Writing and plans for In Defense of the Genre began in March 2006 during Say Anything's extensive touring and promotion for the reissue of their previous effort, …Is a Real Boy.

[3][4] Wood was assisted by Noah Goldstein at Electric Lady; additional recordings were made by Andy Jackson and Ross Petersen.

Wood mixed the recordings, before the album was mastered by Emily Lazar at The Lodge in New York City, with assistance from Joe LaPorta, in March 2007.

[6] Before the album was released, Bemis said it would deal with the "struggles with mental health offset by finding love for the first time".

"[9] It's the story of being alone and losing my mind and then overcoming that event by learning to trust and let go of that anger and fall in love for the first time.

It's also about losing that love and the confusion that entails after, and the nature of first love; discovering what you really want whether it be to give yourself totally to someone or explore the endless abyss and risk losing your mind again and that love.The album features 23 individual guest vocalists and musicians, including Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, Pete Yorn, Anna Waronker, Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday, Aaron Gillespie of Underoath and The Almost, Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio, and Hayley Williams of Paramore.

Additional instrumentation was handled by DJ Swamp and Casey Prestwood, who contributed on turntable and pedal steel guitar, respectively.

[11][12][13] In April and May 2007, Say Anything went on a co-headlining US tour with Saves the Day; the Almost, John Ralston, the Dear Hunter, and Manchester Orchestra supported on various dates.

[27][28] In March and April 2008, the band went on a headlining tour of the US with Manchester Orchestra, Biffy Clyro and Weatherbox as supporting acts.