Getting Into and Out of Your Genre Box

Ahh, genres. Say it with me folks: genres. 

Freaking genres.

Now, how to begin this lovely convo about everyone’s favourite literary tool, or device, thing, yes genres are indeed a thing – anyways. We’re going to begin by googling, y’know, as you do.

The Oxford Dictionary (the first result when you google a word when you’re writing an essay or looking up some word like esoteric when some jerk uses big words on you) defines genre as ‘a style or category of art, music, or literature.’  Oxford proceeds to provide information the origin of the word as coming from: ‘French, literally “a kind,” (see “gender”).’  So, whoa, all the more reason to wanna deconstruct the actual frig out of them.

(y'all know where it's from)

But, before we move on, for extra clarity Oxford’s less incestuous cousin, the Urban Dictionary, provides that genres can be defines as, ‘an unnecessary label attached to music, movies, novels, etc. giving way to discrimination, stereotypes, and prejudice.’

Yeah.

We can split genres a bit more: either into ways of defining genres within themselves such as romance, YA, Sci-Fi, or perhaps within literary context with examples such as poetry, scripts, and whatnot and forthwith. 

So literature (and other mediums) have genres within themselves; genreception meme-overkill, if you will.

Many will have come here with genres they are already at home with, and even if you don’t think you do, you do, and at least you’ll have friends and classmates you've known to have said things like, “Oh, I hate poetry, I’m a novelist,” or some other pretentious crap.

Anyone can make themselves at home in and out of (what, what – title drop!) different genres.

It’s merely a matter of experimentation (and you know everyone just loves experimenting).  You can blend genres really easy and much to your benefit.  For example, scripts provide a superb means of improving one’s use of and the believability of dialogue, so implementing it within say, a short story or even larger narrative piece, can yield beautiful results.

(from Marisa Calin's, "Between You & Me")

As for the genre-within-genre part, it’s way easier to change from something your familiar with – like, if you tend to stay within the mystical realm of High Fantasy – to a new, perhaps very different genre:  How hard would it be, my little fantasy friend, to implement your magic-y, sword-slinging cast of characters and implement them into a more mundane world?

Don’t answer, because we both know that careful deliberation or not, the truth is it really isn’t hard.  

While a genre can’t be a last second thought (ex. maybe don’t try turning your hard-core spacey sci-fi story into a ‘modern’ film noire right before publishing), it is something you can manage pretty dang well with a bit of thought and a touch of trial and error screwing around. 

You'd be amazed how easy it can be, and how absolutely freeing it is to find yourself working in a genre or medium you've never even considered before!

Young Adult with no romance, a grief story about death where you cut the death stuff out and make it work, a poem with no structure, mystery where motive isn't the question, BDSM erotica actually done well, fanfiction about historical fiction with your fav dead people plus your own cast! That slice of life story from your past turned into something new! 

Endless possibilities away you, my dears.

Well, even without delving into ideas such as the Sci-Fi Ghetto and the YA Market, hopefully you’ll have found this helpful, and if you did not I suggest coming back for a reread with a less clear mind and strong drink, taking a sip every time the word genre is used. I guarantee you’ll like it way more.

Okay, tatty-bye now loves.