I've been toying with where to pigeonhole The Yak Guy Project when I finally finish it. It occurred to me there are a whole bunch of new categories that I might explore.
It all started with cyberpunk. It soon branched out into some of these other genres:
- Steampunk
- Dieselpunk
- Biopunk
- Clockpunk
- Splatterpunk
- Elfpunk
- Magepunk
- Wizardpunk
- Atompunk
It seems to me the common denominator is punk. A big part of this is because everyone likes to make up new words. It's like a word for a celebrity couple, like Benifer or Kimye. In other words, it doesn't mean squat. Oh, and it also all seems to involve one of the speculative genres.
Let's pretend there is something to all this for a moment. These things involve alternate realities. Heck, I could get into that. I write stuff like that. They generally involve whatever fictional world being under complete control of the first half of the term. Steampunk = Steam, get it.
The punk part usually means that some fringe person or group doesn't agree with the status quo. They go on to face the villain using their mastery of the same technology everyone else has.
All in all it isn't a bad way of telling a story. I just don't love the terms. They tell me something about the era, and give me an idea of what to expect though. Dieselpunk means I expect a specific era in time, say from WWI to about the birth of the atomic age, after that it's atompunk.
Maybe my novel will spawn a whole new genre, yakpunk. In fact, I can see a whole bunch of new genres in my future, providing they don't already exist:
Monsterpunk – Frankenstein, darn.
Robotpunk – I Robot.
Apepunk…nope.
Alright, let me try again:
- Flintpunk – a stone age political thriller involving tribes and species.
- Bowpunk – angsty young archers storm the castle.
- Rocketpunk – may already exist.
- Bronzepunk – Are we not entertained?
- Punkpunk – a late 20th century setting with lots of music.
- Circuspunk – crazed clowns are overthrown by freaks riding circus elephants.
- Crudepunk – the oil industry battles the EPA over leases and nature preserves.
- Ritalinpunk – just, no.
- NASCARpunk – self explanatory.
- Junkpunk – everyone lives in a junkyard and government scavengers are taking all the best junk.
- Spelunkpunk – everyone lives in caves, and access to daylight is denied. Thank god for some wild eyed youths.
- Cowpunk – westerns with oppressive controls in place.
- Romancepunk – despite an oppressive regime, love conquers all.
- Heropunk – everyone is a hero. A group of outcast youths become villains to balance the scales.
- 50shadespunk – everyone is a sex weirdo, but a group of friendship ring wearing virgins stand up for their rights.
- Authorpunk – in a world where everyone is an author (Somebody help me. Send beer.)
- Artillerypunk – (I'm not kidding, send beer.)
- Siliconebarbiepunk – (Maybe something stronger)
I am SO genre biased. I really am. I pride myself on being open-minded, but the amount of time I spend reading and the length of my TBR dictate choices must be made.
I’ve got two kids obsessed with steampunk, but the rest of it’s pretty lost on me.
I roared at “Are we not entertained?” Fabulous! 😀 Much LOL down the list, I’m sending you imaginary whisky without the e.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Much obliged. Tonight I’m drinking whiskey from Ireland. So I have to add the E.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gotcha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
When you get down to it, it’s all John Shirley’s fault. Many years ago he was in a Punk band, and he was also a science fiction writer. His work was kind of edgy, kind of New Wave revival (“City Come A Walkin'” is probably his most famous). I’m pretty sure that it was he who first started using the word “Cyberpunk” to describe the kind of SF he wrote.
Then other guys started being described by that term, and two of them were William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, who decided to get together and write an Alternate History novel called “The Difference Engine.” It was set in early 19th Century Europe and used the idea that gear-based calculating machines brought about the computer revolution in that era. Since it was involved steam-powered technology and was written by Cyberpunk authors, the book was called “Steampunk”.
The rest, as they say, is history.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s how I understand it too. It’s funny how people picked up on it, and bastardized it into multiple genres today.
LikeLike
This made me laugh out loud. Let’s just go with Boyacpunk – edgey speculative fiction written by C S Boyack 😉
LikeLiked by 4 people
Might be for the best, although yakpunk has a certain ring to it, if you imagine a tiny parrot saying it over and over.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I take it he appeared in the bottom of your whiskey glass last night!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Could be. Right now I’m imagining him as somewhat less annoying than the bulldog who wants all the people to wake up now and play with him. Everyone else is still trying to sleep.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The number of main genres is sufficient, as there are lots of great subgenres to enhance the classification of our works; Yakpunk would fit in there, Craig. 🙂
I love the idea of Boyackpunk – a great categorisation! Let’s invent a middle layer between main genres and subgenres – the perfect spot for BOYACKpunk. I just started dreaming of a shirt with ‘Confessing Boyackpunk addict – luckily there is no cure.’ on it.
LikeLiked by 3 people
That’s funny. Thanks, Karen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Solarpunk amd hydropunk? Didn’t realize there was more beyond Steampunk and Cyberpunk. Seems excessive after that, but I guess I understand Magepunk. I’m a genre author with fantasy and dystopia, so I’m fine with the overall idea. It does seem to be getting nuts with too much refinement. It’s like majoring in writing haiku about snow on Everest. Far too exact and specific. Soon every author will be their own genre. Lloydpunk and Windemerepunk it will be. Plus side is we all get the number 1 spot of an Amazon list.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I like your thinking. Once we all have our own genre, we will always be number one. It’s almost like the participation trophy of literature.
LikeLike
When everyone is #1 then nobody is. Anarchy will (ironically) reign!
LikeLiked by 1 person
And with anarchy, it starts all over again. Just waiting for some cool kids in sunglasses to save the day.
LikeLike
Don’t forget the leather jackets and spiked hair.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have to have those.
LikeLike
I think I’ve seen a group using the term solarpunk. If I remember correctly, they were applying it to stories envisioning a brighter future, so it’s kind of anti-punk.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Would not have seen that use coming. I was just thinking of solar-powered machines.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Anti-punk punks. What’s this genre coming to?
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL! I’ll read just about anything, punk or otherwise. That whiskey must of been some good stuff… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now now, I didn’t tuck into my first round until I was halfway finished.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I’m not sure if you intended or not this post to be funny, but I laughed out loud reading the categories you so cleverly created. Junkpunk is awesome, among others. Authorpunm is great. Oh, you’ll make Shakespeare jealous, trust me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was trying to be funny, but make the point that there could be too many genres.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Too many punks for sure! 😛 Seriously, I think Apepunk is definitely is a kosher genre, but Terry Pratchett did it so well (with his wizardly Librarian turned into an Orang-utan in a near-apocalyptic accident) nobody else can compare… 🙂
I’m embarking into Arthurian territory so I’m leaning towards Wyrdpunk myself just now – nice bit of word-messin’ goin’ on there too so you can take it in several directions… 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had Charlton Heston in mind for my apepunk. Ooh, Merlinpunk!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Roddy MacDowell or Andy Serkis would do well too! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
True. Roddy was classic, and Andy is everywhere these days.
LikeLike
Very clever, Craig. Enjoyed this one. Springbreakpunk will be a genre about continuous humorous antics of beer-crazed stupid people who should not be allowed in public. (Shoot me now)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Heck with the novel, you’ve discovered a major motion picture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha.:-D
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hilarious! Lets just skip to the beer… I think its needed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Celtpunk anyone?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love that! The Celtpunk Trilogy… got a great ring to it! 😂😂😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahahahahaha!!!! Love your definitions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No one is safe. How about some forensicspunk?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cryptopunk!!! Count me and the Mothman in, LOL.
This has to be one of your most entertaining posts. My favorite was Circuspunk.
When it comes to genre categories in general, yeah a few of them are getting out of hand. Although it could be that writers are producing more works that don’t fit standard categories. I think that has to do with the rise of indie and small press authors. We’re not limited to the whims of the Big 5.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You may have hit the nail on the head. Big publishing isn’t in complete control anymore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
All these punks, lol. I think fantasy, horror, romance etc. are enough, but hey, if you like one of these, go ahead!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m with you, but admit that things change.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sign me up for the Witchpunk.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds perfect.
LikeLike
Pingback: Writing Links 3/20/17 – Where Genres Collide
I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard in a while. My dogs are looking at me like I’m nuts.
I think I’m partial to Yakpunk, with Junkpunk and Spelunkpunk close runners up. I think I’ll pass on 50Shadespunk, though.
Great stuff, here, Craig.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you enjoyed my dissertation on genres.
LikeLike
Spelunkpunk wins for being the most fun to say … as long as you don’t say it too many times.
I don’t think you can be the founding father of flintpunk, that might have to go to whoever wrote Clan of the Cave Bear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dang, you may be right about flintpunk. Spelunkpunk does have a nice ring to it. It’s either a genre, or a rock band for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person