The Formulas of Popular Fiction: Elements of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Religious and Mystery Novels - Softcover

Faktorovich, Anna

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786474130 ISBN 13: 9780786474134

Publisher: McFarland, 2014

Synopsis

This book creates a taxonomy for the major bestselling fictional genres: romance (e.g., authors Heyer, Cartland, Woodiwiss and Roberts), religious and inspirational (Corelli and Douglas), mystery and detective (Conan Doyle, Christie and Mankell), and science fiction, horror and fantasy (Wells, Tolkien, Orwell, Niven, King and Rowling). Chapters look at a genre from its roots to its most recent works. The structural patterns in the plot, characters and setting of these genres are then explained.

The book also provides a critique of currently popular hyper-formulaic, hack, unliterary writings that have multiplied in recent decades. Special topics such as the publishing oligopoly and the resulting homogeneity among bestselling works and the steady movement from literary to unliterary fiction are also examined.

About this title

About the Author

Anna Faktorovich is the founder and director of the Anaphora Literary Press and the editor-in-chief of the Pennsylvania Literary Journal. She is working as an Assistant Professor of English at Dickinson State University. She previously taught English at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Middle Georgia College and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Dickinson, North Dakota.

Edition details

• Publisher: McFarland
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0786474130
• ISBN 13: 9780786474134
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224