tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post4261831384174958067..comments2023-07-03T07:26:04.780-04:00Comments on The Rejecter: Bad Sign: Genres I've Never Heard ofThe Rejecterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09087643296072075641noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-19784426432926433162007-09-13T11:11:00.000-04:002007-09-13T11:11:00.000-04:00"Not to me knowledge?"Arrrgh, maties!"Not to me knowledge?"<BR/><BR/>Arrrgh, maties!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-43812599480916497752007-09-05T17:03:00.000-04:002007-09-05T17:03:00.000-04:00Rejecter, where did you get this question? I say ...<B>Rejecter, where did you get this question? I say this because I'm familiar with the sub-genre.</B> <BR/><BR/>"Anthropomorphic" as a sub-genre is basically "upright talking animal characters". Not so much a genre as an exotic element you add to an existing genre. Most familiar as a children's sub-genre, but there IS a large underground fandom dominated by what Rejecter rightly describes as "Furry FanFic porn" (and PROUD of it).<BR/><BR/>Problem with writing it for grown-ups (but not "adult" as in porn) is that you get squeezed out by the two extremes. If you primarily describe it as "anthro" or "furry", you'll get sealed in the ghetto with the Furry FanFic Porn Fanboys (who don't care what kind of crap they mainline, as long as Everybody Has FUR! And TAILS!). If not, you're assumed to be writing Widdle Kiddie Stuff and treated accordingly. And these two factions go at each others' throats like Shia & Sunni.<BR/><BR/>Since there's so much of a market for porn within the fandom, a lot of writers (which still isn't many -- the fandom is artist-driven) fall into the trap and stay there -- big fish in a small pond of cum.<BR/><BR/>Try to write what I do -- "furry"-elemented SF for grown-ups -- and you become very familiar very fast with the concepts of "leper" and "friendly fire". Especially if your potential agents/publishers/editors have had Furry Porn Fanfics rubbed in their face by in-your-face FURRRRRIEEEES! (TM)<BR/><BR/>The only successes I have seen that don't fall into Kiddie or Porn (few and far between) are where they're primarily a main genre (SF/Fantasy) incorporating the anthro/furry elements for exotic effect. (Aside: In fantasy, "Beastfolk" are a viable if little-used alternative to the overused "Elves, Dwarves, etc." One writing bud does classic Sword-and-Sorcery with this angle -- Thirties <I>Weird Tales</I> material -- and is desperately looking for a market.)<BR/><BR/>Falwyn: <I>Redwall</I> is probably the most widespread mass-market example of the overground sub-genre.<BR/><BR/>Ken Pick<BR/>Co-author, "Mask of the Ferret"<BR/>in <A HREF="http://isigsf.tripod.com/" REL="nofollow"><I>Infinite Space, Infinite God</I></A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-54132565867562909992007-08-31T18:27:00.000-04:002007-08-31T18:27:00.000-04:00Pern was always SF, the first stories were publish...Pern was always SF, the first stories were published in Analog, which doesn't accept Fantasy. People just thought they were Fantasy.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17005872586423404670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-16118775347765690482007-08-29T16:20:00.000-04:002007-08-29T16:20:00.000-04:00Generally, people call the Pern series Fantasy bec...Generally, people call the Pern series Fantasy because it was originally presented as fantasy. Then later books showed it as science based, but the fantasy label was already in effect. And I've seen that sort of book referred to as science fantasy.<BR/><BR/>Not that it matters, really, because fantasy and sf are on the same shelf in bookstores.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-11369559994749832292007-08-29T16:01:00.000-04:002007-08-29T16:01:00.000-04:00Actually, anthropomorphic devices are common. Wiki...Actually, anthropomorphic devices are common. Wiki has a good entry if the term is new to you.<BR/><BR/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropomorphism<BR/><BR/>I was thinking more along the lines of 'Animal Farm', myself.Rllgthunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03769491908895214174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-2673149478019790542007-08-29T15:18:00.000-04:002007-08-29T15:18:00.000-04:00I didn't want to mention the furry thing, though I...I didn't want to mention the furry thing, though I did suspect it.The Rejecterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09087643296072075641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-72899953831787400942007-08-29T09:25:00.000-04:002007-08-29T09:25:00.000-04:00I know our library has a HORRIBLE time classifying...I know our library has a HORRIBLE time classifying Jasper Fforde.<BR/><BR/>His first 3 books are in Sci/Fi.<BR/><BR/>The rest are in mystery.<BR/><BR/>Eventually they'll probably move the both series into generic "fiction" to keep them together.<BR/><BR/>(Though, at least for the library, some of the classification has to do with where there's actually space. And when I worked in a used bookstore and a book fell into multiple categories, shelfspace was often the deciding factor!)Deirdre Mundyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357363160387734552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-4500701221710867892007-08-29T05:49:00.000-04:002007-08-29T05:49:00.000-04:00Sounds like Furry Fanfic porn to me... I don't thi...Sounds like Furry Fanfic porn to me... I don't think I would every read anything that had "anthropomorphic" in its description. <BR/><BR/>But I do like fantasy with animal characters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-83198854929113702482007-08-29T04:09:00.000-04:002007-08-29T04:09:00.000-04:00Anthropomorphic fantasy... I know that works much ...Anthropomorphic fantasy... I know that works much better in illustrated fiction, as it looks and thus better represented in the comic world, but out of publishing it's a throw-up like any other fantasy line.<BR/><BR/>Some people may like it, others may find it hard to get into. <BR/><BR/>This is my judgment based off of what I read on the internet (and thus I might have not been reading the right people) but stating so-and-so the fox and such over and over just got mind-numbingly dull after several pages....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-48066165927799707632007-08-28T17:58:00.000-04:002007-08-28T17:58:00.000-04:00Does this mean that each book must fall into only ...Does this mean that each book must fall into only one genre? Lynne Truss' "Talk to the Hand" falls into humor and only humor? Or are there multiples and how in the world do bookstores handle that?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-41087016306165262472007-08-28T15:19:00.000-04:002007-08-28T15:19:00.000-04:00As a fantasy reader, I would say that there's no r...As a fantasy reader, I would say that there's no reason your anthropomorphic fantasy wouldn't be marketable, assuming it's sufficiently well written. Like Rejecter said, though, there's no need to specify the sub-genre in your query - just say "fantasy" and explain what your book is about, including a little of the setting (as it pertains to character and/or plot). Any agent who reps fantasy will be able to connect the dots. (Caveat: If it's YA or middle-grade fantasy rather than fantasy for adult readers, do mention that, as it's an important distinction.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-88193269428107189312007-08-28T12:18:00.000-04:002007-08-28T12:18:00.000-04:00Actually, on reading the "category" I immediately ...Actually, on reading the "category" I immediately thought the Brian Jacques Redwall books. But who knows if that's what your questioner had in mind...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-87430430790409828022007-08-28T10:51:00.000-04:002007-08-28T10:51:00.000-04:00Isn't it possible to emphasize one angle of the st...Isn't it possible to emphasize one angle of the story over another so it does fit into a couple of subgenres? I would imagine that depending on the line you would be pitching to as an agent that this is exactly what you'd do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-88573441194027575212007-08-28T08:43:00.000-04:002007-08-28T08:43:00.000-04:00The Pern series is technically science fiction not...The Pern series is technically science fiction not Fantasy (the dragons are GE).<BR/><BR/>/pickynonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00415222406280230021noreply@blogger.com