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What would be your complete list of genres?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DocI Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jan 2020 at 9:31pm
If I were emperor of the universe, I would separate out the setting and action genres, then assign one of each randomly. IE:

Setting Genres
Fantasy
Historical
Contemporary
Science fiction

Action Genres
Drama
Comedy
Romance
Thriller
Mystery
etc.

So, for a flash prompt, you might get Historical Mystery/a theater/a lightbulb, or for short story you might have Science Fiction Drama/getting married/a plumber and so on.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote taaaylor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jan 2020 at 9:33pm
Originally posted by DukeREK DukeREK wrote:

I like simple. 

And not too limiting. 

I also enjoy ignoring debates on the definitions, complexities and limitations of 'genre' anyway (and the tendency of labels to create labels - genres falling into genres and so on ad infinitum). 

And genre as a tool for marketing. I love not talking about that.

We've been telling stories for millennia. I think set the broad experience of story and let the writer find the 'genre' through the elements of Action, Plot, Character and Setting.

So - tell me a story that

- gets the adrenaline going, or:
- scares the crap out of me
- makes me feel fulfilled and happy
- makes me cry in my pretzels
- makes me piss myself laughing
- gets my brain working
- inspires me to do stuff

... or some combination - stories are complex.

Elements of 'genre' are then set by action and plot - what is happening and how it is unfolding. Characters and setting then add the elements of where it is happening and to whom.


Or something.


edit: The story still needs to be appropriate for it's audience, of course. Also something we've been doing for millennia. 



Meh. Suggesting that we should get rid of genres all together is like saying there is no point distinguishing between fiction and nonfiction either, right? Because creative nonfiction can absolutely have the plot, character, and structure that you're talking about.

The genres matter for more than marketing. They are a means to find the stories that speak to us. it's true that we existed for millennia without genres, but that's because we existed for millennia without easy access to widely available methods for printing books.

Also, there is enough subjectivity in a contest like this without throwing one of the few objective rubrics we have. I value genres, because in my experience writing for online audiences, different genre readers have wildly different expectations from one another. That is a reality that impacts you even if you never market your material at all, assuming you ever want more than an audience of one.

However, I think that the story should come first and the genre label should come second. (Outside the contest context, of course.) Tbh I LOVE the fact that we have so many new sub-genres appearing, because it means that we are not forcing stories into a box that they don't quite fit into.


Edited by taaaylor - 27 Jan 2020 at 9:34pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote jennifer.quail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jan 2020 at 10:04pm
Action/Adventure (Spy would fall under here)
Thriller/Suspense (because those two are not THAT different)
Western (guess The Arcanist just put out a call for? If you said Western flash fic with a speculative element, you'd be right.)
Mystery
Fantasy
Horror
Ghost Story
Historical Fiction
Contemporary Fiction (replaces Drama)
Romance
Science Fiction


Goodbye, political satire, which is too subject to personal taste, goodbye Fairy Tale, freeing up people to do that for fantasy if they liked.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote OKCryptid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jan 2020 at 11:07pm
Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

Western
 

YES! 

Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

goodbye Fairy Tale, freeing up people to do that for fantasy if they liked.

Hard agree. Got fairy tale last year and was a tad annoyed at the lack of distinction between it and fantasy where judges were concerned. Better to just lump them together. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote orion323 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2020 at 12:00am
I appreciated the microfiction contest's blended take on genres.  If I were queen of the genre realm, I would separate as such:
Action adventure/crime caper  (don't really see the difference)
Mystery/suspense  (again...fairly malleable)
Fairy tale/fantasy (yes!)
Comedy/Rom-Com  (boo to the meet cutes)
Drama/Historical fiction (they seem to mostly blend anyways)
Horror (stand alone)
Sci-Fi  (most people seem to be genre bending that way no matter the prompt)
Pol Sat (I'm on the fence about this one.  Seems everybody plays it safe and writes different renditions of the same theme.  Keep hoping I'll get it truthfully but I'd probably get banned from this site because I'm a political atheist and think everything is fair game)


And...I may stand alone in this, but I can't comprehend why there isn't a straight up Tragedy genre (which could contain ghosts if the urge struck).  I would read every single one of those mofo's.   Bring on the pain!!

** I would totes sh*te can the spy genre.  Selfishly I think it's super boring to write and read**


Edited by orion323 - 29 Jan 2020 at 12:04am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A.J. Gemick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2020 at 2:06am
Originally posted by jennifer.quail jennifer.quail wrote:

Action/Adventure (Spy would fall under here)
Thriller/Suspense (because those two are not THAT different)
Western (guess The Arcanist just put out a call for? If you said Western flash fic with a speculative element, you'd be right.)
Mystery
Fantasy
Horror
Ghost Story
Historical Fiction
Contemporary Fiction (replaces Drama)
Romance
Science Fiction


Goodbye, political satire, which is too subject to personal taste, goodbye Fairy Tale, freeing up people to do that for fantasy if they liked.

This is pretty close to how I'd reorganize the genres too- except I would have Fairy Tale lumped into fantasy (hey, if you want to write about fairy tales you can, but you're totally not obligated too), Rom Com would also be folded into Romance.  I might even fold crime caper into Mystery as well.  I'm on the fence as to whether or not keep comedy... some people really do like it.

Political Satire would be tossed into a burning dumpster fire, where it belongs.  :P 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chrissie0707 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2020 at 10:05am
Spy should definitely be absorbed into A/A or Thriller. I would *almost* put Ghost Story and Horror together, too.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote NorthernPixels Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2020 at 10:53am


Originally posted by taaaylor taaaylor wrote:

Originally posted by DukeREK DukeREK wrote:

I like simple. 

And not too limiting. 

I also enjoy ignoring debates on the definitions, complexities and limitations of 'genre' anyway (and the tendency of labels to create labels - genres falling into genres and so on ad infinitum). 

And genre as a tool for marketing. I love not talking about that.

We've been telling stories for millennia. I think set the broad experience of story and let the writer find the 'genre' through the elements of Action, Plot, Character and Setting.

So - tell me a story that

- gets the adrenaline going, or:
- scares the crap out of me
- makes me feel fulfilled and happy
- makes me cry in my pretzels
- makes me piss myself laughing
- gets my brain working
- inspires me to do stuff

... or some combination - stories are complex.

Elements of 'genre' are then set by action and plot - what is happening and how it is unfolding. Characters and setting then add the elements of where it is happening and to whom.


Or something.


edit: The story still needs to be appropriate for it's audience, of course. Also something we've been doing for millennia. 



Meh. Suggesting that we should get rid of genres all together is like saying there is no point distinguishing between fiction and nonfiction either, right? Because creative nonfiction can absolutely have the plot, character, and structure that you're talking about.

The genres matter for more than marketing. They are a means to find the stories that speak to us. it's true that we existed for millennia without genres, but that's because we existed for millennia without easy access to widely available methods for printing books.

Also, there is enough subjectivity in a contest like this without throwing one of the few objective rubrics we have. I value genres, because in my experience writing for online audiences, different genre readers have wildly different expectations from one another. That is a reality that impacts you even if you never market your material at all, assuming you ever want more than an audience of one.

However, I think that the story should come first and the genre label should come second. (Outside the contest context, of course.) Tbh I LOVE the fact that we have so many new sub-genres appearing, because it means that we are not forcing stories into a box that they don't quite fit into.


To your point, in regards to the contest, the genre requirement is absolutely something I appreciate. Let me tell you, I'd have never tried to write a political satire story on my own (or mystery, or romance, etc.) Having to do so requires research and getting out of your comfort zone which will make you a better writer. 

As far as the great genre debate, I understand it's a necessary marketing tool to get your story to the correct audience and, from a pure sales perspective, I really value that. People like to know broadly what they might be getting into. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LackofBetter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jan 2020 at 12:03pm
Exactly. Because SPY isn't really a genre, it's a subject or topic in itself. Trying to write a spy story about a long distance relationship was a challenge. Everyone knows that spies avoid relationships lol. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jennifer.quail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Feb 2020 at 10:00am
Originally posted by LackofBetter LackofBetter wrote:

Exactly. Because SPY isn't really a genre, it's a subject or topic in itself. Trying to write a spy story about a long distance relationship was a challenge. Everyone knows that spies avoid relationships lol. 

Ehhhhh....I would disagree, as it's VERY hard to call, say, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or Smiley's People or Our Kind of Traitor action-adventure or thriller. The books, and especially the Gary Oldman film of the first one, are downright sedate. Even some of the Bond novels and short stories aren't really action per se. But it's REALLY easy to cross over--The Cardinal of the Kremlin is a spy story, but being Tom Clancy it's heavily into techno-thriller, too. And they can definitely be political commentary, too (not satire necessarily, but politics obviously is highly relevant to espionage.) 

I also don't think horror and ghost story belong together automatically. I just read a ghost story on here that's really not at all scary but is downright excellent, while horror kind of has to be at least gross-out or disturbing or it isn't really horror. 
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