The Visionary Fiction Alliance
I recently had the good fortune to come across the website of a group of like-minded writers who had formed the Visionary Fiction Alliance. Of course, I jumped in enthusiastically and joined. My effort to help make the “visionary” genre better known started ten years ago, after several grueling rounds with agents over an earlier version of my novel, The Anathemas (eventually published by Outskirts Press in 2010). My novel, like many of its type, a hybrid (literary/historical/paranormal/spiritual) that did not fit easily into the established genres, posed quite a problem to agents and publishers I discovered. And so the attempt to create an appropriate “slot” to accommodate the marketing problem began.
Early research led to Michael Gurian, better known as a social philosopher and author on child development, and his fledgling website visionaryfiction.org. Michael got my attention when he said: “Visionary fiction is fiction in which the expansion of the human mind drives the plot.” I intended to fall in step with his effort, only to discover that his professional work had crowded out his experimentation with VF. I made several further efforts to keep the “visionary” torch burning: through a now-defunct Yahoo discussion group, in a What is Visionary Literature? page and blog entries on my website, and by keeping in touch with visionary authors and readers I’d encountered over the years. I managed to toss some snowballs, but none set off the anticipated avalanche that the “visionary” genre seemed to deserves. If, as VFA author Jodine Turner says, “Visionary Fiction speaks the language of the soul. It offers a vision of humanity as we dream it could be,” then VF should be included on everyone’s reading list.
Perhaps somewhat the grizzled veteran of battles seemingly lost or the fool rushing in where only angels should be allowed to tread (apologies to Alexander Pope for the emendation), I join the Visionary Fiction Alliance optimistic over the vision of what the visionary genre can mature to be. There is still much to be done and it is going to take a team, but kudos to the VFA’s pioneers for the great progress so far, and I encourage all fellow visionary authors to check out the enlightening material and join our conversations on the Visionary Fiction Alliance’s website.
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Hi Victor, so glad you have joined us. So many authors seem to be discovering VF initially on the basis that their own fiction doesn’t quite fit any established slot – and seem to be caught between saying sci-fi or spiritual, both of which seem limiting.
Michael Gurian’s oft-quoted line sums up VF quite perfectly. 🙂
We certainly have a great team. I have a strong sense that VF will eventually be recognized. It’s already listed as a category online and in book contests. We’re getting there!
Hello Victor and welcome to Visionary Fiction Alliance. When I came across Hal Zina Bennett’s decription of visionary fiction in his article, Visionary Fiction: Rediscovering Ancient Paths to Truth (Spritual Writing: From Inspiration to Publication) way back in 2002, it so closely matched the type of novel I was writing that I thought my work had finally found a home. Unfortunately, that home turned out to be on an uncharted island in an unmapped world. Teachers, fellow writers, readers, and agents looked at me blankly whenever I proudly claimed vf as my genre. Over the years as one novel grew to four, I tried calling my work women’s fiction with paranormal elements, mainstream fiction, and upmarket fiction in order to “fit in” with agents and publishers. But these genres felt more like motel rooms than home, one step away from homelessness. I hope that, together, we at VFA can prove to the mainstream that visionary fiction has something of value to share, and, in the mean time, provide a nurturing shelter to other visionary writers looking for a home.
Victor,
I am so pleased you are now a part of the Visionary Fiction Alliance. I have found your thought filled comments and your insight to be a wonderful addition to this network of VF authors and readers.
I like how you put it – it certainly feels like we are ‘pioneers’ and path cutters to help delineate and carve out the niche for the VF genre. An uphill battle at times, as exemplified in your description of publishing and marketing your book. It is an experience all of the authors at VFA can relate to. I certainly can. My publishers asked me to categorize my latest novel in the popular Mature Young Adult genre. Sure, it fits, (although it was written mainly for adults) but the YA genre sort of misses the point! Hopefully we can make a difference with our combined efforts.
My passion is that our joined forces will allow us to go, as you said, where only angels dare to tread!