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Underground > Creation >

Genres

All Acting Regiment

10:41 / 11.06.06

Okay, I'm interested in talking about writing in genres. I'm sure you've all got your own spin on this, so feel free to bring it to the table.

I'd like to start by putting this assertion up for criticism. It's something that came to me at night and I'd like to see what you think:

As a writer it is a bad idea to attempt to write in a specific genre, because the best writers in any particular genre were put there retro-actively- their writing was not done with that genre in mind, they were creating traditions rather than following conventions- a genre represents the collected features of several writers and by attempting to fit your writing into one you are limiting and placing expectations on yourself to unnecesarily copy these writers.

Phew. So, what do you think?

autran

11:19 / 11.06.06

Hmm. Couple of thoughts off the top...

I think that when Iain Banks writes science fiction (as Iain M. Banks) he is deliberately choosing a genre.

It's often stated that you should write the kind of thing that you like to read. That means picking a genre, doesn't it?

And some statements that I hope will provoke:

Genres are for the benefit of the market, not for the writer.

Genres are there because there is so much writing already that it demands classification. It is as disingenuous to suggest that there are general truths about fiction as it is to suggest that there are general truths about food.

TeN

16:01 / 11.06.06

just write.

if it winds up turning into something that's classifiable in a certain genre, fine. if not, that's cool too. I think choosing a genre prior to writing definitely limits yourself, and if you find yourself saying at any point "hmm, I can't put that, that's not very sf/fantasy/horror/crime/etc." then you should just wipe those thoughts right out of your head. even the best works in a particular genre are those that break traditions within that genre.

and now, for a quote...
"I have been a soreheaded occupant of a file drawer labeled 'Science Fiction' ... and I would like out, particularly since so many serious critics regularly mistake the drawer for a urinal."
- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Crestmere

18:09 / 11.06.06

I always thought of the way "genre" is used in publishing in a similar light as I saw the way Joseph Campbell is used in Hollywood.

Its not necessarily something that actually helps writers or creativity. Its something that is easy and clear cut for suits.

matthew.

18:18 / 11.06.06

Do the suits in Hollywood actually know Campbell by name and or by concept (monomyth) or are they simply familiar with genre conventions hammered out through the years?

The optimist in me hopes it's the suits being students of the monomyth, rather than the pessimist who says the latter.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

01:45 / 12.06.06

Probably a mixture of both. George Lucas specifically crafted his first Star Wars trilogy to coincide with the Monomyth, so it's known and probably influences things.

Crestmere

07:43 / 05.07.06

I thought it was hilarious that Harrison Ford threatened to tie up George Lucas and make him read his own dialogue.

Seriously, I think that more of the appeal of Star Wars comes from tying in to familiar science fiction tropes then appealing to something universal. I'm having an ongoing discussion with another writer about Campbell on my message board (http://ptstoryworkshop.proboards99.com) with me on the anti-Campbell side and him on the pro-Campbell side.

Honestly, my advice is to blend and queer genre as much as you want because genres are constantly evolving. Adapt it to whatever culture you're from and add as much socio-political content as you can. And develop your own voice, I can't tell you how important that is, your voice will sell mor ethen your genre ever could.

Sax

11:37 / 06.07.06

However. Do you want to be published by a mainstream publishing house? If so, "queering genres" is, unfortunately, pretty much commercial suicide at the moment. Trust me, I know from bitter experience. An editor might love your voice, but it's sales and marketing who have the final say, and when they want to know what genre the book is, if the answer is: "Um, it's kind of a psychological Western with supernatural undertones. And there's some SF stuff in there at the end, too" then - unless you're Stephen King - you're screwed.

Jack Fear

11:59 / 06.07.06

a psychological Western with supernatural undertones. And there's some SF stuff in there at the end, too

I think I read that Stephen King book, actually.

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