Use the Genre Map
The Genre Map is a dynamic interactive map that showcases the more than 60 genres to be found on Book Country. We created the Genre Map to help you find the right genre for your book. Our Genre Map is especially useful for writers who want to learn more about tricky literary categorizations, such as the difference between urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
To see the different genres, simply roll over the map with your cursor. Clicking on a genre will take you to that genre’s landing page which will also include that genre’s sub-genres. If you select mystery, fantasy, romance, science fiction, or thriller, for example, you can explore the many sub-genres within these categories. Some categories, however, such as women's fiction, stand alone. (If you don’t see a category on the Genre Map, please contact us.)
The Genre Map will also help you meet and connect with fellow writers who share the same love for your favorite genres. Connecting with fellow members over a shared appreciation for a specific genre is a great way to start friendships and build readerships on Book Country.
These FAQs will help you understand how to use the Genre Map to help your book reach its readers:
How does the Genre Map work?
How do I see a genre from the map in greater detail?
What’s a sub-genre?
Why isn’t the Genre Map loading?
How does the genre map work?
The Genre Map is a visual way of seeing the different literary categories and how they fit in with each other.
While we originally set out to give writers a tool to find the literary category that best suits their writing, the Genre Map has since been used in libraries, schools, and colleges as an educational tool.
With the genre map, we’ve made it easy for writers to find other writers who are working within the same literary category. From the main Genre Map page, you can select your top level category of interest from Fiction, Young Adult, or Nonfiction. From there you will be taken to the “family” page for this literary category with a description, landmark books, links to search Book Country titles in this genre as well as discussion forums.
From the top level genre page you can also drill down further by clicking on one of the sub-genre icons. For example, on the Mystery page, you will see sub-genres such as Cozy Mysteries, along with landmark titles and links to Book Country titles within that particular genre or sub-genre.
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How do I see a genre from the map in greater detail?
Click on a genre and you will be forwarded to that genre page. On the upper left hand corner, you will see the Book Country genre flag. Right next to the flag, you will find a short description of the genre and certain conventions that are usually found in the genre. Reading this description can help you find out whether your book fits the genre, and what the typical reader or agent of that genre is looking for.
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What’s a sub-genre?
In certain genre pages, you will also see a list of sub-genres right under the main genre flag. Clicking a sub-genre flag forwards you to that sub-genre page where you can read that genre’s description.
Below the genre flag is the "Landmark Titles” carousel. Scroll through this to find noteworthy books of that genre. Stephen King once said, “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” Reading popular titles in your genre will help you pick up genre conventions and popular trends so that your book is relevant to your audience.
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Why isn’t the genre map loading?
The Genre Map is a Flash file. If your browser or device does not support Flash files, you might not be able to load or view the map. Try updating your Flash player by downloading the latest version at https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer or by clicking the Flash icon from Tech Corner on your dashboard. If you have updated your player and still can’t get the map to load, don’t worry! Simply navigate to the Read & Review menu tab at the top of the screen, then hover over the Genres link. You’ll see your genre of choice listed. Click that genre and you’ll be taken to that Genre’s landing page, where you’ll find sub-genres, Landmark titles, and Book Country activity within that genre community.
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