Confused With Genres

It could be cross-genre between mainstream and SF. I mean, time-travel does automatically include it in the speculative fiction area, but that doesn't mean a story can't fall into two genres. As a matter of fact, cross-genre is very popular right now.

And case in point: The Time-Traveller's Wife. You can't get much more time-travelly than that, and it was shelved in the mainstream fiction section at most shops...when it wasn't in the front window display case!

It all depends on your novel's focus. Is it more about the woman's life and goals or on defeating some evildoer while time travelling with a bit of drama added in the mix? I think if it's really light-hearted (like you say) and slice of life-y, then it would be referred to as chick-lit/Women's Fiction. Terie gives a perfect example above. Whichever genre it's eventually considered, best of luck!

It won't automatically be Science Fiction, no. Plenty of authors adopt SF tropes but have their books positioned in the mainstream.

I always thought genre was a marketing thing, mostly. As you mentioned, The Time Traveler's Wife. The concept's definitely specfic, but it was marketed for mainstream... to the kind of people who probably don't often look at "weird stuff" like speculative fiction, but happily snapped it up anyway. General fiction's a larger audience than specfic, which makes it more attractive. That's the kind of decision a publisher makes.

Personally, as a reader, any sci-fi/fantasy element automatically makes a book specfic to my mind, even if it's only a passing reference. Others have different standards.

I would suggest writing the story as you want to tell it, then running it by a few trusted beta readers for suggestions on how and where to pitch it. (I'd suggest mentioning the sci-fi element in queries, though, even if it's not a major plot point - some agents or editors might consider it a deal-breaker if you pitched it as, say, chick-lit or romance and sprung the time travel stuff on them mid-manuscript.) Ultimately, though, unless you self-publish, it'll be the people down in marketing who decide how to label the thing.

JMHO...

Terie said:

And case in point: The Time-Traveller's Wife. You can't get much more time-travelly than that, and it was shelved in the mainstream fiction section at most shops...when it wasn't in the front window display case!

Click to expand...

This is one of my favorite novels, and it definitely shows that time travel =/= automatic Science Fiction.

Sophie Kinsella's Twenties Girl played with fantasy elements too, but was definitely chick lit.