genre wars take it up a notch

I know, I know, I haven’t been here. I haven’t been anywhere much. Trying to stay focused on writing, and family stuff demanding a lot of time — the usual excuses.

Literary fiction is just another genre with a self-defined readership and a set of arbitrary conventions.

If you are yearning for some interesting and quite thought provoking reading, you might go here where Sarah Weinman has collected a list of posts on the most recent iteration of the genre wars (her term). You know, that literary fiction vs. all other fiction thing. Usually a new battle breaks out (as in this case) when a so-called litcrit type takes a swipe at a genre type. Almost always the litcrit type is spewing sour grapes. In this case (the criticism was of Stephen Hunter) I’d have to say the same.

At any rate. Have a look at the links (I especially recommend Laura Lippman’s take on all of this).

Or if you prefer, repeat my mantra (to the right) to yourself.