Crisis of Genre
My characters are tying me in knots this week, partially because I’ve been under the weather (they pounce when I’m weak) and partly because I think I’ve been trying to make them do things the story just isn’t wanting them to do. When it’s me against the story, the story always wins.
I had wanted my new sci-fi to be a sexy scifi romance, but … it’s just not. The characters are in dire situation, the conditions opressive, and the situation a bit dark. So, yanno, they really don’t feel like having sex. I even tried drugging them, and they resented it. My new friend Sangu asked me if I wanted to join her Character Interview Blogfest, but I don’t think now is the time to be talking to them in a casual way. Our latest encounters have been like union disputes. The dialogue would go something like:
Me: So how are you feeling about your current role in Wildings?
Avid: Fuck you. I have nothing more to say to you until you fix this shit.
I have to face the fact that this story just isn’t a romance. Of course, acknowledging that frees me up quite a bit. I am sure there will still be some smut in it… I mean… grown-ups screw. Romance aside, it’s a bodily function we’re driven to perform. (Our lizard brains are not always practical, but they are persistent.) But it is turning out not to be the driving force of the book.
Question for you: Do you always write in one genre? Have you ever had a story turn out to not be what you thought it was? And just by way of a poll… what genre do you write?
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LOL. Sounds like Avid need a little taming! LOL
I write women’s fiction, but I’m also writing a memoir which is so not going to be something for the light-hearted. I’m also starting to realise I was a complete and utter bitch about ten years back. So what do you do when the character that’s going nuts is yourself? LOL
[ Follow me on Twitter: jessica.carmen.bellgmail.com ]
Yay!! the grown up screw bits stay!!
Genre – I would love to write literary fic – but my heart is with alternative stuff – supernatural/horror/smut. And not all at once either. LOL! Or kitty things. I like cats.
Take care
x
Science fiction adventure.
My current work has a romantic interest for the main character, but during the course of the story it’s more like a battle of wills. That way I can keep it subtle and add tension – without having to write anything ‘mushy.’
[ Follow me on Twitter: alexjcavanaugh ]
It’s a real challenge to be creative and follow those genre fiction conventions. I have to hand it to genre fiction writers. Maybe you’re not writing a romance–but at least you know it sort of toward the beginning of the project. That’s a talent all on its own.
[ Follow me on Twitter: molliebryan ]
Your characters seem just as stubborn as mine
You’re right though, story should come first.
I tend to stay in the genres of either women’s fiction or YA (although I’d love to write a thriller someday)
Oh no, that’s a shame! I was so looking forward to seeing what you and your characters might end up saying to each other!
I know what you mean about such a crisis, though. I often plan a novel with the idea that so and so’s going to get together, and then they have no chemistry at all. So little, in fact, that I just want to hit them. And then they end up with other people. Argh.
My creative writing tutor at uni suggested I rewrite ECHOES as literary fiction instead of urban fantasy, focusing on the ideas instead of the world-building. I’m still considering that possibility, but I’ve never written literary fiction before, so I guess genre is a problem for me too.
Maybe breaking free of the ‘romance’ will work wonders for you. Sometimes when you stop trying to get something to happen, it just happens naturally and it’s better than you imagined!
[ Follow me on Twitter: SanguMandanna ]
Poetry. Short fiction [dare I call it literary?]
NOT Hallmark or yer gramma’s “My love is like a red, red rose” stuff. Ideas or moments are the characters and often talk back, turn into speed-bumps, suck.
I’m with all of you: story first; if it is strong, characters comply.
[ Follow me on Twitter: girlfrenkate ]
I write mostly YA- my first is a historical paranormal, my second a contemporary romance. I’ve def been through the same- about trying to make my characters do one thing and they go a completely different way. If all else fails- trap them together somewhere so they can get a good romp on?
[ Follow me on Twitter: katiemills18hotmail.com ]
Good luck with those characters. Sounds like they really have attitude.
I write in many genres, but mostly SF, Fantasy, and Mystery. I also do a bit of general fiction. I’m all over the map. But they usually turn out to be what I intended, at least genre wise.
~jon
[ Follow me on Twitter: jmstro ]
I write fantasy and SF romance.
Sounds like your characters don’t want romance. But I’ve found that even in dire situations, sex reduces tension.
Maybe they get away from a particularly bad incident. They’ve made it. They’re safe. They fall into each other’s arms and things may get spunky. Sex becomes almost cathartic.
[ Follow me on Twitter: MariaZannini ]
I write YA right now but I may branch into women’s fiction in the future. sorry your characters are unhappy
but again, that’s a sign of, er, something, right?
I love so many genres when I’m reading, I can’t imagine just sticking to one when I’m writing. Right now I’m working on a YA steampunk. The ms I’ve got marinating is a romantic suspense.
[ Follow me on Twitter: jemifraser ]
I’m not really sure about the genre thing. I think I write literary, but I also think I write women’s fic, and I’ve written some sci-fi. Color me confused. Especially when my characters aren’t talking to me. Hopefully yours will be feeling a bit more chatty soon.
My whole writing life is a crisis of genre – how the heck did I end up writing YA? I have no idea, but that’s the voice my last three novels have been in, and in between the only “adult” thing I’ve written is a short story… YA just seems to flow from my pen