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Writing Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [genre]

Questions about writing in specific genres, such as science fiction, or about genres in general.

In writing, genre refers to the classification or categorisation given to a type of work often based on content, style or form. Examples of common genres are crime, science fiction, romance, and fantasy, all of which have their own particular conventions, styles, and content. Questions with this tag should be about writing in a specific genre, or about genres in general.

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What makes a poem a poem?

Warning: long question. To start it off lightheartedly, here is the topic as doggerel. There are plenty of questions with titles like these: "What is this form?" — "Can I do this in poems?" — "How can I be more poetic?" and so on. What I'm after,…
Luke Sawczak
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How do I avoid the "chosen hero" feeling?

In many works of genre-fiction (I'm talking mainly about fantasy and sci-fi, but others genres can apply), and across many forms of media, the main characters ends up being special in some ways. Maybe it's the abilities the MC has, maybe there is a…
Liquid
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Is it bad if I don't like the "best" books in my chosen genre?

(This question is about reading but it pertains to writing as well). I write fantasy, and as a result, I've read a lot of fantasy books that are supposedly the "best," that are beloved by all fantasy fans ... except me. Some examples: Lord of the…
souzan
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Mixing humour with horror in fiction

I got into trouble last year for submitting an assignment (Masters in Creative Writing) that included a story that sprinkled elements of humour (think Despicable Me) into a gritty and frankly disturbing tale of a homeless man swapping bodies/minds…
robertcday
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The unknown and unexplained in science fiction

Science fiction has been defined as a genre where the "incredible" elements are "recognizable as not-true, but also as not-unlike-true, not-flatly- (and in the current state of knowledge) impossible" (According to Darko Suvin, from Wikipedia link).…
Liquid
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What is Literary Fiction?

I keep hearing about literary fiction, and how it is so much better than genre fiction. What exactly is literary fiction?
Elizabeth Schechter
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Problems Blending Sci-fi & Traditional Fantasy?

I have been cautioned against blending: Traditional fantasy elements Such as magic systems and exotic, less plausible creatures (on a scientific level - magic tends to explain away these beasts) Traditional sci-fi elements Such as advanced…
DVNO
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Can You Mix Readers of Fantasy and Sci-Fi?

In his book How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, Orson Scott Card mentions the differences between fantasy and sci-fi readers, and even says that an author should stick to only one genre, as the readers of the other genre will not know who he…
Thomas Reinstate Monica Myron
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Is every story set in the future "science fiction"?

Science Fiction is a "big tent" genre, and we all know it when we see it. Even if we argue about the specific tropes – and what might make something lean heavily towards another classification (science-fantasy, speculative fiction, etc), is every…
wetcircuit
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Is it so bad to end up with a "done before" plot?

I'm not delusional about the nature of the science fiction novel I'm (very) slowly working on. A brief run down might be as follows: Set 10's of millennia in Human's future but in a neighbouring galaxy Discovery of ancient artifact Artifact turns…
Nick Bedford
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Can I bring back Planetary Romance as a genre?

This question is about genre and reader expectations. I'm not trying to change my story to fit a mainstream genre. I have already taken steps to broaden it's appeal, but it's too late to create an entirely different type of story. I'm writing and…
wetcircuit
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Is genre ever relevant to the writing process?

I'm a strong believer in genre being largely a thing that's used for marketing, an easy shorthand for book stores to know where to place your book and sell it better. It's also, unfortunately, a shorthand for critics who are predisposed to hating…
Matthew Dave
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What should tie a collection of short-stories together?

Short-stories are a nice format to write. If you have been an aspiring writer for at least one year, it's quite probabile that you've got at least three short stories drafted out, sitting in some drawer or some hidden folder on your computer. Let's…
Liquid
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What are the standard genre characteristics of contemporary women's fantasy

I want to write a fantasy novel with a female protagonist, and I want to familiarize myself with reader expectations. Is there still a tradition of (medieval-type) fantasy by and for women, and what are its prototypical themes and plot? Or, in…
Sorry for that
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What is flash fiction?

Is it simply defined by its short word count? Or are there other accepted conventions in flash fiction? If it's just the word count, how short is too short? How long is too long?
Ben
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