tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post1400346740800768703..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: Are Genre Conventions Important?Stephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-40635178884712325482015-11-07T15:41:03.275-06:002015-11-07T15:41:03.275-06:00THANK YOU for this post! I've read a number of...THANK YOU for this post! I've read a number of articles taking a negative spin on genre conventions, but thank you for validating them! Of course an original twist makes all the difference, but after reading some particularly sarcastic posts singling out fantasy tropes like chosen ones and prophecies (both of which I have in my book), I was questioning myself. You've reminded me that these archetypes are common because an audience actually likes them.<br /><br />Now let's hope that meshing high fantasy and contemporary, and throwing in a transform-into-dragons element, are enough to keep things interesting and original... ;)Tracey Dyckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03445222618456673198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-31066191649783065772015-11-06T17:20:15.593-06:002015-11-06T17:20:15.593-06:00I've actually got a problem with romance. I ki...I've actually got a problem with romance. I kind of...hate it. But it seems to be all I can write. It's just that the "boy meets girl" thing doesn't work for me. It ticks me off. Makes me want to close the book and go "Ugh, no, not this." (when it's another genre before romance, I mean.)<br /><br />The lenght of a book or movie just seems too short for me to see any couple of characters meeting in it as a romance. Seriously. So I always try to step around it however I can- they already know each other, they used to know each other, they're already a couple... But does a story about a couple overcoming obstacles only to break up and Mister Mister to go back to his ex count as a romance anymore? It DOES kind of follow the "meeting, losing, happy ending" formula...for said ex. <br /><br />I tend to do that a lot. Start at the "losing" point. But I digress.<br /><br />Am I the only one who wants to be surprised when reading a romance?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-83161568134742500972015-11-06T10:48:19.569-06:002015-11-06T10:48:19.569-06:00Thanks so much guys! Lily, I'm gonna try this ...Thanks so much guys! Lily, I'm gonna try this out as soon as I can. It sounds like pure AWESOMENESS.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03465957545134125403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-50750994731066313832015-11-06T10:29:25.815-06:002015-11-06T10:29:25.815-06:00Great advice! When I brainstorm new ideas, I'm...Great advice! When I brainstorm new ideas, I'm usually trying to come at it from a high concept idea avenue in hopes that it will be appealing to the masses. Perhaps this post will help: http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com/2014/08/what-is-high-concept-pitch-and-how-do.htmlJill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-89749914107440882162015-11-05T08:33:26.967-06:002015-11-05T08:33:26.967-06:00And I would add to Lily's fun idea that if you...And I would add to Lily's fun idea that if you're going to commit to this new story then it must be something that gets you excited. So whether it's a fun new character or a message you want to convey or a shiny new made up world I hope you find it :)<br /><br />DeborahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-58490633474877738582015-11-05T07:15:18.888-06:002015-11-05T07:15:18.888-06:00What I like to do is write down a bunch of random ...What I like to do is write down a bunch of random things on slips of paper in three stacks: people, places, and times. I'll grab two slips of paper from the people stack for my protagonist and antagonist, and however many I need for the setting and time. It ends up being completely random and weird, and usually my brain can come up with something. You could also try adding a stack of basic plot lines and see how adding the different elements will change it.<br />Good luck!Lily Spinnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-23209520451133511062015-11-05T02:22:22.277-06:002015-11-05T02:22:22.277-06:00I sorta knew about genre conventions before, almos...I sorta knew about genre conventions before, almost unknowingly I suppose. <br /><br />PS - I've been brainstorming a new story, and I'm sort of stuck. Any tips on thinking of a new, original story?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03465957545134125403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-21761748173933431852015-11-04T22:05:37.060-06:002015-11-04T22:05:37.060-06:00That's funny! I'm doing a guy stuck betwee...That's funny! I'm doing a guy stuck between two girls. He's Norse and one of the girls is an outcast, the other is a homeless girl from a modern day culture. I think it's just easier for girls to write love triangles around girls rather than guys, and I personally hate the stereotypical love triangle. And it's hard to do a guy POV in the first place. It takes practice like everything. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-47644194590853967242015-11-04T21:38:47.912-06:002015-11-04T21:38:47.912-06:00I read a book where a love pentagon ended with the...I read a book where a love pentagon ended with the girl dying, leaving all her lovers to mourn. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-42965753163884832532015-11-04T19:39:05.426-06:002015-11-04T19:39:05.426-06:00Thanks so much everybody! :D Oh and to Lily Spinne...Thanks so much everybody! :D Oh and to Lily Spinner, it's steampunk in the future with a magical realm. That is how it meshes. And I suppose that I could add aliens. It's a strange enough story that it wouldn't be out of place there. Thanks so much for the feed back. Very helpful :DEmma Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17789949390534981103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-40604866745294444982015-11-04T19:25:24.413-06:002015-11-04T19:25:24.413-06:00I totally agree with you, Katie. We should all try...I totally agree with you, Katie. We should all try to add twists to the genres to present something unique in our stories. I, too, am tired of the love triangle, though I haven't seen too many where there is one guy and two girls. So maybe someone should try that one! LOLJill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-72066434765691055922015-11-04T19:23:57.213-06:002015-11-04T19:23:57.213-06:00Sounds like you're right on track, Chatlotte! ...Sounds like you're right on track, Chatlotte! :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-56961347375825408472015-11-04T18:59:05.465-06:002015-11-04T18:59:05.465-06:00Yes, the publishing industry always WAY overdoes i...Yes, the publishing industry always WAY overdoes it when a trend emerges---to the point that readers get sick of it. Which is another way genre conventions change---because they became over-saturated. However, that should be true in the romance genre as well, but it's not. People who love romance tend to love the predictability of it. It's a safe form of entertainment. They know what they're getting into and that's exactly the story they want to get into.<br />Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-25330586454629021882015-11-04T18:55:28.723-06:002015-11-04T18:55:28.723-06:00Emma D,
I don't think it would be turned down...Emma D, <br />I don't think it would be turned down for genre clashing---unless the rejection was based only on a verbal pitch (because it might have confused the editor/agent). For a verbal pitch, I'd pick the top two genres and not mention the other two. Those will come out in your writing. And a story is purchased based on your writing ability. Just have fun writing it for now.<br /><br />Anonymous, <br />That sounds like a fun way to make a story unique! :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-52951506966239018562015-11-04T18:50:23.025-06:002015-11-04T18:50:23.025-06:00Good job on the genre mashing, guys! Fantasy fairy...Good job on the genre mashing, guys! Fantasy fairy mysteries sound cool!Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-37787923500427608452015-11-04T18:49:06.233-06:002015-11-04T18:49:06.233-06:00Sounds like you're on the right track to fit b...Sounds like you're on the right track to fit both the YA and the fantasy genres, Linea. :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-38478088046148890802015-11-04T18:07:53.522-06:002015-11-04T18:07:53.522-06:00You're fine! Tone has a lot to do with it too....You're fine! Tone has a lot to do with it too. <br />My WIP has several different time periods smashed together. One culture is a mix of Egyptians and the Old West topped off with a modern day military. My genre is however ...<br />Fantasy. <br />It meets all the genre conventions too, just in a less conventional way. <br /><br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-30263544114441728892015-11-04T16:40:05.588-06:002015-11-04T16:40:05.588-06:00I kinda knew about genre conventions, but didn'...I kinda knew about genre conventions, but didn't actually know of any until I read this post today. Right now, I'm writing a fantasy story and almost every single tconvention fit into it. Some had to be stretched a bit, but I think they still count.<br /><br />I also love the idea of combining different genres and conventions. Or just plain breaking them. Like Bookishqueen said above, a lot of people are getting tired of the love triangle, so it would be really cool to see a twist on that concept. Or maybe just a love triangle in horror or something.<br /><br />~K.A.C.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17431543441334581991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-18922584208401847652015-11-04T15:00:28.712-06:002015-11-04T15:00:28.712-06:00Thanks! Good luck to you too.Thanks! Good luck to you too.Lily Spinnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-1275735882717654692015-11-04T14:59:05.661-06:002015-11-04T14:59:05.661-06:00If Bookishqueen means the Parasol Protectorate and...If Bookishqueen means the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School Books by Gail Carriger, than yes, those are an excellent example of genre mashes. I wish you luck! Although, I'm not quite sure how a story could be both steampunk and sci-fi...unless you add aliens, I guess. Good luck, though; I love genre mashes!Lily Spinnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-69474491444822835072015-11-04T13:39:06.957-06:002015-11-04T13:39:06.957-06:00My current WIP is definitely High Fantasy--there&#...My current WIP is definitely High Fantasy--there's elves and dragons and mages and (most importantly) Necromancer with a capital N. I didn't really know too much about genre conventions, but know I look I seem to have included a few. My characters are pretty original though and goodness a lot of world building has gone on! Anyway thanks for the post, I hadn't heard of these before!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05179790071237632706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-32380020118283584082015-11-04T09:22:30.415-06:002015-11-04T09:22:30.415-06:00Definitely not if you mess the genres well. I rece...Definitely not if you mess the genres well. I recently had a book suggested to me (by like eight different people) that was a YA steampunk with vampire and werewolf characters mentioned. It is apparently a popular series.Bookishqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04815467506294547118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-44597230303419305102015-11-04T09:19:05.168-06:002015-11-04T09:19:05.168-06:00Actually, with the YA tropes, most of those are th...Actually, with the YA tropes, most of those are the reason that YA is loosing steam. A lot of readers are getting really tired of the love triangle and only female leads who don't really want to help the world but have too. If you see the comments in chat groups, you see that those are particularly what readers are tired of seeing in every YA book they pick up.<br /><br />I've found from my time volunteering at my library that while YA Dystopians continue to be sold and read with those tropes (not so much the love triangles any more), other YA books are embracing male leads as well as characters who actually want to change the world and they have dropped the soulmate message. Bookishqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04815467506294547118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-75236419559772473312015-11-04T08:16:45.429-06:002015-11-04T08:16:45.429-06:00Your story sounds very interesting :) I must menti...Your story sounds very interesting :) I must mention that I too am working on a fantasy/mystery. That includes fairies. Except my story takes place in Sweden around the 1400-1500's and mainly takes place in forests and castles hidden from the humans by the fairies.<br /><br />I wish you good luck! :D<br /><br />DeborahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-50999038343418361132015-11-04T08:01:48.377-06:002015-11-04T08:01:48.377-06:00I've been thinking about this a lot and I'...I've been thinking about this a lot and I'm a bit mixed with what genre I'm writing. This is by far one of the strangest stories I've ever written and I've got a small list of what I think works for it. Sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk/YA. Is this too much for people to consider? Would it be turned down because of the clash of genres?Emma Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17789949390534981103noreply@blogger.com