steepholm

Yes, I think a lot of the annoyance does come from that kind of ignorance, real or feigned. It's justifiable stroppiness too, imho.

The Venn diagram idea is nice, and corresponds to what a_d_medievalist and sheenaghpugh say about crossing genres, I guess. Those intersections are often the liveliest place on the Petri dish of literature. I'd be less happy with any idea that one can 'transcend' genre rather than mix genres, however (not that you're suggesting that, I'm just digressing), insofar as it implies that some kinds of writing - e.g. the "literary novel" - are free of generic convention.