FAQ?

[Liosse de Velishaf]

It seems to me from reading the proposal thread for this forum that we might benefit greatly from a "definition" of slipstream/intersticial literature. I have a vague idea of what it's about, but I'm not sure I could consistently classify things properly. What decides that a piece is outside of genre borders?

[Aristocrazy]

when "Nothing is more real than nothing" -Malone Dies

?

[Gray Rose]

I am sick so I am not at all coherent today, so this is not a definition but rather a random thought.

A well-known editor at a well-known genre mag once advised me, in a rejection, that poetry and prose do not go together. "Poetry within a narrative [is] a major distraction, usually interrupting the pacing badly, even when integral to the story's central conceit".

Since the whole point of this particular story was the blend of poetry and prose, and amputating the poetry would neatly kill my story, I had to make my peace with the fact that most genre mags would pass on it exactly because it combines the two forms. In this regard the story is interstitial, although not as interstitial as some of my other stories.

[Liosse de Velishaf]

Both good answers. I especially like yours, Rose, though it brings up a further question.

Is it only interstitial if it has already been rejected by the categories of fiction? I'm sure there are stories that could be acceptable in sci-fi, fantasy, literary etc from the writer's perspective. Can you really tell for sure before you hear responses? One area that seems to me to be especially sketchy is the line between paranormal and interstitial. Are there certain conventions that can help to dilineate the boundaries? When is a ghost merely a ghost, and when is it a serious question about reality?

[Gray Rose]

Again I am sick, so not coherent, but I would say that sometimes it is a matter of archetypes. I can rattle off a list of epic fantasy or hard SF archetypes, but I couldn't do the same for interstitial. Paranormal may have been interstitial at one time but at this point it has developed archetypes and tropes, and thus is recognizable. Interstitial writing will not be that easy to define, unless you are defining it through negation. "Too poetic to be X", "too dark to be Y", "Too literary," "is this fiction or non-fiction?" and the ever-popular "not what we're looking for" may be hints that your story is interstitial. I call it the "giant squid syndrome" because an interstitial story often elicits an "I don't know what to do with this!!" panic reaction.

[Shweta]

Or an "I don't know how to read this" negative reader response.

Perhaps we could start off with dictionarywikipedia definitions, and links to organizations and anthologies and writers of note, and go from there? I'd be willing to compile that. Not today though.

[Shweta]

- Definitions of genres/areas
- Recommended authors working in those areas, maybe
- ??

Another question: does multiculti spec fic fit here at all? Are people interested in hearing/talking about writers of different cultures/subcultures doing interesting unusual things with genres? Nalo Hopkinson is an obvious starting example...

[MacAllister]

- Definitions of genres/areas
- Recommended authors working in those areas, maybe
- ??

Another question: does multiculti spec fic fit here at all? Are people interested in hearing/talking about writers of different cultures/subcultures doing interesting unusual things with genres? Nalo Hopkinson is an obvious starting example...I'd certainly hope so, yeah!

[bsolah]

I'm confused, but oh so curious. Is Interstices like writing that can't be defined in a usual genre, crosses multiple genres or both?

[Tepelus]

I'm confused with you bsolah.

[Gray Rose]

Another question: does multiculti spec fic fit here at all? Are people interested in hearing/talking about writers of different cultures/subcultures doing interesting unusual things with genres? Nalo Hopkinson is an obvious starting example...

As long as it falls between the cracks yes. So often if you are writing multi-cultural stuff you get the squid response... I would say it fits.
And yes, Nalo fits perfectly.

Which brings me to... LCRW!!! We forgot to add it to markets!

[Shweta]

I'm confused, but oh so curious. Is Interstices like writing that can't be defined in a usual genre, crosses multiple genres or both?

Yes.
Though something that crosses genres but could be comfortably shelved/understood as any of them is... less interstitial than something that crosss genres and breaks the unspoken rules of every genre it partakes of.

Interstices are the spaces between things.

[Gray Rose]

I'm confused, but oh so curious. Is Interstices like writing that can't be defined in a usual genre, crosses multiple genres or both?
Welcome - and it could be a), b) or both. For the Interfictions anthology, I think they wanted stories that cross multiple genres, the weirder the better.

I'm confused with you bsolah.
Welcome to the forum :)

I think - just my imho - is that if we will be looking for definitions too hard we will be disappointed. The nature of liminal spaces is to be porous, ambiguous , and dangerous :)

[bsolah]

Hmmm, this is interesting. Perhaps I don't fit here and still in horror.

I write Marxist horror, as in I probably still use a lot of the conventions of horror, but there's more characterization and theme in regards to political messages, much like Steinbeck, Orwell etc. The only problem is that the politics don't seem to be appreciated by the horror readers, and the goriness can often turn off the political ones.

[Liosse de Velishaf]

Again I am sick, so not coherent, but I would say that sometimes it is a matter of archetypes. I can rattle off a list of epic fantasy or hard SF archetypes, but I couldn't do the same for interstitial. Paranormal may have been interstitial at one time but at this point it has developed archetypes and tropes, and thus is recognizable. Interstitial writing will not be that easy to define, unless you are defining it through negation. "Too poetic to be X", "too dark to be Y", "Too literary," "is this fiction or non-fiction?" and the ever-popular "not what we're looking for" may be hints that your story is interstitial. I call it the "giant squid syndrome" because an interstitial story often elicits an "I don't know what to do with this!!" panic reaction.

The second part basically says what I was trying to say about sending it out: the idea of definition through negation. Thanks for putting that so clearly, Rose.

On the subject of paranormal:
Say I have a story that has a lot of paranormal elements, such as ghosts and possibly some psi, but also incorporates a lot of elements from other genres. Like a dream-world, or questioning reality, or very strong sociological themes (I'm sure you can tell by now that this really isn't hypothetical)? Would that be interstitial? I mean, I've never had much interest in writing genre paranormal, though I've often enjoyed reading it. Nor does the piece really fit under my more common genre of sff. I don't think it's out there enough to be a mindfuck, but I can't really think of a specific genre that it would fit better than another. Does self-analyzed negation count?:)

[bsolah]

Wouldn't that be more speculative fiction? It's easy to put a story in that category is it crosses between horror, fantasy and/or sci-fi.

But I'm curious about the sociological themes, as it relates to questions about my own 'genre' as I said above. Do strong sociological themes put a story in a certain genre? I can think of plenty of genre fic that have strong themes but would definitely put in their respective genre.

[Shweta]

On the subject of paranormal:
Say I have a story that has a lot of paranormal elements, such as ghosts and possibly some psi, but also incorporates a lot of elements from other genres. Like a dream-world, or questioning reality, or very strong sociological themes (I'm sure you can tell by now that this really isn't hypothetical)? Would that be interstitial? I mean, I've never had much interest in writing genre paranormal, though I've often enjoyed reading it. Nor does the piece really fit under my more common genre of sff. I don't think it's out there enough to be a mindfuck, but I can't really think of a specific genre that it would fit better than another. Does self-analyzed negation count?:)

I would call that interstitial.
Except when querying agents who repped genre paranormal :D

[Liosse de Velishaf]

Wouldn't that be more speculative fiction? It's easy to put a story in that category is it crosses between horror, fantasy and/or sci-fi.

But I'm curious about the sociological themes, as it relates to questions about my own 'genre' as I said above. Do strong sociological themes put a story in a certain genre? I can think of plenty of genre fic that have strong themes but would definitely put in their respective genre.


I like and don't like the label "spec fic". I do like how it groups several genres that have a history of major crossover. But I don't like how you can just throw almost anything that remotely resembles one of those sub-genres into the ring with that label.

I don't write horror, I tend not to like horror, though I have enjoyed a few good stories. This is not to say I am aiming for spec fic to avoid that label, however. I don't think the story is necessarily speculative. It's not a what-if question in extended prose form. There are certainly many elements in it that could be considered parts of spec-fic, though. A definite feeling like that of cyberpunk, and some fantasy tropes, for instance. If I had to place it in spec-fic for marketing purposes, I'd lean more towards a fantasy label. It certainly isn't sci-fi, thanks to the fantastic otherworld.

But really, when I read stuff on interstitial, it seemed to fit. It doesn't follow genre conventions in terms of plot or archetype. There is a slot of settng and maybe premise similarity, but it doesnt seem to be going where most genres take those conventions. The first article here:http://www.interstitialarts.org/wordpress/?p=10 seems to describe it closely. I'm not intentionally making it jarring, but is has tended to be so. It doesn't follow expectations, and it does use various genre tropes, but without letting them take over the story.

[AMCrenshaw]

Say I have a story that has a lot of paranormal elements, such as ghosts and possibly some psi, but also incorporates a lot of elements from other genres. Like a dream-world, or questioning reality, or very strong sociological themes (I'm sure you can tell by now that this really isn't hypothetical)? Would that be interstitial?

Reminds me of The Stand, or at least Stephen King in general. I consider some of his work interstitial-- at the least a major influence. H.P. Lovecraft is another (except substitute "prehistory for "sociological").

AMC

[Liosse de Velishaf]

Reminds me of The Stand, or at least Stephen King in general. I consider some of his work interstitial-- at the least a major influence. H.P. Lovecraft is another (except substitute "prehistory for "sociological").

AMC


From what I know of the stand, the two aren't very similar. But I do agree that Lovecraft and King occasionally/often slip into the cracks.

[Dawnstorm]

Though something that crosses genres but could be comfortably shelved/understood as any of them is... less interstitial than something that crosss genres and breaks the unspoken rules of every genre it partakes of.

That's pretty much the best way to put it. It's all relational. Which means there's no essence, no content to being interstitial. Today's interstitial may be tommorrow's convention. Stop worrying and write your stories. If you can't place it elsewhere, you have a safety net.

And it helps to know that there are other people playing in the wild. But remember that the wild will stop being the wild if you create a settlement; the people playing there often have their own homes (not necessarily only one). A few, though, are feral.

[Shweta]

That's pretty much the best way to put it. It's all relational. Which means there's no essence, no content to being interstitial. Today's interstitial may be tommorrow's convention. Stop worrying and write your stories. If you can't place it elsewhere, you have a safety net.

Ideally it will be.
Nobody will edit the Interfictions anthology more than twice, and nobody will publish in it more than once, is the idea :)
Moving target!

[lkp]

I'm so glad this forum has been started, and I've learned from reading the posts here. In some ways, it seems to me that this forum's greatest contribution could be that it can become a place for the ongoing project of understanding what interstitial fiction might mean.

I see two possible cleavages in interpretation. There may be some who may be interested in a specific borderzone between two genres, say fantasy and multicultural fiction, just for example. Any of these borderzones could become genres of their own in time, like what has happened with say paranormal romance or urban fantasy.

Others may be interested in borderzones in themselves, in the idea of writing between different kinds of borders, whatever they may be. When one zone becones genre, they may be inclined to move to another because it is writing in a state of liminality, rather than the specific elements of any two or more genres that interests them.

I should maybe say that I don't think there is anything wrong with either approach, or with the idea of plural approaches.

[GhostAuthor]

Wow, a home for me! :hi:

I write what I call a 'Heinz 57' or mutt-mix genre. It is primarily dark fantasy/horror, but also part mystery/thriller with paranormal tossed in.

I have been saying that I write speculative fiction since it was the closest I could get, but it's that plus.

Oh, and speaking of markets. . . I know for a fact that Aberrant Dreams magazine likes these types of stories (they've published mine).

[Liosse de Velishaf]

I'm so glad this forum has been started, and I've learned from reading the posts here. In some ways, it seems to me that this forum's greatest contribution could be that it can become a place for the ongoing project of understanding what interstitial fiction might mean.

I see two possible cleavages in interpretation. There may be some who may be interested in a specific borderzone between two genres, say fantasy and multicultural fiction, just for example. Any of these borderzones could become genres of their own in time, like what has happened with say paranormal romance or urban fantasy.

Others may be interested in borderzones in themselves, in the idea of writing between different kinds of borders, whatever they may be. When one zone becones genre, they may be inclined to move to another because it is writing in a state of liminality, rather than the specific elements of any two or more genres that interests them.

I should maybe say that I don't think there is anything wrong with either approach, or with the idea of plural approaches.

I see the schism. I think I'm not on either side, though. There's the concious movement, and then the people who just don't give a damn. I find the movement interesting. But I don't self-identify with either intentional cross-genre or liminailty writing. I just write what I write. Maybe I'll write something more genre or less genre like in the future. But I seem to be in the cracks whether I like it or not for the moment. But I'm not letting these new borders constrict me.

[AMCrenshaw]

I see the schism. I think I'm not on either side, though. There's the concious movement, and then the people who just don't give a damn. I find the movement interesting. But I don't self-identify with either intentional cross-genre or liminailty writing. I just write what I write. Maybe I'll write something more genre or less genre like in the future. But I seem to be in the cracks whether I like it or not for the moment. But I'm not letting these new borders constrict me.

Yeah. I think especially if you're a broad reader, your work can easily end up falling between the cracks. Genres floating around like bubbles in your brain. When one pops and hits the page, it no longer has a genre.

When I set out to write Courier (my major WIP), it read like a western from hell and turned into "something else," something not-fantasy, not-western, not-spiritual, not-romance, not-gritty, not-horror, not-military, not-surreal. Yet it wouldn't be hard to find shreds of these within the work itself...

Now it's a novel comprised of two novellas and a section for 3 fairy tales, 5 poems, and what Gray Rose once called "dream report".


AMC

[Esopha]

I think I might belong in here. I'm certainly a fan of surrealism and new weird, and I see elements of surrealism in my own work... but I don't think I've reached a level where I'm comfortable enough breaking away from genre distinctions. (Woohoo, being 17 and creatively insecure!)

So if I'm straddling the line between fantasy and interstitial fiction, does that make me uber-interstitial?

I'm kidding.

I think I will lurk and read and lurk.

Also, do we have any opinions on Gabriel Garcia Marquez? Is he interstitial? I feel like magic realism as a Latin American movement is less interstitial than magic realism in its contemporary form, but I may be wrong.

[lkp]

I see the schism. I think I'm not on either side, though. There's the concious movement, and then the people who just don't give a damn. I find the movement interesting. But I don't self-identify with either intentional cross-genre or liminailty writing. I just write what I write. Maybe I'll write something more genre or less genre like in the future. But I seem to be in the cracks whether I like it or not for the moment. But I'm not letting these new borders constrict me.

Yeah, I don't think you need to pick a side. Maybe calling it a "cleavage" was too strong a word. They're just potentially two perspectives on the same piece of written work, and there can be many others.

[Liosse de Velishaf]

Yeah. I think especially if you're a broad reader, your work can easily end up falling between the cracks. Genres floating around like bubbles in your brain. When one pops and hits the page, it no longer has a genre.

When I set out to write Courier (my major WIP), it read like a western from hell and turned into "something else," something not-fantasy, not-western, not-spiritual, not-romance, not-gritty, not-horror, not-military, not-surreal. Yet it wouldn't be hard to find shreds of these within the work itself...

Now it's a novel comprised of two novellas and a section for 3 fairy tales, 5 poems, and what Gray Rose once called "dream report".


AMC

My stories are generally straight prose in the text, though I've always rather liked those historical notes/poems/treatises that some sff people put at the beginning of chapters.

I think the part about being a wide reader really applies to me. I read across almost every sub-genre of sci-fi and fantasy on a regular basis. I don't put too much emphasis on age or medium either. I'm a huge anime fan, too, and animes often cross genres or just plain ignore them, so that's probably another large influence on what I choose to write about.


To Esopha- I don't think that Marquez really falls into "interstitial". For one thing, magical realism arises from a distinctly different culture than that which produced our modern genre categories. There are some great essays on the net about the effects of colonialism and post-colonialism on how we define literature, most directed at the defining of magical realism. Many people feel that "magical realism" isn't even a fair title. They say that it's just normal literature from another culture. The "magical realism" we talk about now is not really the same thing. It may be influnced--heavily, in some places--by the writing of "latin american" writers like Marquez, but it comes from very different places and intentions. As we try to deal with the "globalization" of culture, it's important to remember that you can't ignore time periods or that english-language writing is not the center of the universe.

[Esopha]

To Esopha- I don't think that Marquez really falls into "interstitial". For one thing, magical realism arises from a distinctly different culture than that which produced our modern genre categories. There are some great essays on the net about the effects of colonialism and post-colonialism on how we define literature, most directed at the defining of magical realism. Many people feel that "magical realism" isn't even a fair title. They say that it's just normal literature from another culture. The "magical realism" we talk about now is not really the same thing. It may be influnced--heavily, in some places--by the writing of "latin american" writers like Marquez, but it comes from very different places and intentions. As we try to deal with the "globalization" of culture, it's important to remember that you can't ignore time periods or that english-language writing is not the center of the universe.

I read that magic realism -- the Latin American movement, not the modern concept -- arose out of a desire to be directly contrary to European literature and embrace the cultural amagalm that had developed in South America. So it was influenced by European literature, but was not created out of a desire to emulate it.

I would say that Marquez is magic realism*, because the magic realism movement had as much influence on modern magic realism as the surrealist movement has had on modern surrealism -- but I don't think I would classify Marquez as interstitial because that wasn't his intention. At the time, magic realism was more about developing a creative culture that separated colonies from the European powers. Also, I feel like Latin American magic realism was more the genesis of a new genre than an intermingling of several.

I just wanted to see what other people thought.

*little caveat here: I hate the term "magic realism" a lot. It's one of those irrational hatreds.

[Liosse de Velishaf]

I read that magic realism -- the Latin American movement, not the modern concept -- arose out of a desire to be directly contrary to European literature and embrace the cultural amagalm that had developed in South America. So it was influenced by European literature, but was not created out of a desire to emulate it.

I would say that Marquez is magic realism*, because the magic realism movement had as much influence on modern magic realism as the surrealist movement has had on modern surrealism -- but I don't think I would classify Marquez as interstitial because that wasn't his intention. At the time, magic realism was more about developing a creative culture that separated colonies from the European powers. Also, I feel like Latin American magic realism was more the genesis of a new genre than an intermingling of several.

I just wanted to see what other people thought.

*little caveat here: I hate the term "magic realism" a lot. It's one of those irrational hatreds.


So basically, we agree.:)

[Esopha]

So basically, we agree.:)

Heehee. I guess so.

[Shweta]

Hey, I agree too.

And this reminds me -- I wanted to start a thread specifically so we could introduce ourselves and talk about questions like this (or any other, though I'd like to try to stay on topic, since the topic itself is broad and barely defined :D). But this thread seems to be becoming that. Would it step on any toes if I created another one and kept this one for talking about FAQs?

[Liosse de Velishaf]

Hey, I agree too.

And this reminds me -- I wanted to start a thread specifically so we could introduce ourselves and talk about questions like this (or any other, though I'd like to try to stay on topic, since the topic itself is broad and barely defined :D). But this thread seems to be becoming that. Would it step on any toes if I created another one and kept this one for talking about FAQs?


Have we ever actually talked about faqs here?:tongue There seem to be some other (stickied) threads on definitions and examples and questions and all that; so why not rename this one and let it handle what you're thinking of, since you say it seems to be already?

[Esopha]

I wouldn't have any problem with another thread, although I have to ask: Does that mean that we'll use this thread to request FAQs, or talk about the preexisting FAQs?

I am slightly confused.

[Shweta]

Oh I meant requst FAQs. So far I dunno what people want besides definitions...

[Liosse de Velishaf]

Oh I meant requst FAQs. So far I dunno what people want besides definitions...


I'm not sure we've discussed enough what we might need in terms of "faqs". Maybe it would be best to leave that "definition" sticky thread for specific questions until we know more about what might be useful. We could then either convert this thread to your other purpose, or just let it hibernate until FAQ questions come up, whether stickied or not.

Or we could do what other sections seem to have done and ramble until we come up with sufficient FAQ material to put together something more orderly.

[Esopha]

Oh I meant requst FAQs. So far I dunno what people want besides definitions...

Well, we have definitions and lists of works that we consider interstitial. Those are the two things I would think people need the most of.

As for anything else, I'm unsure.

[Shweta]

Or we could do what other sections seem to have done and ramble until we come up with sufficient FAQ material to put together something more orderly.

Works :)

Meanwhile, the salon (http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133081) is now open.
(And, why, yes, I am in a silly mood...)

[Little Bird]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question, but . . .

What would you call a novel, which takes place in an earth-like world, and reads like a historical, only the cultures, history, geography, etc. have never actually existed on this earth? There is no magic and there are no elements of fantasy or sci-fi, other than a made-up world.

[Esopha]

An alternative world historical?

[bsolah]

I think that's fiction really, or more urban fantasy.

Maybe you want to ask this in a new thread though.

[Esopha]

Fiction isn't exactly what I would call a genre. And urban fantasy does not imply historical.

I would go with alternative world.

[Kitty Pryde]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question, but . . .

What would you call a novel, which takes place in an earth-like world, and reads like a historical, only the cultures, history, geography, etc. have never actually existed on this earth? There is no magic and there are no elements of fantasy or sci-fi, other than a made-up world.

Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast trilogy is exactly that, and it's considered a classic of the fantasy genre. It takes place in a big old mouldering castle, but there are things like cars and cardboard boxes and other 20th century contrivances. It's about a royal family, and there's no magic at all. But it feels fantastic anyway. And wikipedia calls it Mannerpunk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannerpunk) (a fantasy subgenre):

A typical fantasy of manners tale will involve a romantic adventure that turns on some point of social punctilio or intrigue. Magic, fantastic races, and legendary creatures are downplayed within the genre, or dismissed entirely. Indeed, but for the fact that the settings are usually entirely fictional, some of the books considered "fantasy of manners" could be considered as historical fiction. Ellen Kushner is perhaps the definitive writer of fantasy of manners tales; almost all of her novels have some of the traits of the genre, and her homoerotic Swordspoint: A Melodrama of Manners (1987) is considered as the epitome of the genre. An earlier example, and possibly the first true fantasy of manners, is the Gormenghast series (specificially the first two books) by Mervyn Peake.

[Gray Rose]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question, but . . .

What would you call a novel, which takes place in an earth-like world, and reads like a historical, only the cultures, history, geography, etc. have never actually existed on this earth? There is no magic and there are no elements of fantasy or sci-fi, other than a made-up world.

Is your earth-like world actually Earth, or is it a completely different world? If it is Earth I would go with alternative history. If it is not Earth then low fantasy, I think. You might want to ask yourself why you need a completely different world for your novel if everything in it is exactly like here. The way you answer this question might help you understand how to pitch it. :)

[Little Bird]

Is your earth-like world actually Earth, or is it a completely different world? If it is Earth I would go with alternative history. If it is not Earth then low fantasy, I think. You might want to ask yourself why you need a completely different world for your novel if everything in it is exactly like here. The way you answer this question might help you understand how to pitch it. :)The world is not Earth. It is Earth-like in that the same laws of nature apply, there is no magic, etc. However, daily life in this world is different than it is here. I chose to place the story in a made-up world because the culture my characters live in, its history, and its current events are essential to the plot. Events that are essential to the story could not have happened in any real-world culture, past or present. For this reason, I can see placing it in the fantasy category, but then, people have certain expectations about fantasy, which they won't find met in this story.

[Little Bird]

An alternative world historical?

This sounds like the perfect description to me. I'm not sure it's a recognized label, though. I Googled it and didn't find what I was looking for. Still, it might help explain things. Thanks!

Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast trilogy is exactly that, and it's considered a classic of the fantasy genre. It takes place in a big old mouldering castle, but there are things like cars and cardboard boxes and other 20th century contrivances. It's about a royal family, and there's no magic at all. But it feels fantastic anyway. And wikipedia calls it Mannerpunk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannerpunk) (a fantasy subgenre):

I've never heard of this. It's good to know I'm not the only one who's written something like this. The "manners" thing kind of throws me off, though, as the culture my MC lives in isn't really "manner-intensive."

Thanks for the feedback, everybody.

[Sharon Mock]

Little Bird, as far as I know, what you're doing doesn't have a name -- but it does have precedent. I thought immediately of Guy Gavriel Kay, though he's doing fantasy parallels to human history. Or, as Kitty Pryde points out, Ellen Kushner's work, which is shelved as fantasy and has little to no overt magic.

Kushner is one of the founding members of the Interstital Arts Foundation (http://www.interstitialarts.org/wordpress/), by the way... :)

[AMCrenshaw]

China Mieville I think dedicated a book to Peake, that Peake's art and opaque, arcane descriptions of architecture influenced his versions of London (the other major infuence was of course Jungle).

Having sequentially read the somewhat dense (admit it! :)) Gormenghast trilogy and Perdido Street Station, I couldn't help but notice and feel the similarities in language and tone. The clunking of the heavy boots in the castle, to the young child's socks; or, for Mieville, the D & B, and the King Rat's feet scraping the sewer floors.


AMC

[Liosse de Velishaf]

This sounds like the perfect description to me. I'm not sure it's a recognized label, though. I Googled it and didn't find what I was looking for. Still, it might help explain things. Thanks!



I've never heard of this. It's good to know I'm not the only one who's written something like this. The "manners" thing kind of throws me off, though, as the culture my MC lives in isn't really "manner-intensive."

Thanks for the feedback, everybody.


Lol, that's the exact reaction I had on looking for a label for one of my stories... just for the purpose of finding similar examples, of course.

[Esopha]

I originally thought I was writing a fantasy of manners, but then I realized that the fantasy creature aspect of the book was spiraling out of control and also suddenly there was anachronism.

Now it's sort of a gloopy mess. The novel, I mean.

Which is disappointing to me, because "fantasy of manners" is so fun to say.