READER'S ROCK LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE VOL 2 ISSUE 4 NOVEMBER 2014 Vol. 1 Issue 4 October 2013 | Page 21

Defining and Choosing
Your Sub-Genre
-Alicia Jespersen

It took me a while to realize that
there were sub-genres within my
favorite genre, which is romance.
When I first found that golden
isle at my bookstore all I knew
was that each an every book
contained a Happily Ever after.
Little did I know I would
discover that certain subjects
with in the Romance category
would be an even better fit for
me than just plain old romance.
Of course with finding subgenres I also found styles and
genres I didn't like.
This may have discouraged me at
first but then I realized, if I don't
like a sub-genre it's basically
helping me narrow my focus on
to books I know I will enjoy.
Once I came across this
realization I began to think of
sub-genres as my friend. They
could help me find more books
that were similar to some of my
old favorites, and possibly lead
me to new favorites.
When choosing or trying to find
a sub-genre you should take into
account what you know you like
in the books you've read before.
For me I knew that in romance I

enjoyed strong female lead
characters, Sci-Fi elements, and
alpha males. This lead me to SciFi romance, which I had no idea
that it even existed. Though this
method may be a bit to difficult
or even too simple for some of
you just starting to find which
sub-genres work for you.
In this instance I would say
GoodReads is your friend,
teacher, and mentor. This all
encompassing book website can
help you not only discover subgenres within your favorite basic
genre. But it can also help you
find more books that are similar
to a favorite book of yours.
Amazon can also be a great aid
when searching within your
genre for more detail specific
genres. Amazon alone lists 23
sub genres within the romance
genre. That's pretty much endless
possibilities for me.
After experimenting with all of
the sub-genres that are listed
within your genre and you still
can't find one that fits your
reading habits, don't get
discouraged. Finding your subgenre is a bit like finding the

perfect pair of shoes, or even
finding a new house. It has to be
perfect and fit with all of your
desires. This process may be
short for some and long for
others. It varies depending on the
person and their personalities.
You can't know when you'll find
your new genre but every book
you read will lead you closer to
finding what's right for you.
Now I'm not saying this genre
will be your favorite for the rest
of your life, I'm just saying that it
may lead you as a reader to
finding more books that you can
find appealing at one particular
time in your life. Everyone
changes and chances are you will
eventually find a new genre that
works for you. But that's what
makes reading so much fun, the
world of fiction and even nonfiction is constantly changing
and you'll never know what you
might find if you don't look.

You can visit Alicia
at her blog by
clicking here.