Literary vs. Genre Fiction
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
- Literary vs. genre fiction, mainstream vs. commercial, realism vs. escapism-do these distinctions really matter? For both readers and writers, this long-standing debate has created a divide in the book world. In this video, I’ll explain the key differences between the two classifications in terms of purpose, plot scale, and writing style.
You can read a text version of this video on Medium: / literary-vs-genre-fiction
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SOURCES
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The Debate (0:00)
Definitions of Literary and Genre Fiction (3:09)
Purpose (5:23)
Plot Scale (9:07)
Writing Style (11:10)
Blending Literary and Genre Fiction (13:59)
Hi there, viewers! You can read an adapted text version of this video on Medium. medium.com/@quotidianwriter/literary-vs-genre-fiction-9173e11e77df
I personally think that both are equally amazing and that they both teach us about the human experience and the writing process.
I'm just reading and writing for fun, what's all this about?
Awkwardly enough, despite having been a reader since I was capable of reading and having amassed a large library of books... I've never considered before now that there might be a difference. Most books use tropes, and most good books also make you think deeper. I'd never considered that belonging to a genre made a work automatically lesser, because I'd never considered that literary works weren't in a genre, themselves.
I suppose there may be a dissonance in regards to definitions. To me, genres are a superficial yet extremely convenient categorization system - almost everything belongs to one, and some belong to several. As for literature - I'd simply assumed that all books were literature, and that those whose popularity and message withstood the test of time were "classics."
Apparently, these are not the standard definitions, but as of yesterday, they were the only ones I knew.
I believe that both writing styles should blend more often. Books should feel good as you read them, as well as have a great story.
That'll be a nightmare for publishers!
where does "catch 22" fit
truth
fiction
youre absolutely amazing, your voice is clear and soothing, your analysis is neither biased nor unfocused, and every topic you cover is in a perfect balance between 'listing' information and connecting them in (not too ambitious, pretentious) thought-provoking ways. im always happy when you upload a new video bc i know ill learn smth cool then, so ... thank youuuuu
Girl, you keep out doing yourself with each subsequent video. Keep writing.
Excellent video, thank you. One of my all-time favourite authors is Daphne du Maurier. She definitely blurred the lines between literary and popular fiction, and between different genres.
Absolutely. DuMaurier’s great.
I guess I'm not as tuned into the literary world as I thought I was. I didn't even realize this was a debate. Personally, I feel a writer shouldn't be scared to embrace the fantastical just as much as they shouldn't be afraid to let the pace break way in exchange for more powerful characters and setting. There's tons more to say than this, of course, but they all adhere to similar themes of which I just exhibited. Neither side is without complexities the other would do well to learn from. It really sucks that this is even being debated in the first place, I would've thought it self-evident that all works hold naturally inherent value. Oh well, I won't let it get to me. This too shall pass. Oh, and another sensational video by the way. I've yet to find another CZcamsr as well-versed in the writing side of things, or at least in divulging it to their viewers, as you are. It is well appreciated, and I eagerly await your next video to come.
After watching this I finally understand why I feel unsatisfied reading most of the fantasies on my shelf. What I'd been expected was something made me think but in fantasy form. For some reason I don't like reading real world settings but my taste is actually more towards literature fiction than genre fiction as they're today. Basically, I want more authentic and deeper discussions in fantasy... Guess that would be hard to get.
This video was made in 2018. When describing dystopia, an empty toilet paper roll was displayed.
Flash forward to 2020...
Great video! Amazing channel!
Thank you for finally answering my internal doubts about the genre of my book. I have written a literary novel. Back to the agents I go... Deciding on genre is a dark art!
This really helped. I've been stuck on what the differences are for a while. And your voice is really pleasant to listen to
One often ignored thing about being into literary fiction is that you tend to acquire certain standards in regards to the quality of prose, density and originality of ideas, etc. that actually make a lot of genre fiction hard to read. I can still read Pratchett, for example, but someone like Karpyshin is off the table at this point.
I'm familiar with that feeling, too.
If there is an argument for the "superiority" of literary fiction it is this. I can't read genre fiction for this reason. Though I listen to all music types and have friends who don't understand how I listen to classical music and crappy pop haha
I've found that literary novels or more precisely novels deemed to be literary are different enough from works we consider genre fiction to warrant the status of the argument that we can effectively establish a dichotomy between the two. Genre fiction for me can give me a buzz after reading but it's short term. It feels great but the feeling is ephemeral and the genre fiction I've read just doesn't have the oomph to make me want to think about it long term. However, the fiction we classify as literary has given me exactly the opposite feeling, antithetically so. The feelings are longer lasting, the work seems more pertinent and wide-reaching and I think about them for a longer period of time, constantly in some cases. The key thing though is the buzz remains regardless so this is why I like literary fiction more and why I believe the dichotomy is a useful heuristic tool.
Thank you for this thoughtful comment!
Absolutely. I think that the debate often only really becomes a genuine debate when we talk about the grey areas. Are some authors treated unfairly because they are seen as not serious because they are genre? Totally. Are most? Absolutely not. Whether you prefer genre or literary or both, the divisions work well. People tend to fall into one or another camp and those who like both will often use the division to their benefit, when choosing a present or what they themselves are in the mood for reading. The notion that it is either possible or desirable to break down the dichotomy between the two fictional forms is delusional. (With the caveat that we would should evaluate writers more fairly)
I feel exactly the same. Well said.
I also think it depends on what genre books you've read, cause there so many genre books that are as thought provoking, amazingly written and imaginative as literary fiction like work from grrm, Tolkien, Le Guin, Steven Erikson, Herbert and many more.
I feel like I'm torn down the middle when it comes to this debate. I like stories with more fantastical elements, but I love beautiful, lush prose and character-driven plot like nothing else. I guess that's why I tend to gravitate towards magical realism. I love the works of Angela Carter and Jeanette Winterson because they balance fantastical elements with beautiful prose and experimental style.
I'm just over here writing character driven fantasy stories...
I love your graphics and explanations! So informative, yet calming. 😌
I really think that large, sweeping plots allow more freedom for characterization, but popular expectations can pigeonhole writers away from novelty... In a novel.
Nothing beats the mixture.
P.S.: my thoughts are that Douglas Adams and Neil Gaiman perfected the mixture between both ends of the spectrum whilst never reaching them face-first. Now, on the side we have pleasure in reading, on the other, we have challenge. I can escape into linguistic and philosophical questioning just as much as I can really dive into speculative worlds. It is _not_ about escapism vs growth or anything of the like. It is about how much a text wants to flow vs how much it demands me to stop and savor it. And that pertains to any and every text in existence, irrespective of to which category it fits. It is a property of (written) language as a whole. Besides, every text is contextual, it should go without saying.
This was truly an insightful video, I always found myself to be torn between these two fiction types and now I know both of it in depth which will truly help me to make my choice.
Also, you have a great voice which is soothing and captivating.
Subscribing you right away.
I appreciate this channel and I'm glad I got to this video. I've been working on a novel, unsure of my audience, but sure I'm still telling the story that it is. This helped me determine that it'll probably fall under magical realism.
One of the single most helpful things I’ve ever heard about writing.
Thank you for this video. You have the most wonderful way of explaining and the editing and your voice are both so clear and absorbing. I am trying to hard to fit my recently completed novel into a category and it is ridiculously confusing with so many genres and sub -genres never mind trying to decide if is it genre or literary. On the one hand I don't feel qualified to describe my writing as traditionally literary - it isn't completely full of highfalutin prose and high brow thinking. But, on the other hand, it seems more character driven than fast paced plot so not typically genre fiction either. Now I can see that there is a spectrum as you've said and although I'm still a little confused on how best to categorise my own particular story I do see that it can still be character driven but fit into genre fiction - thank you so much!
A wonderful summation of the topic! Your conclusion echoes my own view about using elements from genre and literary fiction. After all, before these categories were developed, named and separated into different camps, the ancient Greeks (to stick to western writing) told stories that drew inspiration from mythical figures steeped in deep and weighty truths about ‘the human condition’. Yet such stories were full of murder and monsters, making them endlessly exciting and fascinating. I don’t see why our writing can’t draw from the same well.
Excellent point!
Thank you for this in depth video. I am currently writing my first literary fiction short story and wanted to get a clearer understanding (as I typically do straight fantasy fiction involving anything from shapeshifters to sci-if dystopia and anthro realms lol) and this explained so much.
For starters I didn’t even realize this was a debated issue. I figured people judged a story based on how well it was written and the execution of character, plot and thematic messaging. Definitely more too it than that!
This is a great video. Thank you, you helped me define my genre in a very straightforward and simple way as I was confused by the large number of labels and categories used.
I've just begun stepping into the literacy realm seriously for the first time and I have to say your consistency and execution on this topic invaluable to me and the writing and art community.
Literary fiction is a genre
change my mind
No need for _me_ to change your mind because I absolutely agree, haha.
In the end, writing is just words on a page; the rest is an illusion. If the magic works, we wonder how the rabbit came out of the hat, whether it is a street performer or a famous magician on a big stage. If the magic happens, the words, the style, even the man behind the curtain, doesn't matter. We close the book and can never go back to who we were before we picked it up. Was it literary or was it genre? Either way, it was only words. But now, it is part of us.
Unfortunately, book marketing is about feeding people the fare they already enjoy. We who write to touch some unpopular truth must hide it within entertainment. The literary crowd will conjure up objections of a thousand technical flaws of writing that points to a truth they would rather not see, but overlook the same and many more deficiencies in books from a perspective with which they agree. These days, they place point of view above craft, making them most difficult to reach and most dangerous to approach. Unless, of course, you are cleverly asserting in a new way something with which they already agree.
I can far more easily reach someone reading for thrills or laughs with an unexpected truth than I can reach someone reading for some nebulous concept of literary quality whose main concern is whether their current worldview is validated in an innovative way. To say the same thing in a new way is not why I write.
Beautifully said!
Almost all of my work strives to have that lyrical weight under a B-movie aesthetic. So, this VS discussion is the crux of my discipline
Well done! You've done the most concise comparison I really clearly understand better now
thank you for your amazing Videos! love the subjects that you cover.
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Hi thank you for sharing your video on genre verses literally. I sometimes find myself lost when it come to finding reading materials that appeals to me. I recently started writing short stories of my own, experimenting with different characters. I write romantic short stories that keeps me up all night making sure that my characters find love and live happily ever after. I know that it’s probably boring for those looking for more depth or drama. There is plenty of it outside my door. The world that I’ve created is safe for me and for those looking for the same thing. I may not get an award for my writing style but I’m satisfied and happy with my work. Still under construction.
While I believe I would be doing a disservice to my readers without adding nuance, meaning, and heart to my work, I also experienced the agony of trying to box myself into literary value. For the longest time, I only wrote avant-grarde and artsy work, and every story I produced felt like passing a kidney stone, in addition to it being the same pretentious drivel over and over again. It was only when I allowed myself to write what I wanted that I could produce anything at all, let alone anything that could bring something of substance to the table.
When you said accessible genre writing my mind immediately went to Mistborn before you brought it up. Sanderson is so good at writing clear and concise prose. I’ve heard him description prose as the window you view the story through and literary is often a stained glassed window while his is just a plane of glass.
What an awesome video. Well explained and easily understood. Subbed
Thank you so much for watching and for your kind words! Keep writing. :)
I definitely see the point of breaking the partition. Truthfully, I tend to gift genre fiction to people who read a bit less, and give literary fiction to my closest, 'frequent reader' friends.
Great topic, fantastic approach, remarkable presentation, many thanks
Your final comment is one of the main reasons I write... Fiction is never real but feelings are. After listening to this discussion, I feel as though I understand more about myself. While I naively placed my writing preferences firmly in the romantic fiction genre, I feel like my desire to dive deep into character thoughts and their emotional experiences leads me to embrace literary elements. It does indeed feel like a spectrum, and while I agree that we should write the most compelling story we can, the place where understanding where we lay on this spectrum as authors is in discovery. As a relatively new author (with two self-published novels that are probably 60% genre and 40% literary (if that's possible to assign), knowing where to find readers who are willing to take a chance on you and your style seems to be tightly tied to how you present your book (in terms of cover, blurb, and perhaps most importantly, categories). Do you agree, and do you have any recommendations on how to navigate these uncertain waters? Side note: This video alone has earned a subscribe and notification from one intrigued and interested author who still doesn't know whether he's genre or literary, probably both ;-)
Thank you for your thoughtful comment and for subscribing! Yes, I believe categories and genre labels are crucial for reaching the right audience. A lot of strongly negative reactions I've seen to well-written books have been due to misguided or misled expectations; the blurb might advertise an action-packed thriller and yet what the reader gets is a quiet character study. Many readers enjoy character studies, but it feels like false advertising if they get something different than what's on the tin. With traditional publishing, blurbs and covers are oftentimes outside the author's control, as it's the publishers who create the marketing materials. As you well know, a big benefit of self-publishing is that you have full control over how your book is portrayed in marketing, so you can make sure to advertise it accurately!
I think comp titles can be effective, too, as long as they don't involve overly popular comparisons like Harry Potter or Game of Thrones (or "The Notebook," for a romance comparison). Providing examples of books that have a similar feel to your own is like saying, "If you liked X, you'll probably like my book..."
Regardless of the label, a well-written book is a well-written book. Keep writing (and publishing)! :)
Oh my goodness! 😱😱 I feel in love your voice 🥰😍 please do more videos. I was hooked by you!😃
Your approach to your videos IS great! Bookish love from the UK
It seems to me like "literary fiction" and "genre fiction" are misnomers. 'Cause, well, isn't "literary fiction" a genre of fiction? But as long as there's some understanding what the different categories are, it doesn't matter too much. We give things names to help define them and to facilitate communication. Humans are all about wanting to define and categorize things. And in art, where do we draw lines? Where can we? Distinctions in that area get blurry, which is probably related to why this video exists.
I totally agree with you that writers should just write what they want to, regardless of genres. Don't let them box you in--unless your aim is to make a very genre-y story. I feel like genres should be descriptive, not prescriptive. I've read of distinctions between high and epic fantasy, and that doesn't at all affect how I write anything. It's just a label I can slap on to describe what I'm doing to others.
Mildly unrelated: I read The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway some years ago, and it changed me fundamentally. The minimalism of his writing was intoxicating. It sent me on a path pursuing elegance in my own writing: saying the most with the least. I made a huge stride in my efforts right before I fell out of touch with writing... The prologue for "War for the Sun" (which I am reconsidering the prologue status of) remains my greatest achievement. I wonder if I'll ever be able to write like that again.
A number of articles contend that literary fiction is indeed its own genre, especially from a marketing perspective. Humans do love to slap labels on things as a way of better understanding abstract concepts. That's a good point about a book's genre being defined after a story is written rather than before; many times, I think writers mislabel their own work, and it's editors or readers that provide the more accurate label. Maybe you should pick up more of Hemingway's work and see if that sparks the same inspirational feeling. :)
I've toyed with tracking down more of Hemingway's work for years, but it's never panned out. And now that the very thought of reading books induces crippling anxiety... Maybe one day.
What makes you anxious about reading? Is it the pressure of having to finish a book?
Books are a commitment of time and energy that I just don't have in me currently/anymore. I feel like I'll either be trapped by them or fail yet again at trying to get through them. (I have over the last several years become totally unreliable with commitments and promises.) I've also developed this sick propensity to not really let myself like or enjoy things. Things tend to fall apart or somehow not work out, and then I'm just left disappointed and with all the energy I poured into whatever it was going to waste. If I don't care, I can't be disappointed.
Other people have described feelings similar to yours about reading, and I'm sorry to hear that you've had to go through that, too. I hope that someday your love for reading will be reinvigorated! Listening to audiobooks and reading aloud to others has really helped me finish what I start.
i love your channel so much. thank you for this
First time viewer, loved your video :)
Excellent. Valid points. As a reader of both genre and literary fiction, I have found great value in both, and both have had a positive influence on my own writing.
One of my favorite books is Sally Rooney's "Normal People." There are clear elements of romance in it, but it is very heavily driven by individual character development rather than being a generic cookie-cutter book about star-crossed lovers.
One of my problems with a lot of fantasy I read as a kid was that it followed the same model: the chosen one must rise up to defeat the dark lord and save a world full of fantastical creatures and magic. It just gets old.
I don't think one is better than the other. I just know that I much prefer stories where the characters drive the plot over stories where the plot drives the characters, if that makes sense.
I've totally had a literary fiction person tell me that Erikson's Deadhouse Gates was 'one of those books'. I tried to defend its premise before I gave up. He wasn't going to change his mind because of what I said.
I'm trying to figure out if my Novel in Verse is genre or literary, and this video is one of the clearest explanations I've seen so far.
Thank you.
I'm so glad you covered this subject
This is one of the best videos I have watched regarding this topic. Love it! Thank you. I have a much clearer understanding of points that were touched upon, in this video.
One of the great genre (entertainment) novels is also one of the great works of world literature: The Lord of the Rings
Here's another one: one of the greatest novels in the horror genre of the last several decades... The Exorcist, which I consider literature.
Your visuals are brilliant
Can't discern the boundaries
Amazing video.. Thank you so much 😍
But honestly, I think it's all subjective.
Wow...... thank you so much.. greatly explained
Fabulous and informative video thanks.
Well said. Thank you for this.
Amazing video and analysis. I would say also that movies like “Arrival” and “Annihilation” (as well as their novel counterparts) are a good exemple of a genre story with a great use of literary fiction devices, such as human condition and character development.
Annihilation is a great example of that. The film did an excellent job of capturing that quality, as well. Both of my parents watched it, my dad being a sci-fi fan, and missed the message. They labeled it "strange." I labeled it "brilliant."
I didn't really even think about what category my book would be in to be honest. It is a fantasy drama, with a lot of movement and plot, but at the same time I really like to write close to the characters, display their inner conflicts, their relationships with each other. I love emotion in fiction, and seeing a world through the characters eyes without missing out on the world collapsing around them. I never necessarily really thought of those things as separate ideals. So yeah both categories could hugely benefit from each other in my opinion
It seems, from what you've said, the content of my novel is literary, the style and pace genre fiction. I believe the plot is a good one, but the characters and their shifting relationships, their motivations and the personal psychology behind them are a big part of the story.
I learned a long time ago that what you produce and how it's viewed by others are two completely different things. I learned this with my painting, and it holds true for writing. Just remember, we all have a different perspective.
Thank you, very helpful
Great job!
Kool, you hit on something here that opens my 3rd Eye wide, helps me see where I could maybe plant my feet-ThankYou 💥
Soo good! Love this
This was very well put.
I loved what I saw, thanks!
Huh. I just learned literary fiction is different from genre fiction. In fact, I thought it was a mix between genre and just having a certain general fiction be a bit more... Literary.
I feel so dumb. But this video made me realize that as much as I consume so many genre fiction, it was always the literary ones that stuck by me. In fact, I was lost because I wanted to write a story similar to the literary fictions I've read but molded it to be more genre fiction since it's what's always around me. Guess that answers my question on how to write a certain story. Or two. Time to categorize which of my books are literary and read them more. Man do I love productive procrastination.
Thank you for another amazing video.
I Love this video great work.
Wow, nice and insightful video
I am a staunch Genre reader and writer, I won't say it's better than Literary fiction, but I will say it's better for me and my taste. To each their own, always.
Excellent, excellent video.
This is why I love Erin Morgenstern's Night Circus so much; at times, it seems to blend both genre and literary fiction together. It isn't the easiest thing to do, but when done right, it feels infinitely rewarding to read.
I graduated with a Creative Writing Minor ~ 17 years ago, but I don't act like an elitist book reader or a pretentious author. Those of that ilk are SICKENING.
I like being entertained and want my readers to be FLOORED, while being entertained by simply READING my work.
Brillant! I love it!
As a Dr of English Literature I feel qualified to say that there is no more valour in reading a book than there is in watching TV
This is insanely stupid. You need your degree revoked.
This was amazingly informative, I liked the ending so much, for diversity we should keep them separate so we can appreciate each of them but also be able to blend them (if that's possible) to make readers interested in plot and characters emphasis internal conflict and details etc but the main point is to never compare them by putting one above the other Because after all it's all up to the taste of the reader.. that is exactly what art is, it shouldn't be looked at in a competitive way of which is better than which, art/literature may appeal to one but not another and that's okay I think therefore art should never be put in a heirchichal ladder of which is better than the other. Love the ending quote "Because fictions are never real but feelings that they arise in us ..are" what a great quote.
These videos can teach you more in 15 minutes than a "stuffed shirt" video can in two hours.
EXCELLENT!
Most people don't know or care about this, there are only readers and writers. Publishers don't care what they print as long as it sells and in a world where people are reading less, it's good that people read anything at all.
I think that's true to some extent, but publishers do care about genre categorizations for marketing purposes. They use those labels to reach the audience that's most likely to buy and enjoy the book. Literary agents often have style preferences, with some preferring more "commercial" fiction and others wanting lyrical prose.
I found out about this "dichotomy" just recently when I was compiling a TBR for a reading challenge of 1 book a week per theme. My initial reaction was, "Aren't all books literary?" Looks like the distinction is what would be considered literature as a work of art.
Admittedly, I'm a bit of a snob. There's a book from my country which won 2 prestigious national literary awards but I dismissed it as genre fiction.
Great video
Your speech is very balanced and you are not absolute at all on your words, which I appreciate quite a bit. It's what anyone likes and what they want to read. In Greek literature, for instance, there are many books written with a plentiful vocabulary, and they're not much of reader consumption. Nevertheless, there is character development and action. And they're books written before the 20th century. Of course, some of them, don't have much action and focus more on the description of landscapes.
Personally, one of my favourite ones is Papadiamantis' "Η φόνισσα" (The killer woman in English) It is considered one of the leading novels of Greek literature. It's Thriller/Mystery, has huge character development and action. And it's a book published in 1903!
In general, I think that European literature has a lot to show. I'm just talking specifically about my country.
Thank you
This is such a underrated channel
Girl you make me want to kiss your voice. Brilliant narration with insightful content. Non-pretentious and at the same time immersive.
I say: job well done👍👍
Can I get some tips? I am writing a sci-fi and it's like 70% about the character. Will that work well?
That could definitely work well! It's all about the execution. If the story is primarily going to be about the characters, then make sure they're interesting and layered, with plenty of internal/external conflict. My best advice is to read other sci-fi novels categorized as "character-driven," such as "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro and "Altered Carbon" by Richard K. Morgan.
Please make a video on writing magical realism
Strong ending. I consider Stanisław Lem's "Solaris" to be a fusion of lit and genre fiction.
Escapism isn't a negative label. It leaves room for positive thought.
I think the term "literary fiction" should be changed to "poetic fiction", with the emphasis being on the novel as a crafted object, self-conscious of form, and concerned more with theme than plot. Genre fiction can contain moments of poetic insight, and is obviously also conscious of form, but the theme of genre fiction is the particular genre itself. It is more like an aesthetic exercise, playing within certain conventions in order to facilitate an engaging read.
I guess what is missing from the conversation is the fact that these different approaches to fiction mirror different approaches to life itself. Some people live introspective lives focused on the minutiae and the beauty of their world, searching for meaning. Some people take meaning for granted, and enjoy things like board games and sports. Most people are a bit of both....and we need stories that speak to both sides. In the end, there is only one valid distinction: is it good or not?
The more I think about the characteristics of the two categories you presented, the more I realize that the Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe is literary fiction with SF tropes instead of SF.
The firsr time I heard about non-genre fiction, I thought "but there's a category for everything!"
Great video and definitely eye-opening but now I have no idea what kind of book I’m writing 🤷♀️ Oops!
The prejudice against genre fiction may be disappearing. My MFA workshop classes accept genre fiction and we have specific classes on science fiction, romance, and magical realism.
I wish to use both for my works.
If you were to create catagories for different elements or aspects of writing, and then score each one, litterary fiction would almost always come out far bellow fantasy and scifi. Fantasy and Sci-fi contain all of the element lit does, but they also contain more, many catagories where lit would get zeros. In the case of sci fi, it is often dealing with cutting edge philosophy and ethics of a changing world across the whole of society, while lit fic is dealing often with social drama that these characters should have dealt with in jr high, but they someone became adults that still haven't dealt with it. Yes, they both have their place, and I love words and language for their own sake. But, take Gatsby for example, I love the book, but if someone thinks that a story of a bunch of people with questionably morality who treat eacher like crap is 'higher' than a sci-fi book which is dealing with the ethic of altering genetics, or using ai-based algos to accuse people of pre-crime, then that person is wrong. There is simply no objective way to claim that something like Gatsby is higher than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, or even the Blade Runner script.
Oh, and thanks for another amazing, thought provoking video =)
Based on many comments I have heard from many sources (RE: "Identify the genre selling location of your novel in the bookstore so as to better introduce your work to a potential Literary Agent") I suspect that "Genre" identification is a shortcut used to lubricate the gears of publication machinery. It's simply not good enough to say, "Here is my work - read and critique it." Few people have the time to read and evaluate. We must winnow out the chaff and permit the remaining seeds to contend for superiority. How does the unknown literary genius get her work before potential publishers? Few are geniuses, of course, but how many are being overlooked, I wonder? The "Genre vs Literary" discussion is certainly useful in some contexts, but I hope none of us miss wonderful writing because our expectations are unduly influencing our reading choices.
I think it's not just about saving agents and publishers time though. It's also about consumers. There are many readers who want these labels, because they want to pick a book in line with their tastes and desires. Go into any bookshop or library and watch people. They tend to gravitate towards certain areas and avoid others based on their perceived tastes. It's also for this reason that successful cover designs tend to communicate a genre and/or whether it's a literary novel.
Artists may not want to put their work into a commercial category, but that's the reality of publishing. Readers have different tastes and they don't typically want to buy and read a load of books that they don't like before they get to something they do.
Okay, so, first I thought, maybe my current project is dipping its toes into literary fiction because there's a philosophical topic that keeps coming up and strongly influencing the self-perception of one of my main characters. Now I think maybe it's 100% literary fiction because it doesn't actually have a plot outside of the emotional development that happens while my three characters interact with each other. I'm confused.
By your definitions of Genre/Literary, my novel can be thought of as *Small-Scale Drama intertwined with Large Scale Drama, Internal Conflict intertwined with Large Scale External Conflict.* Yeah... um... my novel is screwed! LOL!!!