Genre? What genre?

After you write something, the real stuff (non-fiction) or fake (fiction), the first thing you seem to run into is...genre.

What is the genre of your work?

How do I know? I just wrote the thing. It's all made up.

It's all made up, you say? Well, it's not non-fiction, for sure.

I know Syfy. That's science fiction. I have no aliens or space travel. It's not syfy.

It takes place in this century, current day. It's not historical fiction.

There is no major love story. It's not a romance. Or chick lit.

There are no explicit sex scenes. It's not erotica. Or mommy porn.

It's not a graphic novel. I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. That's just a comic book for grownups.

There are no detectives or spies. It's not espionage.

There are no lawyers or court rooms. It's not a legal thriller.

We know all of the characters and what they're doing. We just don't know if they'll succeed. It's not a mystery.

Its target audience is the adult reader. Therefore, it's not YA: young adult.

It has no pictures. It's not children's or youth.

It's not high-brow, esoteric fiction. IE: literary fiction.

So, what the hell have I written?

Wikipedia gives these genres:
Fiction
Comedy
Drama
Horror
Non-fiction
Realistic fiction
Romance novel
Satire
Tragedy
Tragicomedy
Fantasy
Mythology

If you continue reading their page, they list 25 more fiction genres from which one can choose.

I've read literary agency websites, writing blogs, author/agent/publisher websites until I'm cross-eyed. They all have slightly different definitions of genre parameters.

I want it to sell. I want it to appeal to a men and women. It has some suspense. It has a little deviant sex. It has sad, lost love. It has a psycho liar and a transvestite. A few laws are skirted. Others flat out broken. It ends in success for some. Death for others.

I think my novel is a commercial crime/thriller.

Thanks for stopping by.

Be Sweet.

Susan