--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Genre categories are irrelevant. I…" description: "\"Genre categories are irrelevant. I dislike them, but I do not have the casting vote.\" — Tanith Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/tanith-lee-3374_casting_genre-categories-are-irrelevant-i-dislik_2782781.jpg" --- # Genre categories are irrelevant. I dislike them, but I do… ![“Genre categories are irrelevant. I dislike them, but I do not have the casting vote.” quote by Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/tanith-lee-3374_casting_genre-categories-are-irrelevant-i-dislik_2782781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/tanith-lee-3374_casting_genre-categories-are-irrelevant-i-dislik_2782781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/tanith-lee-3374_casting_genre-categories-are-irrelevant-i-dislik_2782781.jpg) > “Genre categories are irrelevant. I dislike them, but I do not have the casting vote.” [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Genre labels are unhelpful; the author dislikes them but cannot dictate their use for others. **In simple terms:** Genres are limiting, yet they persist. Key Takeaway Create beyond genre constraints. Themes creativity genre artistic freedom literature Mood critical reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - publishing decisions - marketing - reader expectations - academic analysis Key Concepts literary theory postmodernism identity Questions to Reflect On - Should we abandon genre entirely? - How do genres shape our reading? A Different Perspective Genres can help readers find works. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Casting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casting/) [Categories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/categories/) [Categories Irrelevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/categories-irrelevant-3322951/) [Dislike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dislike/) [Dislike Casting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dislike-casting-3322953/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Genre Categories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre-categories-3322952/) [Irrelevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrelevant/) [Irrelevant Dislike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrelevant-dislike-3322954/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [There's a long-standing (50 year old) flame war within the field over whether it's "sci-fi" or "SF".SF has traditionally been looked down on by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/there-s-a-long-standing-50-year-old-flame-war-within-the-field-over/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [You know what somebody else's fundraise metrics are to you? Irrelevant. You know what your own last round post was? Irrelevant. Yes, I know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-roizen/you-know-what-somebody-else-s-fundraise-metrics-are-to-you-irrelevant/) [Heidi Roizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-roizen/) > [For the longest time in Denmark I didn't want to say what I was politically. I thought it was irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/for-the-longest-time-in-denmark-i-didn-t-want-to-say-what-i-was/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [Let me put it bluntly: anyone who says that money isn't important doesn't have any! Rich people understand the importance of money and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/let-me-put-it-bluntly-anyone-who-says-that-money-isn-t-important/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [All Playboy bunnies were constantly reminded that the TV show was Hugh Hefner's show - our contributions were irrelevant. We were the decorative icing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-madison/all-playboy-bunnies-were-constantly-reminded-that-the-tv-show-was/) [Holly Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-madison/) > [I don't spend much time thinking about whether God exists. I don't consider that a relevant question. It's unanswerable and irrelevant to my life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-kaminer/i-don-t-spend-much-time-thinking-about-whether-god-exists-i-don-t/) [Wendy Kaminer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-kaminer/) > [Books should confuse. Literature abhors the typical. Literature flows to the particular, the mundane, the greasiness of paper, the taste of warm beer, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/books-should-confuse-literature-abhors-the-typical-literature-flows/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [“Your size is irrelevant to your ability to find fulfillment, purpose, love, a sense of worthiness, and the ovaries to not give a fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jes-baker/your-size-is-irrelevant-to-your-ability-to-find-fulfillment-purpose/) [Jes Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jes-baker/) > [Committing to providing greater opportunities for disabled actors should include writing disabilities into more roles where it is irrelevant to the storyline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccausland/committing-to-providing-greater-opportunities-for-disabled-actors/) [Chris McCausland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccausland/) > [There's none as deaf as those who won't listen. I get letters. If they are moronic, they go in the wastepaper basket, but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bates/there-s-none-as-deaf-as-those-who-won-t-listen-i-get-letters-if-they/) [Ken Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bates/) > [One Irrelevant thought, that started out as a Spark could be a Poisonous Dart that leaves a Permanent mark on that paper thin Heart .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-strong/one-irrelevant-thought-that-started-out-as-a-spark-could-be-a/) [One-\_\_\_-Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-strong/) > [I guess I make a lot of stupid comments that are, like, pretty irrelevant to a lot of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-bellinger/i-guess-i-make-a-lot-of-stupid-comments-that-are-like-pretty/) [Cody Bellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-bellinger/) > [There are big lines between those who play video games and those who do not. For those who don't, video games are irrelevant. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeru-miyamoto/there-are-big-lines-between-those-who-play-video-games-and-those-who/) [Shigeru Miyamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeru-miyamoto/) > [Somebody's going to hear a song that will key in a nerve or something in their experience that represents their own vision. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/somebody-s-going-to-hear-a-song-that-will-key-in-a-nerve-or-something/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [In an economy increasingly dominated by network effects, peer-to-peer transactions, self-regulation, and contract labor, the old frameworks are woefully irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anand-giridharadas/in-an-economy-increasingly-dominated-by-network-effects-peer-to-peer/) [Anand Giridharadas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anand-giridharadas/) ## More by Tanith Lee > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [The humble were the elect of God. Did not the priests teach so, in their gemmed, kingly robes, from their towering pulpits?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/the-humble-were-the-elect-of-god-did-not-the-priests-teach-so-in/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Having told of so much beauty, how is it possible to tell of her? There are no words left on the earth in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/having-told-of-so-much-beauty-how-is-it-possible-to-tell-of-her-there/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [As a child, my mother told me lots of fairy stories, many her own invention. She, too, tended to reverse the norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/as-a-child-my-mother-told-me-lots-of-fairy-stories-many-her-own/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Often misunderstood, Dionysus is far more than a wine deity. He is the Breaker of Chains, who rescues not only the flesh but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/often-misunderstood-dionysus-is-far-more-than-a-wine-deity-he-is-the/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [In the usual way I submitted manuscripts to publishers. This was not so much a feeling that I should be published as a wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/in-the-usual-way-i-submitted-manuscripts-to-publishers-this-was-not/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [Whatever the hell I am, I am Me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/whatever-the-hell-i-am-i-am-me/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [If they had said my writing wasn't good enough, fair enough, that's an opinion. But to say it's too complex is to insult the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/if-they-had-said-my-writing-wasn-t-good-enough-fair-enough-that-s-an/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Louisa beheld the grounds and house with the calm pleasure of one who has seen nothing, been nowhere, expects everything, and has little imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/louisa-beheld-the-grounds-and-house-with-the-calm-pleasure-of-one-who/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Live and let love. Love and let go. Go live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/live-and-let-love-love-and-let-go-go-live/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [Pirates have always fascinated me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/pirates-have-always-fascinated-me/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“All the Scarabae—all but one—were crowded in the garden. They watched her. Their grim old faces gave away nothing. Like elderly kiddies at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/all-the-scarabae-all-but-one-were-crowded-in-the-garden-they-watched/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“She did this not out of fear of him, but out of pity. Because she had come to see the ultimate terrible truth behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/she-did-this-not-out-of-fear-of-him-but-out-of-pity-because-she-had/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [Writing is writing, and stories are stories. Perhaps the only true genres are fiction and nonfiction. And even there, who can be sure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/writing-is-writing-and-stories-are-stories-perhaps-the-only-true/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [“Tanaquil gently toed the peeve. "I'll unfasten the window. Jump out to the lower roof and run." "Stay and bite," said the peeve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/tanaquil-gently-toed-the-peeve-i-ll-unfasten-the-window-jump-out-to/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) [Explore all 131 Tanith Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) ## More Casting quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm being called in by all the great casting directors. It's no longer based on a headshot. I realize now what they're buying is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-gonzalez/i-m-being-called-in-by-all-the-great-casting-directors-it-s-no-longer/) [Nicholas Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-gonzalez/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [There's a certain feeling of giving, a certain feeling of generosity in love songs. When you sing a song of love, you're actually giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/there-s-a-certain-feeling-of-giving-a-certain-feeling-of-generosity/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [It would have been an interesting run if we hadn't gotten along! It was good casting, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-west/it-would-have-been-an-interesting-run-if-we-hadn-t-gotten-along-it/) [Dominic West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-west/) > [People are always casting me for what they call my 'authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/people-are-always-casting-me-for-what-they-call-my-authority/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) > [So here I sit in the early candle-light of old age-I and my book-casting backward glances over out travel'd road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/so-here-i-sit-in-the-early-candle-light-of-old-age-i-and-my-book/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I guess my height has hurt me as much as it's helped me. In comedy people don't mind casting tall women next to shorter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-janney/i-guess-my-height-has-hurt-me-as-much-as-it-s-helped-me-in-comedy/) [Allison Janney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-janney/) > [I don't think anyone went the polls and said, 'I am casting my vote to make sure that Wall Street has better chances to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/i-don-t-think-anyone-went-the-polls-and-said-i-am-casting-my-vote-to/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I think Michael Crawford realised, I think we all realised, once we'd gone the route of casting a very young girl, you can't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lloyd-webber/i-think-michael-crawford-realised-i-think-we-all-realised-once-we-d/) [Andrew Lloyd Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lloyd-webber/) > [Seen from the point of view of the composer, the most nonsensical practice is that of casting people in musicals who are unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gold/seen-from-the-point-of-view-of-the-composer-the-most-nonsensical/) [Ernest Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gold/) > [I spend a long time casting, but once I've cast a film there's a reason why I selected those people. So I'm hands-on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-spend-a-long-time-casting-but-once-i-ve-cast-a-film-there-s-a/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [That's the fun thing of casting a show. I'm a pretty strong believer that TV makes stars, not the other way around. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kring/that-s-the-fun-thing-of-casting-a-show-i-m-a-pretty-strong-believer/) [Tim Kring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kring/) > [AMC has a track record for finding actors who have been working actors but not names yet and casting them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mireille-enos/amc-has-a-track-record-for-finding-actors-who-have-been-working/) [Mireille Enos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mireille-enos/) > [I have to speak for myself. As far as videos go - casting, the artwork, everything - I'm completely hands-on. You have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink/i-have-to-speak-for-myself-as-far-as-videos-go-casting-the-artwork/) [Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink/) [Browse all 858 Casting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Genre categories are irrelevant. 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