Monday's Musings - Genre Fiction vs. Literary Fiction

It’s time for another Monday’s Musings post, this week the topic is genre fiction vs. literary fiction. 

For my fellow bloggers’ postings, check out the links below…

Chris Allen-Riley

Tess Grant

Lynn Doezema

There is a lot of discussion (and disagreement) about the definitions of genre and literary fiction, let alone which is “better.”  So, I guess the first place to start in a discussion of the two is to try to define them. 

Genre – Tends to be thought of as “escapist” fiction, with a lesser quality of writing compared to the literary category

Literary – Considered “higher level” and thought to examine human nature, higher quality of writing

Notice the quotes used in my definitions, they probably give away my thoughts on the subject so I guess they aren’t totally unbiased definitions.

In this day and age, I think the line between genre and literary fiction is blurring, if not disappearing completely.  When I think of the two categories, I tend to think of books that have been around for a while.  Say, the difference between To Kill a Mockingbird (literary) and The Deep Blue Good-by (genre), which is the first Travis McGee novel by John D. MacDonald. 

To Kill a Mockingbird is considered one of the great pieces of American Literature, a story that has touched millions across generations and still speaks to people today.   Whereas the Travis McGee novels are mysteries focused on a sort of bum who helps people recover things.  Not what a lot of people would consider great literature.  But, if you give them a chance (and I recommend you do), you realize there is more.  They are about a guy who seems to be totally self-serving and only helps people when he needs the money, but there’s more to Travis than meets the eye.  He has a sense of honor and helps those who need it.  What more can you want from a hero?  How is that not examining human nature?

I think the classifications of these two books are outdated.  Today, I think “literary” is a genre of fiction, just like mystery, science fiction and fantasy. 

What does the literary genre of today look like?  It’s hard to pinpoint exactly, in my opinion.  I tend to think of it as the category that things fall into if they don’t fall into any other category.  Is that a popular opinion?  Probably not.  People seem to get very bent out of shape when you tell them “literary” isn’t the end all, be all.  Or that books in other genres are just as good as “literary” titles.  I keep putting that in quotes, I can’t help it.  I tend to think it sounds kind of pretentious. 

When I think of literature, I think older.  I think of what I read in my AP English class in high school; Pride and Prejudice, The Sound and The Fury and Crime and Punishment.  It’s not that I don’t think people write books that are important anymore, it’s just that what’s written today hasn’t had time to become classic yet.  Maybe someday a book that came out last week will be considered a classic, literary novel.  The great American novel of the 21^st century that will be studied in English classes a hundred years from now.   But, I still think it will be considered part of the “literary” genre of fiction.  Not a group of fiction above all others.

This just my opinion obviously.  But, what do you think?

Monday's Musings - Self Interview

I’m taking part in a new mini-blog hop starting today, along with Chris Allen-Riley and Tess Grant.  Please be sure to check out their blogs as well by clicking on their names. 

Each week we are going to choose a specific topic to write about; this week is sort of a mini self-interview.

What’s your favorite word?

Seriously.  I use it all the time, usually with a question mark at the end.  I had never actually noticed it until this summer when my brother came to visit and started making fun of me.  I mean seriously, what are big brothers for, right?

What’s your least favorite word?

Moist.  Hearing it makes my lip curl.

What sound do you love?

Waves crashing.  I could listen to that day and night and never get tired of it.

What sound do you hate?

People chewing.  I have an almost violent reaction to having to listen to other people chew, unless I’m eating something at the same time.

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Well, since my profession is actually accounting, I would have to say being a professional writer.  J

What profession would you not like to do?

 Anything that deals with the public in an extended manor on a daily basis; i.e. working in retail or something like that.  I don’t have the patience, it’s just best for everyone involved.

What do you like best about writing?

Fleshing out one small idea that seemingly came from nowhere and seeing it through to the end.

What do you like least?

Time.  I’m so impatient to get a story finished, or to get to the next section, that the actual time it takes to write it frustrates me sometimes.

Do you have a day job aside from writing?

Yes, I’m an accountant by day.  Can’t get much farther being a writer than that.

What’s your favorite animal?

Penguins.  But I also really like giraffes, I think they are majestic in their own way.

Favorite color?

Purple – just about any shade.

Coffee or tea?

Tea – preferably Earl Grey or British Breakfast.

City or country?

City, I think.  Although I’ve never lived in a big city, I would like to at least try.  I like the idea of having so many options of things to do at any given time. 

Star Wars or Star Trek?

That’s a tough one.  Original Star Wars, but new Star Trek. 

Buffy, Angel or Firefly?

Buffy

Pirate or ninja?

Pirate.  I don’t have anywhere near the stealth required for a ninja.  And pirates dress better.

If you were a book, which book would you be?

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.  Because it has the best advice in the world… “Don’t Panic.”

Thanks for visiting today and be sure to check back next week for another topic.  And if you feel like sharing, choose a question from above and leave a comment!

Thursday's Children - 2013 Writing Goals

I know this might be a bit cliche, but in honor of the new year I'm putting my writing goals for 2013 in, well, in writing.  I haven't done this before, but I don't think I've ever been this serious about my writing before.  I've recently received some very positive feedback and encouragement which has helped me focus.  For the first time in a long time I feel like my goal might actually be attainable.

I know there are different thoughts on goals; make them achievable, make them in small increments, make them specific, make them vague.  I'm not sure what is best for me, so I'm just going to make my goals the ones I want most to achieve.  If not done in small increments, they are at least simple, in appearances.

Writing Goals for 2013:
1.  Finish first draft of The Elementals - Book 1
2.  Finish first draft of Juliet Falling
3.  Achieve my monthly goals for my writer's group (this is where the small increments come in)

While I know this is going to be a lot of work throughout the year, I think I can do it.  No, I know I can do it if I just stay focused and work hard.

So, here goes...

Thursday's Children - My Dark Secret

I have a dark secret I don't tell most people...I write.

If someone does find out (which happens from time to time), it becomes one of the most awkward and uncomfortable conversations to have.  I'm usually met with skepticism ("you're writing a novel?") and sometimes even suspicion.  I don't understand that part.  It's as if people don't know how to talk to me now that they know "I write."  Like it changes who I am or more specifically their idea of who I should be.

There are, of course, the inevitable questions. What do you write?  Where do you get ideas?  Why do you write?

I recently had a kind of embarrassing experience when a group of people I just met found out that I write.  It shouldn't have been embarrassing, but I didn't know how to handle the questions.

I started a new job a couple of months ago and the weekend after the second week was my writing group's annual conference.  Of course I got the inevitable question about plans for the weekend, so I told one of my co-workers.  She was...shocked, I guess is the best word to describe it.  It was obvious that the idea of going to a writing workshop was something completely foreign to her.  And honestly, I could tell that she thought it was just really strange.  But I got through the conversation, it was just one person.

Then the next Monday after the workshop my whole department ate lunch together and once I again I got the question about my weekend and my co-worker told everyone about the workshop.  I don't know if I can adequately describe how uncomfortable it was to have everyone peppering me with questions.  I usually try to avoid answering questions about a specific project I'm working on, but it's hard with six people all staring at you waiting for an answer.  So I gave them the bare bones, I focused on the fact that it is set in Grand Haven.  I work in Grand Haven and most of the people I work with live near there, so I thought that might be an interesting little tidbit.  It almost seemed to offend them.

Then the judgement really amped up.  What are you planning to do with it? Are you actually going to try to get published?  How much time do you spend writing?  Does your husband mind?

If I had said I knitted I wouldn't have gotten this response.

Do you run into situations similar to this when people find out you're a writer?  Do you ever avoid telling people?

I guess I don't understand where the suspicion comes from.  So for now, I'll just keep it to myself.  Maybe I'll bring it up again if I ever get published.  That'll show 'em.

Thursday’s Children – Inspiration Out of the Blue

There have been discussions in various Thursday’s Children posts about music and how that helps the writing process.  I think a lot of us (and by us I mean writers) have playlists or maybe certain albums* that we listen to more when working on a specific project.  Sometimes we create specific playlists for each story. 

But, have you ever been listening to a song and a line out of it speaks to you and suddenly you have a kernel of an idea forming?  Or maybe the whole story just jumps out at you from start to finish. 

This didn’t happen to me recently, but I’m still working on the story that was the result of it, so I think it’s relevant.

Raise your hand if you remember the group from the 90’s called Veruca Salt?  Anyone, anyone, Bueller?

I wasn’t a particular fan of the band, I’m not sure I could even name one of their songs to tell the truth.  But after they split up their lead singer, Nina Gordon, put out a solo album.  I adore it.  It has gone many places with me over the years on various travels and I’ve listened to it countless times.  One day, probably four years ago now, I was listening to it and a line from one of the songs drilled its way into my head and stuck there.  Mind you, this wasn’t an obscure track, this was maybe the one and only single so I had heard this song hundreds of times, easily.  The lyrics are:

                Down to the earth I fell

                With dripping wings

                Heavy things won’t fly

                And the sky might catch on fire

                And burn the axis of the world that’s why

                I prefer a sunless sky

                To the glittering and stinging in my eyes

                (Nina Gordon – copyrighted 2000)

               

I heard that and boom, story!  I pictured an angel falling to earth by choice to remove himself from the battle for heaven.  He thought he could be persuaded to join the other side and if he did, heaven would fall.

That was just my first thought, but the idea has grown from there.  I have two great main characters and a mostly fleshed out plot.  I’ve been working on it off and on for a few years now, but one of my 2013 goals is to finish the first draft, finally.

That was a lot of rambling to get to the point of this post.  Have you ever found inspiration from something that you’ve heard/seen/read a million times before?  Something that wasn’t new but for some reason it spoke to you at that time.  I’m curious to hear (read, I suppose) your stories of any similar lightning bolts of inspiration.

*Just a side note, but what are we supposed to call albums now?  I can’t remember the last time I actually bought a physical product for music, so I know CD isn’t appropriate anymore.  Welcome to the digital age where nothing is tangible anymore. *Sigh*

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Thursday's Children - The Voices in My Head

This week I’m not thinking about what inspires me, but rather what kills inspiration and how I can defeat those pesky harbingers of doom.  I’m thinking about the voices in my head.

I seem to have a multitude of voices distracting me from my life (as I think I a lot of writers do).  Do you ever feel like you need to tell them to just leave you alone?  Telling is a nice word, usually I want to scream at them. Sometimes they are helpful when it comes to writing, I’ll admit that.  There are those voices that turn into characters or are already characters that tell me where the story should go next.  Although mostly it seems like those pesky characters tell me that the direction I was planning on going is totally the wrong way.  There are voices of those who encourage, telling me they believe in me.  Sometimes I have so many voices shouting at me that I don’t listen to what’s going on around me.  And doesn’t that make for fun dinner conversations?  My husband has to deal with a lot “huh?” from me.

But in and amongst all those helpful voices are the evil ones; the ones telling me I’m not good enough.  The ones telling me this story is stupid, it doesn’t make sense, it’s not going anywhere, it’s been done before, it’ll NEVER GET PUBLISHED.  In case you can’t tell, I’m suffering with a crisis of confidence right now.  I know I’m not unique, I know every writer goes through this.  But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t flat out suck when you’re in the middle of it.

Those evil voices are the ones I want to learn how to quiet.  They may be right.  I might not be good enough and my story might not make sense to anyone but me.  And, in reality, there is a good chance I will never get anything published.  But that shouldn’t matter when I’m writing.  If those voices would just leave me alone I might be able to make some progress and move the story forward, instead of being paralyzed by fear and indecision. 

Do you have voices whispering in your ear?  How do you quiet them when you want them to let you be?  

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Take a Chance and Be Brave

So I did something brave this weekend, something that was so nerve-wracking to me that it actually made me a little sick to my stomach.

I shared two of my WIP’s with someone, my mentor in my writer’s group actually.  The only other person I have shared my projects with is my friend Stephanie.  We’ve known each other for years and know just about everything about each other, so I have nothing to hide from her.  It still made me sick to give her my partial manuscripts.  So, imagine the nerves I had when sending the two files to a published author who also happens to be an editor at a publishing company. 

It all started because I was lamenting on Twitter about not knowing how teenage boys interact.  My mentor happens to have two teenage sons so the conversation went from there.

I’ve been really stuck the past month or so (maybe longer) for a number of reasons.  Some of which I’m just now figuring out, some I still don’t know.  So, my mentor offered to read my current project and after talking about it a little bit, the other project as well.  The two stories have quite a few things in common.  I started the first one and really liked some of the aspects of it, but didn’t know where it was going.  When I started the second one, I had a fully fleshed out idea that was plotted (at least loosely) for a four book series.  I ended up incorporating some of the characters from the first into the second. 

But now, I can’t seem to make progress on the first of the series I have plotted out.  I sit and stare at the screen with no idea, or no desire, to further the story.  I don’t know if I’m just stuck in a part of the story that I don’t like or if I don’t like the entire story anymore.

I don’t think that’s true though.

When I think about the story in the abstract, I’m still excited about it.  I like the IDEA of it, I’m just struggling with getting it out on paper, or the screen as the case may be.  I end up with these huge blocks of time in which I could do nothing but write, but I don’t.  I find anything to do instead, or nothing to do and just ignore my computer.

I’ve come up with all kinds of excuses.  After looking at a computer all day at work I don’t want to when I get home (yet I spend the evening messing around on my iPad).  I hate to ignore my husband (true, but he understands and doesn’t mind).  I don’t have time (flat out lie – sure I have a full time job, but I know people with a lot more going on than me who find the time to write).

So, what does all of this have to do with being brave?  By sharing my projects with someone else, I have to accept what is wrong with them (in the form of feedback) and acknowledge that I need to get moving on making progress.

Part of our monthly writer’s group meeting is to celebrate who met their goals for the month.  I have yet to meet my word count goal I’ve set for myself on a monthly basis.  That changes this month.  That’s another part of being brave, putting my goals out there and keeping track of my progress in a public way so others can see how well I’m doing (or how much I’m missing the goals, as the case may be).  

Here are the goals for the January meeting on the 12^th:

-        - 15,000 words (I didn’t specify a project, just word count on something, not including blogs)

-        - Complete four Thursday’s Children blogs

-        - Post on the GRRWG blog on Dec. 15

Now I just need to buckle down and get to work.  And not make myself crazy waiting for feedback from my mentor.

Here’s hoping these little acts of bravery get my back on the right track…