Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Name That Genre! #14

TITLE: YA
GENRE: SECRET

This wasn’t Brae’s first time stealing. Quite the opposite. Her mother called her a born thief.

Born into a rogue clan of thieves, she had learned from the time she was very young. Her father had encouraged this talent with praise and training. Her mother encouraged it with cold critiques and high expectations.

She’d stolen all sorts of things. Weapons, clothes, supplies, coins, food. She could steal in the dark of night and in the light of day. Missions had been carried out in the calmest of weather and during thunderstorms where she could barely see in front of her. Brae was able to get out of any tough situation, and never got caught.

She enjoyed stealing. She enjoyed the planning, the perfect execution, and the adrenaline rush. She liked to feel competent and strong. What she hated, though, was stealing with a partner. She preferred to work alone.



31 comments:

  1. I also guess fantasy for the "clan of thieves" comment.

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  2. Adventure

    It mentions a thief so it could be something else--maybe a crime thriller.

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  3. I'm not sure. It doesn't sound contemporary, but there is nothing that screams anything else.

    Note that there is WAY too much backstory here. You're 150 words in and we've had zero action. Try to work this into the story as it moves forward.

    Good luck!
    Holly

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  4. Historical... maybe? Or Fantasy?

    It's hard to tell.

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  5. Historical--

    I could see how, with a few added clues, it could have the flavor of a Fantasy setting, however.

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  6. Thriller -- because of the stealing and belonging to a clan of thieves.

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  7. This one has me stumped. Could be fantasy--and probably is--but it could be historical fiction. Whatever it is, I like it. Good luck, Sarah

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  8. Speculative Fiction

    clan of thieves and missions suggests alternate world, one with a historical feel because of the weapons, clothes, supplies, coins, food.

    Although, I would like to actually see Brae in action. Maybe you could start with Brae in a tough situation that wasn't hard for her to get out of?

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  9. Not sure - a solo thief stealing could be a dystopia novel or a fantasy novel. It has a ring of history in it, but the things stolen imply survival needs - so it could be one group pitched against another dominant group.

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  10. Historical.

    The items she has stolen could be from any time frame. I don't get the sense of a fantasy world.

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  11. Contemporary - nothing struck me as out of the ordinary from our current world.

    But I do agree about the backstory. You should start with her stealing something - the reader will be able to tell how much she enjoys it without being told.

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  12. Fantasy because of the name "Brae" and the clan of thieves. It's got a bit of an anime feel for me, but I can't pinpoint why. Definitely not contemporary since "weapons," "supplies," and "coins" are not contemporary categories of items - that would be "electronics" and "cash". Curious how it's a "rogue clan of thieves," specifically why it's mentioned that they're rogue. Did they separate from a bigger clan, or is it just describing that they're roguish? If it's the latter, you don't need that descriptor, I don't think.

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  13. Dystopian?

    Just she's stealing necessities as well as non-necessities. I really have no idea what kind of genre a "clan of thieves" would fall under.

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  14. Dystopia

    It feels like the MC is trying to survive. The clan of thieves could also be dystopian

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  15. Contemporary. I was going to say historical (clan of theives plus descriptions of training). But some of the references and tone (adrenaline rush) is very contemporary or might point to a slightly futuristic dytopian novel. I liked it whatever it is!

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  16. Fantasy. Mention of weapons and coins.

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  17. Fantasy?

    Clan of thieves, weapons. Kind of says fantasy to me if I squint.

    This is kind of a lot of back story so early in. But that might just be my opinion.

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  18. FANTASY

    Clan of thieves is the clue.

    I like this, but I feel it starts too slow. Everything in the 3rd and 4th paragraphs can be inserted piecemeal while we experience whatever it is she's stealing now along with her. Then we're not waiting for the action to start.

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  19. DYSTOPIAN
    Sounds like bands of people trying to survive. The language sounds too modern to be historical. The grudging working with a partner sounds like a setup to a romance. Also I think you can ditch everything after the first paragraph. You set up an interesting beginning and then put it on hold to give us the author's character sketch of her. I would rather see the story unfold

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  20. Fantasy

    The clan of thieves and all that. Could perhaps be dystopian SF.

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  21. Fantasy

    Because of the clan of thieves. But it could be historical.

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  22. Fantasy.

    Mainly because of the rogue clan of thieves. And the types of items sh'e stolen.

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  23. No idea.

    This could be any time, any place including now. There are no details here that help identify the genre. But the opportunity to do so, is excellent.

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  24. fantasy

    kind of a The Shifter vibe

    I suggest you get us to the action a little sooner though, intersperse the backstory with some current action

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  25. FANTASY

    The unfamiliar name and the rogue clan of thieves all say fantasy, in a historical or historical-ish setting.

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  26. Fantasy

    "a rouge clan of thieves" seems like a fantasy element. The list of things she steals doesn't sound contemporary. But there's nothing actually fantastical, so it could be historical.

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  27. Fantasy. I'd say the clan of thieves trope and the suggestion of a medieval setting (based on the things she's stolen) make it pretty clear.

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  28. It is fantasy.
    Those who said Historical are not far off because I've based it off a historical time period. And yes, rogue is a very specific type of clan in the story.

    Thanks for the feedback as well!

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