OK. You've got the main "gist" of the story set in a specific type of genre.
You give a multi (sub) classification of some genres (examples: romance/fantasy/paranormal or thriller/sci-fi, etc.)
How much harder is it to sell the multiple (sub) classification compared just making it one genre?
For example: (Publisher = Editor/Agent/Person in position of selling or marketing and buying.)
Publisher: You have a story for me?
Author: Sure do.
Publisher: What genre is it?
Author: Well glad you asked. It is a combination of Thriller/Fantasy/Romance/Science Fiction.
Publisher: Excuse me? Sounds too complicated.
Author: Well it's a story of a Dragon Egg that is teleported into the future where there is no magic. Yet, the Dragon that is born from the egg has magic. The Dragon befriends a human cop and helps the cop solve crimes (in the future) and the cop meets a lady... who the dragon uses a little bit of magic to make them fall in love.
Publisher: Wow, well that sounds like a great story - but I can only sell Romance novels. (*Insert any genre here*)
Author: Well it does fit that genre.
Publisher: Not really. It's a tad of all of those and I just don't think I can sell it because it doesn't fit one stereotype of any of them.
Author: But it's a great story?
Publisher: Yeah. I just don't have a place to put it though.
So Anna, what if the story really crosses all the boundaries equally?
Will the "Publisher" try to round peg it into a square hole to make it more marketable?
Or will they have the Author try to narrow it down to one specific genre in order to sell it?
I realize a lot of the industry is only driven by the top dollar... so does that mean genre is a big issue on top dollar sales to the customer - or is it a little more flexible than what I'm imagining?
Outline - Questions
OK. You've got the main "gist" of the story set in a specific type of genre.
You give a multi (sub) classification of some genres (examples: romance/fantasy/paranormal or thriller/sci-fi, etc.)
How much harder is it to sell the multiple (sub) classification compared just making it one genre?
For example: (Publisher = Editor/Agent/Person in position of selling or marketing and buying.)
Publisher: You have a story for me?
Author: Sure do.
Publisher: What genre is it?
Author: Well glad you asked. It is a combination of Thriller/Fantasy/Romance/Science Fiction.
Publisher: Excuse me? Sounds too complicated.
Author: Well it's a story of a Dragon Egg that is teleported into the future where there is no magic. Yet, the Dragon that is born from the egg has magic. The Dragon befriends a human cop and helps the cop solve crimes (in the future) and the cop meets a lady... who the dragon uses a little bit of magic to make them fall in love.
Publisher: Wow, well that sounds like a great story - but I can only sell Romance novels. (*Insert any genre here*)
Author: Well it does fit that genre.
Publisher: Not really. It's a tad of all of those and I just don't think I can sell it because it doesn't fit one stereotype of any of them.
Author: But it's a great story?
Publisher: Yeah. I just don't have a place to put it though.
So Anna, what if the story really crosses all the boundaries equally?
Will the "Publisher" try to round peg it into a square hole to make it more marketable?
Or will they have the Author try to narrow it down to one specific genre in order to sell it?
I realize a lot of the industry is only driven by the top dollar... so does that mean genre is a big issue on top dollar sales to the customer - or is it a little more flexible than what I'm imagining?
Lady M