Nail your book's genre & get it in front of your dream readers!
Ever go into a bookshop or library and say, 'I'd like a book, please! Any will do, I'm not fussy!'
Probably not. And children & teenagers don't do that, either!
'Children's' and 'YA' aren't genres and they don't tell readers anything about the type of story they've picked up except the recommended age range.
What does tell them the type of story it is? GENRE!
How can they find books they love if the genres aren't clear?
And how can they find your book if the genre's not clear?
Give readers what they love AND show agents you know your stuff!
When readers pick up a book in a particular genre, they bring expectations and past experiences to their reading. They're looking out for familiar devices and popular tropes that usually crop up in the books they love.
If you don't really know what genre you're writing or you're pitching it as something it's not, it's probably going to fall into the wrong readers' hands. Nightmare!
The children and teenagers who adore exactly the kind of book you're writing just aren't going to find it! After all your brilliant hard work 😥
But identify and understand your book's genre and you'll be far more likely to get onto the radar of your ideal reader! When they go looking for an exciting fantasy or spooky horror or laugh-out-loud romcom, you'll be there to say, 'hey, over here! I think this book has everything you're looking for!'
And a bonus win: Knowing and understanding your genre means you'll impress agents and show them you're a professional writer who did their homework and knows the market. Don't waste your time and theirs by pitching a book as something it's not.
It sounds too good to be true but simply knowing and understanding your own genre makes it ten times easier to:
🐺 query the right agents
🐺 choose the right categories and tags if you self-publish
🐺 market to the right audience
🐺 find the right comp titles (similar books to yours)
🐺 set the right expectations for your book
🐺 understand what tropes and devices readers are expecting
🐺 know what's come before
🐺 know what's selling
🐺 put a fresh twist on familiar ideas
The 'Nail Your Genre' course takes the mystery out of genre jargon and guides you through narrowing down your own book's genre, whether you're just getting started or already have a completed draft. No idea what genre you want to write? No problem – I've got tips for that!
I'll explore and explain tropes, genres, subgenres, mashups and the children's book industry, all while showing you how to apply this learning to your own book and marketing materials.
If you already know the answer to all of these questions, this course ISN'T for you!
⭐️ What does 'genre' mean?
⭐️ Does your genre really matter?
⭐️ What's a subgenre?
⭐️ Are there genres in children's books?
⭐️ Are there any genres you can't write for kids or teens?
⭐️ Are tropes a bad thing?
⭐️ Why do agents need to know your genre?
⭐️ Why should you choose a genre before you start writing?
⭐️ What if you've written a book and still don't know its genre?
⭐️ What if your book crosses genre boundaries?
⭐️ How specific is too specific when it comes to labelling your book's genre?
⭐️ How can you figure out what genre your book is?
⭐️ How can you choose which genre you should write in?
⭐️ How can you learn more about your genre?
⭐️ Why does it pay to be a genre expert?
⭐️ What does contemporary mean?
⭐️ Does middle grade do romance?
⭐️ What's the difference between fantasy and science fiction?
⭐️ Are superheroes science fiction?
⭐️ What genre do fairytale retellings come under?
⭐️ What's the difference between speculative and realistic?
What's included in the course?
Welcome
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Pre-course prep
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Module 1: What is genre?
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Module 2: How do genres work in children's books?
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Module 3: Why do you need to identify your book's genre?
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Module 4: How to choose which genre to write in
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Module 5: Identify your genre after you've written your novel
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- Intro: Working out your genre after you've written the book
- Identify the genre elements in your blurb / pitch
- Really identify your book's main narrative
- Identify your main character's story goal
- Identify your story's central conflict
- Choose 5 books you think are similar and identify their genre
- Science fiction vs fantasy
- Mythology, folktalkes and fairytale retellings
Module 6: You've nailed your genre! What now?
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Post-course wrap-up
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Includes 3 course downloads
Interactive workbook
Available in PDF to print or Word to fill in digitally. Jot down your thoughts and respond to the optional tasks as you work through the course
Genre bingo cards
A fun little game to help you spot tropes and common plot devices used in various subgenres within middle grade and young adult fiction
The Monster genre guide
A loooong list of genres and subgenres and how they apply to middle grade and YA, including loads of recently published examples
'Your expertise shines through!'
Lydia Ruanna
About your course teacher, Siobhán
Siobhán is a freelance developmental editor who spends her life reading children’s books, watching scary films and drinking unicorn gin. She lives in Surrey, England, with her graphic designer husband and six-year-old son who wants to be an artist, mechanic or Pokémon when he grows up.
Siobhán works directly with authors of middle grade and YA fiction, particularly loving anything with a dash of magic or macabre.
She has an MA in Novel Writing and an MA in Children’s Literature and is a Professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders. She was a judge on the 2020 British Fantasy Awards horror panel and the IPNE Annual Book Awards’ YA category and reviews YA for the British Fantasy Society.