What genre is this?

[JustSarah]

On one hand I'm wanting to write something like science fiction, however it does not cleanly fall under one sub genre. It follows the lineage between different families and generations, with large scope character conflicts between various social classes and different governments (or pseudo governments) between the present and future.

I'd like to call it a family saga, but I'm not sure if thats completely accurate. I guess if a family saga can have a science fiction element? I am wanting to use a philosophical message revolving around identity and singularity. Yet I'm a little more plot focused than pure literary fiction.

I've just completed an outline (Sort of), but I'm still not quite sure if what goes is on paper is going to be exactly the same as what is in my head.

[WillSauger]

What's the story about?

[JustSarah]

A sixteen year old boy questions the identity number the super computer gave him, and his call to military service when he feels guilt over not being able to be friends with a native of a desert planet the private security force is trying to turn into a capitalist utopia.

[WillSauger]

Originally Posted by JustSarah

A sixteen year old boy questions the identity number the super computer gave him, and his call to military service when he feels guilt over not being able to be friends with a native of a desert planet the private security force is trying to turn into a capitalist utopia.

Everything else sounds like some form of drama/Contemporary Fiction, except that "a desert planet" part. Explain?

Science Fiction is when something defies the science of the period it was written in. Something that is purely fiction branched from science.
You can build supercomputers for cheap nowadays, so if it's not using quantum computing or other computing systems which are just being tested currently, I would say that's quite real.
That "desert planet" flips my "Dune"-meter.

[JustSarah]

Yea I guess that what happens when I don't mention its currently an isolated dystopia on a starship, where the last remnants of Earth humanity are trying to find a new non toxic home.D:

Essentially environmental collapse has caused the lead corporation around 2096 to leave Earth, but they aew tossed into a war between Europe and Asia due old tension due to world war III. The super computer thats supposed to be keeping things organized is what kills all the adults, and thats what lead up to the present.

[virtue_summer]

Is it a silly question to ask why you don't just want to call it science fiction?

[WillSauger]

...you really dropped the ball there.

That's SF, pure and undiluted.


I'm not very good with sub-genres in SF, but I'd just tell you not to worry about it right now. Wait until the book is completely finished and you've queried and whatever agent/publisher will sort it accordingly.

[JustSarah]

Ok.^^ I'll finish the book then.

[gettingby]

It seems quite clear you are writing science fiction. I am wondering why you posted this in the literary forum. If you want to write literary fiction you can, but your WIP doesn't seem like that is what it is.

[Cappy1]

Definitely science fiction.