Shawn and Tim discuss literary vs commercial fiction, genre's role in the publishing industry, obligatory scenes in romantic comedies, the importance of reading great books in your genre, fascination with nonfiction, and aspects of genre in storytelling.
Genre choices narrow down the focus, provide a specific feel, and help in marketing a book effectively.
Deciding the level of reality in a story impacts the setting, characters, and overall tone.
Determining the time frame influences the scope and depth of the narrative.
Understanding the desired content and structure guides the plotting and overall development of the story.
Deep dives
The Importance of Genre and Making Genre Choices
Genre choices are crucial in writing, as they narrow down the focus and provide a specific feel to a story. By knowing the genre, a writer can identify the conventions and obligatory scenes that need to be included in the story. Understanding the genre also helps to set expectations for readers and aids in marketing the book effectively. It is essential for writers to have a clear understanding of the genre they are writing in and the goals they want to achieve with their work.
The Significance of Reality in Genre
Reality is one of the five elements to consider when choosing a genre. It involves deciding the level of reality within the story, such as fantasy, realism, factualism, or absurdism. This decision impacts the setting, characters, and overall tone of the story. For example, in fantasy, the writer creates a world with magical elements, while in realism, the story reflects real-life situations. Understanding the desired level of reality helps to shape the narrative and create a consistent experience for the reader.
The Role of Time in Genre Selection
Determining the time frame or length of a project is another crucial aspect of genre selection. Writers need to decide if they want to write a short story, a novel, or even serialize their work. Understanding the time frame helps to structure the story effectively and manage reader expectations. Whether it's a short, self-contained tale or a sprawling epic, the decision on time frame influences the scope and depth of the narrative.
The Influence of Content and Structure in Genre
The content and structure of a story are also important considerations in genre selection. Content refers to the actual subject matter, such as mystery, western, science fiction, etc. Writers should explore the conventions and themes inherent in their chosen genre and strive to incorporate them effectively. Structure refers to the narrative structure, such as linear or non-linear storytelling, multiple perspectives, or experimental forms. Understanding the desired content and structure helps guide the plotting and overall development of the story.
The Role of Style in Genre
Style involves the author's unique voice and writing style in relation to the chosen genre. It encompasses elements like tone, language, and narrative techniques. Different genres may require different stylistic approaches, such as a more lyrical style in literary fiction or a faster-paced, dialogue-driven style in thriller novels. Considering the desired style helps to create a consistent and engaging reading experience for the audience within the genre.
Understanding Genres and Conventions
Genres help shape the structure of a story, ensuring that readers have certain expectations. Whether it's a love story or a war story, each genre has its own conventions, such as the presence of specific characters or settings. Conventions create familiarity and conflict, like the third-wheel character in a love story or battle scenes in a war story. Obligatory scenes, on the other hand, are specific moments that readers or viewers expect and if they're missing, it can disappoint them. For example, in a love story, the obligatory scenes could be the meet cute, first kiss, and the proof of love scene.
Serialization and Breaking Up a Novel
When writing a novel, considering how it can be serialized into multiple parts can add an extra layer of engagement for readers. Breaking the novel into five pieces or acts can help maintain the reader's interest and create climactic moments within each section. The goal is to leave readers excited to continue to the next part. It is important to plan each section carefully, ensuring that there is a cliffhanger at the end to entice readers to continue. Maintaining engagement and constantly challenging oneself to outdo previous sections can lead to a compelling and successful serialized novel.
