Name my baby... Genre I mean.

[Jamber]

Do you call something 'fantasy' if it's largely contemporary realism but with one or two small elements changed, giving it a slightly surrealistic feel?

I'm definitely not writing surrealism, but I'm working on a margin here. Just wondering what to call it. (Or is it just 'strange'? No; it's not different enough for that.)

Setting is a hospital and surrounds deliberately blending 1940s and 1970s elements (clothing and sexual morality are wartime, but there are 1970s music and art, and traces of 1960s social disruption); main characters are a nurse, a hapless bandage-covered patient and a slightly mad doctor. It's a lot like a dream, but there's a strong core narrative leading to an ending in which
things explode and... well, I guess it becomes slightly futuristic.

Do you think there might be a label for this kind of thing in fantasy genre terms? Something-punk? Oh hang on, what about 'realism-punk'? Or 'history-punk'? No; it's madder than that.

Any ideas gratefully received.

Jennie

 

[OGone]

Sounds a real interesting concept. I'd call it dieselpunk, I think. Maybe even sci-fi depending on just how far you take the futuristic elements. I don't there's any derivation of cyberpunk used specifically to refer to the periods you're using, dieselpunk seems the most accurate although it usually only refers to up to the 50s...

Mystery/surrealist dieselpunk?

I've seen "historical sci-fi" used before too but your world is entirely fantasy/fictional and not just an alternative timeline, right? Maybe might fall into this anyway...

 

[Steerpike]

Until you get to the end, maybe it qualifies as Magic Realism?

 

[Darkblade]

Normally I would hesitate to use the term because it is so often misused but this is magical realism. A slightly surreal dreamlike-world that resembles ours except when looked at too closely and subtle fantastic elements, all hallmarks of the Magical Realism genre.

Magical realism is one of those genres that gets a bad rap. Partially because so many stories that would be better described as many other fantasy sub-genres get called magical realism because their authors are pretentious and don't want to be accused of writing fantasy. Being a legitimate member of the genre your story will be in the good company of David Lynch movies, pretty much everything by Kafka and a handful of Twilight Zone and Outer Limits episodes.

 

[Alexandra]

Fantasy? Nah. Diesel this, punk that, sci-fi this, specula... that—why worry about labels.

 

[Darkblade]

Fantasy? Nah. Diesel this, punk that, sci-fi this, specula... that—why worry about labels.

Because playing pin point the genre is fun.

 

[tlbodine]

Normally I would hesitate to use the term because it is so often misused but this is magical realism. A slightly surreal dreamlike-world that resembles ours except when looked at too closely and subtle fantastic elements, all hallmarks of the Magical Realism genre.

Seconding this.

 

[Meyer]

Remember though that labels aren't that important and you shouldn't feel restricted by them.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I agree about you shouldn't feel too restricted by labels, but they do become pretty important when you get to talking about publication and marketing. There are certain reader expectations for each style, and readers can become fairly upset if they pick up what has been sold to them as "magical realism" or "steam=punk" or what have you, and it suddenly shifts into sci-fi or something else dramatically different. So, write what works for you - it sounds like an interesting idea. But bear in mind that readers have expectations when they put down money for a book, and it takes some phenomenal writing to avoid disappointing them when you suddenly shift concepts.

 

[Philip Overby]

I think being concerned with your genre (or sub-genre) is not a bad thing to worry about. Why? Because when you are trying to sell your book, readers and editors may be attracted to certain sub-genres. If you read submission guidelines of various publishers, sometimes they'll list genres they aren't interested in. If this falls into magic realism, some publishers may say they prefer "second world" types of stories. Meaning they don't take place on Earth, but a new fantasy world. These are distinctions that may help a writer find the right market they're looking for if they intend to go the traditional route.

Sub-genres don't really exist as restrictive labels in my opinion. They exist as a way to guide. For instance someone reads fantasy in general and a writer says "My book is steampunk," that may turn off a segment of their audience. However, they may capture a whole new audience based just on this distinction.

@Jamber: All that said, I'll echo what others have said and say it most closely resembles magic realism.

 

[Jamber]

Thank you everyone; though I wish I liked magical realist novels better. However it's good to know there's a genre that comes close. Perhaps it could fit between magical realism and alternate history. Actually that feels about right...

As Phil says it's not about writing to a category as such, just knowing where something could fit and how to market it -- that's my outlook too.

@OGone, Diesel punk is also nice, thank you. I think if I had any focus at all on technology that would make a lot of sense.

Many thanks everyone, I really appreciate the input.

Jennie

 

[wordwalker]

I think being concerned with your genre (or sub-genre) is not a bad thing to worry about. Why? Because when you are trying to sell your book, readers and editors may be attracted to certain sub-genres.

Too true. Once someone starts reading, what matters is the story itself-- but until they're willing to see how good it is, you have to lure them in with appealing approximations.

 

[Jamber]

I figure there's also room to talk crossover, in terms of orienting a reader (especially those crucial publishing readers): 'This is X crossed with Y.' However if there's an actual subgenre already, I'd probably want to be citing that in any cover letters, so I don't look like a dill.
Anyway, I'm getting way ahead of myself -- I'm barely 3 chapters in.
cheers
Jennie

 

[Nobby]

Magical realism? (eeech)

Surreal?

Practical Surreal? (My head hurts just typing that!)

Just please don't call it anything -punk.

You won me over with, " a hapless bandage-covered patient," and, "things explode."

 

[Alexandra]

Magical realism? (eeech)

Surreal?

Practical Surreal? (My head hurts just typing that!)

Just please don't call it anything -punk....

Yes, yes, yes, well said.

 

[Jamber]

On another thread Feo Takahari mentioned 'slipstream'. When I googled that I felt completely at home! Case might be solved.
Slipstream (genre) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Nobby]

May I be the first to kiss the baby?

 

[Jamber]

Ha, if I ever get past the first chapter blues, Nobby.