

This is a great post! Unfortunately, I agree that genre writers are looked down on...interestingly, when I was working as a technical writer I was told by people (even other writers) that I wasn't a "real writer." So apparently some writing is below even the Zombie Western Romance! Your post addresses one of the premises I started with when I began my blog: that writers are writers, period. No matter what genre or specialty. That said, in my experience, the "mind's eye of the masses" considers "real writing" to be literary fiction, and for that reason, I would've put non-fiction below that on your list. However, on MY list, writing is writing, and all genres would be in the same exact same spot: #1.

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Angela Scott link
5/2/2011 12:58:51 am

Margaret, I think an MFA in poetry is awesome. I love poetry and it's not that easy to write either. AND, with stickers to put on genre books--we are LITERALLY labeled. But, on the other hand, it makes our genre easier to find :)

Jason, "Looking normal while being mentally abnormal is fun." I'm forever going to use that as my motto. I'm stealing it. It's mine now.

Juliana, Just take your genre and move it to the top like Julia suggests. I moved myself to the top and now I'm AWESOME.

Sophia, there is nothing wrong with entertaining. That's what I love to do. Boring novels that TEACH me stuff--bluck. That's not fun.

Rachel, you laughed. That's okay though. I;m getting used to it. AS a romance writer, I;m sure you feel my pain :)

Shelly, either it is unique in a good way or I will be laughed out of the publishing world. I'm gonna take my chances. If nothing else, it sure was a blast to write.

Nancy, yeah, what's with those Womens lit people? I don't get it. We ALL know it's just another fancy way of saying romance writer. But that's okay. Embrace whatever title makes you happy and love yourself. It's all good.

Julia, as a technical writer myself, I agree with you. People see a big difference. I'd say, technical writing is far less creative, but you can't be a dummy and be a technical writer either. Without technical writers, no book would look like it does once it reaches print. Cheers to tech writers everywhere! And yes, all writing should be placed in the number one spot. Well put.


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Raquel Byrnes link
5/2/2011 01:52:39 am

Wait...that's a real genre? I thought you were being facetious. If it's anything like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which was hilarious, then that is a terribly difficult thing to write.

Hats off...my apologies for laughing. =)

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S. Kyle Davis link
5/2/2011 03:35:21 am

I find it interesting that Fantasy/SciFi/Paranormal YA is higher up the list than Adult in the same genre, while with Contemporary it's flipped. Adult Contemp is higher than YA Contemp.

Says something about our perception of YA overall, doesn't it?

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Lindsay k link
5/2/2011 07:18:51 am

i couldn't agree more here. I write in romance, horror, and fantasy and I can literally see the eyes rolling over the phone lines when discussing these projects with family.

The other issue is once my first one got published as a paranormal romance, everyone expected everything I write to be the same genre. My mind rolls into different places every day. We can't be locked down. Good for you for going a new route! I'll certainly read it.

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Deana Barnhart link
5/4/2011 11:36:49 pm

Are you kidding me right now! I am drooling over the thought of a Western/ Romance/Zombie novel! I love me zome zombies (no that was not a typo:)

You should check out the zombie platform shoes on my blog if you are a real zombie lover...so cool.

As far as genres, I'm like you...a writer is a writer is a writer. I can't hate on any one because if I pick up a book and it keeps my attention...WOOT, I'm in love.

Can't wait to read your novel one day:)

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Rachael Harrie link
5/5/2011 10:42:49 pm

Wow, it kind of hammers it home when you see the list set out in black and white, doesn't it! I LOVE your book concept, can't wait to see it in print :)

Hugs,

<a href="http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/">Rach</a>

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Kit Campbell link
5/6/2011 07:05:11 am

Poor genre.

I agree with your list at the top, but I'm unsure the further down we get. I think I would put Children's books lower because I have definitely run across the opinion of "It's for kids so it must be easier" numerous places.

What makes it worse is that genres fight against each other. A few months ago I remember a discussion on science fiction romance and how it was having a hard time gaining any sort of market ground because scifi fans refused to read romance on principle and vice versa, and how sad is that?

I would also split up scifi and fantasy, because I would say scifi is slightly more respected than fantasy is. Sure, scifi is for nerds who live in their mother's basements (please note sarcasm), but fantasy is for children, and why don't you grow up and get a life and write about real things and real problems? (Yeah, I write primarily fantasy, so I get that one a lot.)

Zombie Western Romance sounds awesome, by the way.

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J.L,Campbell link
5/6/2011 11:39:14 am

Ya know, I think many writers have some teensy bit of an inferiority complex. I know I do.

I thought my book was action adventure and then I found out the publisher classified it as urban fiction. Well, in my mind that means a whole lotta guns, drugs and shoot em up. :D I do admit I have a little bit of all of that in there and I do feel a little sheepish telling people that I wrote it. But hey, people seem to think it's an entertaining read, so I'll be satisfied with that.

Western-romance-zombies? You do have some cojones on you. That's plenty to get together in a novel. I'll bet you're having fun with it.

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Michelle Birbeck link
5/26/2011 06:52:34 am

A western-romance-zombie book sounds fantastic and hilarious! But now it's time to stick up for my genre, which wasn't on the list at all, so I have no idea where it comes. I write paranormal books. Not YA ones, because I like a bit of sex in my books and I'm far too outdated to be writing YA. So, paranormal books. I think they are fantastic! And can be highly creative, if done right. It's like fantasy but wihtout the hassle of a specilist map at the start of the book to guide you through whole new worlds. It's taking us little old humans and making us something more than we are, be it giving us fangs or wacking some special powers in there. When I tell people my book has vampries in it, they go 'oh, you mean like twilight?' No, I don't mean like twilight. I mean like killing, blood sucking, burning in the sun bad asses who would rather kill you than look at you. But these days there is a lot of stigma around writing about vampires. Well, I say screw that. I write about vampires (and witches and weres and occasionally humans), and I'm proud of it. Also, I'm having a boat load of fun doing it.
Chelle

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Elizabeth Twist link
5/26/2011 11:35:39 am

I salute your western-zombie-romance, and look forward to reading it someday.

I agree wholeheartedly with your placement of horror, my favourite genre, at the bottom of the list alongside erotica. (And Michelle Birbeck, by the way, I would suggest you're writing horror too.) Although many people hate horror or look down on it as the territory of sick f*cks and weirdos, I have to say that horror fans are among the coolest, most loyal and passionate readers / filmgoers out there. So maybe it's worth it? It's probably worth it.

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Alex Mullarky link
10/4/2011 07:24:09 am

That sounds like a FANTASTIC combo!

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Kort link
10/12/2011 02:48:57 am

I totally agree with you. That's why I don't discuss my writing with my family or really anybody who's not some kind of artist. Even they roll their eyes at my giant evil penguin goddess. Unless they think she's cool, then they get excited about talking about it.

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