Genre- Fiction

How can classifying books into genres be helpful to readers? How can it be problematic to writers?
  For readers it is helpful because it makes it easier to find specific books within a library. it also makes it easier for a reader to find other books they like, they know if they have read 3 books of the same genre and liked all of them then they will probably like others within that genre. It can be problematic to writers because it is very inconsistent. There is no system to being sorted into a genre, it is based solely on someone's opinion. Also it could be hard to pick the right genre, so many stories have multiple things in common and they could be sorted into many genres and it makes is hard to choose the right one.

Why does Nicholas Sparks believe it is unfair to call him a Romance novelist? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
   "I don't write romance novels." His preferred terminology: "Love stories — it's a very different genre. I would be rejected if I submitted any of my novels as romance novels." And I agree with him. I believe roman novels need to be very cut & dry. The girl falls in love with the boy and he falls in love back and they live happily ever after. No questions asked. But with a love story it's different, it's more realistic. The boy pines for the girl and then something goes wrong. Love stories don't always end happily, they tell love stories that could actually happen in life. Not fairy tales. 

Are popular works able to be "great", or does their popularity show that they're less artistic?
  "Who decided popular was not good and good was not popular?" ---- What a great question. But I also think you need to ask, if those that are great are popular? I recently read Wuthering Heights for AP Lit and (sorry Mrs. Roth) I didn't finish it. I couldn't do it. I was so very excited to read that book. I've heard so many good things about it, but I have never actually seen someone with it in their hands reading it. Everyone has always said it was a great story, good literature. But why don't more people read it? If it was/is so great why don't I see people on buses and benches sitting and reading for enjoyment? If it really is so great, why couldn't I finish it? I don't think popularity and greatness correlate. But I do believe popular can be great. If a lot of people are reading the same story there is obviously something about it that drags people in, doesn't that make it great? I believe so. I also think it has to do with who calls it great? If I say a book is great, it doesn't get pushed to the top any list. So whose opinion matters? And why can't they make better decision about what is great.