If I’m being frank, setting up this website took far longer than I expected, and I already dislike the name. But I suppose that’s to be expected, considering my background is rooted in literature rather than technology. But somewhere between troubleshooting settings and tweaking pages, I found something unexpected: I love this. What began as a personal project has quickly turned into a new passion. I’ve been teaching myself everything from building pages and embedding playlists to creating a simple logo, managing links, and beginning to understand how web traffic and engagement actually work. I am about 5 hours in and excited to discover more. Nothing is perfect yet, but I’m proud of how far it’s come and even more excited about where it’s going!
I’ve always dreamed of having my own blog, but for a long time, I couldn’t quite decide what I wanted it to be about. This, predictably, led to a long stretch of thinking and not doing. But after much internal debate, I’ve finally landed on a theme: unearthing the weird and wonderful corners of literature. That being said, I can’t promise that everything will strictly adhere to this concept – occasionally my curiosity might wander. Nonetheless, I’ll do my best to make this space both interesting and diverse, so hopefully anyone who stumbles upon it might find something that piques their interest.
As for me, I’m a recent graduate with a degree in English and Philosophy. Over the past few months, I’ve found myself trapped in the torturous cycle of job applications and rejections. In the meantime, I’ve decided to create this blog, which will hopefully provide some purpose during my prolonged unemployment, offer a bit of intellectual stimulation (so I stop driving my mother insane), and maybe even add a new arrow to my ‘CV-quiver’ – at least I am honest!
The general structure of my blog will be simple: research, read, and discuss. I plan to start by exploring niche genres of literature I’ve never encountered before. I say specifically genres, because even many well-known authors have written works that didn’t reach widespread attention. However, my focus will remain on lesser-known authors and genres. If a genre I choose happens to strike you as far too mainstream to be considered “niche,” feel free to call me an ignorant fool and allow the unintended rage-bait to reel you in. You never know what might surprise you.
I intend for this blog to be a casual read, but I’ll try to weave in the occasional intellectual nugget along the way. While my focus will be on niche literary genres, I also hope to shine a light on the creative diversity that doesn’t always get mainstream attention. In my recent reading, I’ve noticed that many of the “TikTok-famous” authors, while undeniably consumable, tend to follow a similar framework: a strong female protagonist, an attractive male love interest, and the typical build-up to a climax or cliffhanger. As someone that was introduced to the delights of wattpad as a teenager, believe me when I say I have read all of the hits. While I can’t deny their appeal, I’m embarking on this journey to discover genres that exceed my expectations of what literature can achieve. Equally, my academic and personal experiences with canonical authors like Austen, Chaucer, and Wharton have been delightful (after all, they’re famous and seminal for a reason), but I’m now eager to explore something completely new.
From the surreal edges of speculative fiction to the lesser-known movements in poetry, there’s an entire realm of literature I intend to delve into. For instance, genres such as weird fiction, which blends horror, fantasy, and the uncanny in ways that defy traditional storytelling. Another genre that fascinates me is slipstream fiction, which mixes speculative elements with the mundane, creating stories that feel both fantastical and grounded in reality. Or bizarro fiction that embraces the absurd, surreal, and sometimes downright strange.
Through these genres, I hope to spark your curiosity and challenge my own understanding of literature. The literary world is vast, and I’m excited to explore it in all its weird and wonderful forms. Whether you’re a seasoned reader or just dipping your toes into something new, I hope you’ll find something here that intrigues you and encourages you to explore further.
The Literary Fringe 