Help Find My Genre! (Giveaway)
Alright, I need your help!
I won’t be sharing any spoilers or giving much plot information in this post, but there should still be enough for you to get the idea and (hopefully) offer thoughts. Everything I write is within the larger speculative fiction umbrella, namely fantasy. But from there it gets… complicated.
Brief Plot Introduction:
Sen and Kami want nothing more than to blend in with the rest of society, quietly raising their children on their small homestead outside of town. But when the Academies discover their undocumented magical powers, and Kader (an official) shows up making threats, Sen must convince them he and pregnant wife Kami are no threat. Desperate to guard Kami’s secret status, Sen agrees to take on a mysterious Assignment in exchange for his family’s safety and freedom. His absence causes strain back home as Kami experiences pregnancy complications and their older child begins displaying terrifying power, but he’s focused on doing whatever it takes to keep the Academies from taking Kami. He must decide if he’s going to see the Assignment through and play an active part, or give up their nearly utopian life in favor of disappearing with his family for good, dooming them to a life on the run.
So far, the closest genre I can come up with is dystopian fantasy. But even that doesn’t feel quite right, and I want to make sure I’m giving the closest idea of what the agent/reader should expect from the story.
Here’s why it’s important:
I may be querying this book, starting early 2025.
S&U was the first novel I fully completed back when I first started writing again in 2021. It’s undergone a complete rewrite and additional revision since pulling it out of my hard drive, and I’m still incredibly connected with the characters, the world, and the story. S&U really is compelling, and there were times while I was re-reading it when I thought, “Wow, I wrote this? No way!” Of all the stories I’ve written, I think it may be my strongest, even if it was my first fully completed novel. I’ve kept S&U in a save file, where it sat unopened for the greater part of 2 years, in large part because I decided to pursue traditional publishing instead of self-publishing. Why did this impact anything? Primarily because I think this book will be harder to sell to an agent (and publishing house) unless I can find the right way to pitch it.
My concerns:
It’s intended to be the first book in a series, and I’m at a loss for how I would change that. It’s not that I’m not open to the idea, I just literally cannot seem to conceptualize it in one book at this point. Maybe with the right feedback, that could change. I know agents and publishers are hesitant to sign brand new authors with a series. Not that it never happens, but it’s certainly more of a challenge.
When I rewrote this story, I did try to make it work as a standalone, while leaving it open for more books if I get lucky. My concern is that the ending won’t feel satisfying enough to readers on its own. I did complete the main storylines of this book, but there are still lots of unresolved plot points and major questions the reader will be left with if there’s no second book. It’s not a feel-good ending, as I try to do with most of my work. But maybe that’s okay, since the main storylines resolve?
Comparison titles are tricky! I need to know what genre I’m in if I want to find appropriate titles. I already feel like I’m limited since we don’t have much in the way of recent adult dystopian, and even with adult fantasy none of them seem to feel right since it’s not epic, contemporary, urban, or any of the other more common subgenres.
It’s hard to even know who to query!
Some agents say outright they don’t want dystopian, but I’m guessing that’s because most dystopian literature I’ve read is pretty heavy, dark, and focused on some kind of grand revolution. Mine isn’t.
Those who do want dystopian might be disappointed with S&U since it isn’t like other stories in the genre.
Mine imagines a beautiful world without hunger, homelessness, war, etc. where humans have learned to live in harmony with nature and each other.
It’s more focused on the main family and their complicated relationships, both with others and themselves. This story is about one family within this system, just trying to do what’s best for each other.
Yes, there’s an overseeing world governing body that monitors everyone/everything and intervenes to protect the peace. And yes, people have varying thoughts and opinions on them. But there’s no war or revolution.
The macro conflict has more to do with how this entity surveils and manages those with certain types of restricted magical ability, and the choices people make to either accept or avoid that management. It does create an overarching tension throughout the book, for sure, but it’s not the main conflict we’re ultimately exploring, at least in book one. If it’s able to be a series, we definitely go here more in future books.
The micro conflict is really where it’s at—complicated family relationships (especially parent-adult child), intergenerational trauma, desire versus duty, and personal autonomy/authenticity versus communal values and expectations.
And now, as this post title suggests: It doesn’t fit cleanly into a genre. The closest I can get is dystopian fantasy, but even that doesn’t quite feel right. It’s 1984 meets The Giver but with magic, set in a near-utopian future world where the plot isn’t about dismantling or even actively challenging an oppressive system. It’s largely utopian, but like The Giver or The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, a handful of people in the world experience it very differently than those able to live blissfully unaware. Our two perspective characters are among those who play a critical role in maintaining the peace the world enjoys, whether they realize it or not, and as a result they live with a constant pressure and fear the rest of humanity does not.
Edited to add a note 11/2/2024: Several beta readers suggested The Fifth Season as a possible comp. It’s too old to be used, unfortunately, but I did finally read it and totally agree! I can see why they drew parallels between S&U and The Fifth Season, which is often categorized as science fantasy. I found this interesting, because that’s initially what I was saying for S&U as well.
Prize Giveaway
Alright, I don’t want to make this post too long. But if you’ve got suggestions or thoughts, I welcome them! I’d love to know what genre you think fits best, and the name of any current (past 5 years) adult novels which could sit on a shelf beside this story. Please use the contact form here or email me at kyleenwrenauthor@gmail.com anytime between now and the end of 2024. If you offer a suggestion I end up taking, you’ll be entered to win a special gift from me, valued at over $50!
(Please note: If you are selected as the winner, I will be emailing you from the email address above. You’ll want to check your spam filters to make sure you can receive emails from me, because I’ll need to contact you for your mailing address to send out your prize.)
Thank you in advance for all your brilliant ideas and input!
