#AtoZChallenge: Genres–Academic Novels

The A to Z Challenge asks bloggers to post 26 articles on a themed topic. It’s supposed to be every day except Sundays during the month of April but I find that too busy and decided to post mine ‘about’ twice a month. Yes, it’ll take me a year. Sigh.

My topic, like the last three times, will be writing genres.

This genre:

Academic Novels

Definition

set on a campus; sometimes called a ‘campus novel’

Tips

1. Place the main action in and around the campus of a university or a boarding school.
2. Tell the story from the viewpoint of faculty rather than students (the latter are called varsity novels).
3. Make the characters idiosyncratic, and thus engaging and interesting.
4. Students should face unambiguous hierarchies as they progress through the plot.
5. A popular approach is to compare older academic views with younger student ones.
6. Sprinkle in cliques and class details and charismatic professors.

Popular Books

1. The Groves of Academe by Mary McCarty
2. The Professor’s House by Willa Cather
3. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
4. The Masters by CP Snow
5. Normal People by Sally Rooney 
6. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
7. Real Life by Brandon Taylor
8. Girl Unknown by Karen Perry

Click for complete list of these 26 genres

Click for a complete list of all genres I’ve written about

More A Genres:

• Alternative History
• American Realism
• Anthology

Help me crowdsource the books for my genres

This year, instead of searching for popular books in each genre, I’ll crowdsource them–include books as often as possible written by Indie authors. That means yours. Here’s how you get involved:

• Go through the list of genres (and subgenres) below. They are less common than the usual so you’ll have to read the definitions and decide where your books fit. If you’re close, that’s good enough. For example: If you write suspenseful historical fiction, add your name to “historical suspense”.
• In the comments, tell me your name, your book, a link to where it’s sold, and the genre it fits.
• If no genre fits your books, give me your favorites in a genre. I’ll still credit you with a linkback.
• When I get to that genre (between April 1, 2021 and about two years later), I’ll put your book in the list of examples with a link to where it can be purchased. If you suggested a book, I’ll link to your blog.

That’s it! I sure hope you play along with me on this!

Here’s the genre list (links aren’t live until publication).

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Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Man vs. Nature saga, and the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice,  a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Laws of Nature, Summer 2021.