Changing a genre mid-season in a serial?

846 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by tensen, Jan 15, 2013

Fahid

Discussion Starter · Jan 14, 2013

My serial "Confessions of a Prime Minister: #1 Downfall" was categorized as being Fiction>Autobiography and Fiction>Politics, but for my second is subtitled #2: Sex and Goths, and so far as I'm writing it, its quite erotic.

Would changing one of the genres for the second episode or a later episode be a good thing? Or does it alienate readers?

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Romana Grimm

· #2 · Jan 14, 2013

I can only speak for myself, but if the first part in a series really got me hooked, I'd want to know how it continues, regardless of the genre. Stories develop and genres sometimes shift, it's in the nature of things, so I wouldn't bet myself up too much about it. At least for me, the story always comes first. I've got to tell it as it is floating around in my head. The readers are actually at the end of the process. You have to be content with your book first. Don't bend too much just because a reader might take offense.

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Fahid

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 14, 2013

Romana Grimm said:
I can only speak for myself, but if the first part in a series really got me hooked, I'd want to know how it continues, regardless of the genre. Stories develop and genres sometimes shift, it's in the nature of things, so I wouldn't bet myself up too much about it. At least for me, the story always comes first. I've got to tell it as it is floating around in my head. The readers are actually at the end of the process. You have to be content with your book first. Don't bend too much just because a reader might take offense.

Thanks for the wise advice!

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BrianKittrell

· #4 · Jan 14, 2013

Had I changed from fantasy to sci-fi mid-series, I don't think I would've retained many readers for the third book. It really depends on the severity of the shift in genres or subgenres. You can incorporate other elements into your work, but I think a series or set of serials should maintain a single, dominant genre. You may keep the readers who are very intrigued to see it through regardless of what you do, but you may end up really **ssing some folks off. lol

Given the subject matter of your first book, however, I would say that adult themes probably wouldn't offend most of the presumed readership of a book like the one you describe. Are we talking about including a few sex scenes in the second serial or are we talking about the full swing into erotica through and through? Is it Confessions of a Prime Minister #2: Sex and Goths, or is it SEX AND GOTHS (confessions of a prime minister, part 2)

Just my $0.02.

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Romana Grimm

· #5 · Jan 14, 2013

Good point, Brian! Of course, making a contemporary "normal" romance into a crazy spaghetti Western sci-fi-flick that takes place on a far away planet wouldn't go over too well, but, let's say the OP wants to incorporate more drama into a thriller, or more suspense into a romance ... who's to say it wouldn't go over well? As long as the shifts happen in accordance with the storyline and the characters, the reader won't have too many moments of head-scratching. At least this reader here won't

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· #6 · Jan 14, 2013

Fahid said:
My serial "Confessions of a Prime Minister: #1 Downfall" was categorized as being Fiction>Autobiography and Fiction>Politics, but for my second is subtitled #2: Sex and Goths, and so far as I'm writing it, its quite erotic.

Wait, wait, wait...Amazon has a fiction>AUTOBIOGRAPHY category? That makes as much sense as having a Vegetarian cooking>Beef recipes category.

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Fahid

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 14, 2013

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:
Wait, wait, wait...Amazon has a fiction>AUTOBIOGRAPHY category? That makes as much sense as having a Vegetarian cooking>Beef recipes category.

Whoops, its Fiction>Biography

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60911

· #8 · Jan 14, 2013

It's not quite as radical a shift as from Christian Romance to Erotica, but...yeah, that may lose you a few readers (and maybe gain some more, who knows?)

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48209

· #9 · Jan 14, 2013

I came back because I was thinking about your post.

If you mean that your book gets sensual or hot, but is not erotica, I'd watch how you use that word.

Having a book NOT marked as erotica when it is is the one reason I"ll return a book. Pre-BFLS I would have written a review to make sure that others knew it was erotica AND tagged it.

A lot of people shop by genre. It's like if the hero is killed 3 pages before the end of a "romance" -that's not a romance. I'd do the same thing if it was purposefully mismarketed.

If it is erotica (the next segment) I would definitely go back and mark segment one as I suggested. I think this is one way we as indies are not doing as well as NY - readers buy (and read) based on expectations. If you tell me I'm getting A, but then I get B - I'm going to return the book.

If I wanted a black skirt and you put black pants in the bag -- yes, I can wear either to work. Yes, the both match the top I wanted it for. But you told me I was getting a skirt. Ya know?

It's better to lose readers ahead of time who would have given you a 1 star and gotten angry because they felt mislead.

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· #10 · Jan 14, 2013

Fahid said:
Whoops, its Fiction>Biography

That doesn't help.

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tensen

· #11 · Jan 15, 2013

Hmm.. I wonder if there is that much interest in fiction biographies. I wonder if they started that for say Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. Telsa Steampunk Superhero.

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tensen

· #12 · Jan 15, 2013

Personally I really hate when series change midway. I like fantasy and I like science fiction. But I read them at various times base don my interest at the time. I am extremely frustrated when a fantasy story incorporates science fiction unless I know about it ahead of time.

I'm one of those folks that prior to amazon taking away author's ability to leave reviews would have left a negative review on that basis.

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