Drama vs. Romance |
Post Reply | Page 12> |
Author | |
MidwestToImpress
NYC Midnight Regular Joined: 21 Jul 2016 Location: US Status: Offline Points: 340 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Posted: 25 Jan 2021 at 3:17pm |
Hey all!
I am working on my story, which was assigned "drama," something I have never been given in any NYC Midnight competition. I started running with a story idea that, not to give too much away, involves a character who is dealing with some deep trauma and ends up working at an event her ex is attending. The story is more about the character's trauma and current struggles with depression/coping with the death of a loved one. However, her wanting to reconnect with said ex and struggling to communicate those feelings is also a major driving element of the plot, plus I was considering having a somewhat hopeful ending in terms of their relationship. I was feeling fairly good about this till I went back to look over the genre guide and remembered that "romance" is also a genre in these competitions (I thought only rom-com was, for some reason?) Now I'm kind of spiraling thinking I may be messing this up. I usually have been assigned fairly straightforward genres (horror, political satire, thriller and fantasy) that have pretty concrete markers and this is my first time getting assigned a story thats in a more open (at least in my opinion?) sort of genre. I guess I'm just wondering if I am totally messing this up and need to go back to the drawing board? What makes a drama a drama? Is including elements of mental illness, loss, etc enough to make it drama? Do dramas need to end on a sad/downer note? Those of you who have written drama before, have you used romantic elements or even an happy-ish ending without a dreaded DQ or getting roasted by the judges? Sorry if these are silly questions, I'm just in the major self doubt stage of this... and usually I do FF or MF so I don't have so much time to dwell on the doubt |
|
jennifer.quail
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 07 Feb 2018 Status: Offline Points: 7931 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Drama is really NYCM's version of 'literary fiction.' I don't think there's any reason it has to end on a non-hopeful, downer, note even if 90% of the entries tend to go for straight-up depressing, with a parade of mental illness, death, suicide, and horribly miserable people.
Romance meanwhile can be subtle and doesn't require a HEA ending with hearts and flowers (I did very well with a Romance that was mostly quiet drama moments and none were real downers.) But the POINT of a romance is the relationship. If your story has the ex not the focal point, and we'd be satisfied either not knowing if she decided pluck up and try to rekindle things, or if she doesn't, and we don't really feel a need to root for 'them' as a couple, I would say that's not romance. Romance is about the romance, drama is about the conflict, even if it's a conflict between the MC and themselves. |
|
Random
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 17 Nov 2017 Location: C. of Letters Status: Offline Points: 5401 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
You're obsessing and getting yourself worked up for no useful reason. Nothing wrong with romance in a drama. Sometimes the most dramatic events end well, much to Nod's annoyance. Sometimes the worst day ever leads to the best day imaginable. There are no hard and fast rules for this. One of the biggest mistakes I made was using the genre definitions to contort the story to fit a perception of the guidelines. The most important thing you can do is FORGET ABOUT THE JUDGES! Pretend there aren't any and write a brilliant piece. We can all tell horror stories about judges. Anyone who gets "Horror . A writer . a writing contest" will just describe the situation they're in. If you had said "Horror" and "Romance" I would have replied with "Synonyms"...
|
|
This sig intentionally blank
|
|
Suave
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 25 Jan 2015 Location: Thailand Status: Offline Points: 25027 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Drama is simply the putting to sleep in steps.
|
|
WoodyGS
NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 28 Jan 2020 Location: San Francisco Status: Offline Points: 192 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
drama is about deep emotional conflict and realistic characters; relationships--romantic or familial or otherwise--are a major topic for successful, compelling dramas, wouldn't you say?
also, for what it's worth, there have been plenty of genre-blended stories that have done well in this competition. i've advanced with fantasy/drama (when assigned fantasy) and drama/romance (when assigned drama), and i'm sure others can chime in with their own success stories. i'm sure you'll do great. :) best of luck!
|
|
Sara.E.Tall
NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 19 Jan 2020 Status: Offline Points: 171 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I think I'd say that some romances are also dramas and some dramas are also romances, but as long as your story is at least a drama you should be fine.
|
|
deedodd81
NYC Midnight Regular Joined: 12 Jul 2019 Status: Offline Points: 414 |
Post Options
Thanks(1)
|
Literally just read said romance...like, JUST. And it was divine. /threadjack
|
|
RichmondRoad
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 26 Jan 2018 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 639 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I think you have nothing to worry about.
But it brings up an interesting point. Has anyone ever been disqualified for not following genre? Has anyone been disqualified for anything at all? I think that just about every story that involves a relationship between two people is a romance of sorts. I hope so, anyway ... my story for round one comes across as a really bad thriller/tragic comedy. But I was assigned Romance.
|
|
Suave
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 25 Jan 2015 Location: Thailand Status: Offline Points: 25027 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Yes to both. I have heard about and seen the DQ's. Never used to, but there have been quite few the past year or so. Usually they put a note at the bottom of the feedback telling them they were "DQ"
|
|
MikeWG
Newbie Joined: 25 Sep 2020 Status: Offline Points: 13 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
It seems to me that any story should end well. Even drama. After all, every person is faced with depression, stress disorder in life. And after I accidentally went to the site, I realized that it is very important to stop it in time. You don't make drama a comedy if you write a good ending. But this story will help many to be inspired and believe in good things.
Edited by MikeWG - 23 Sep 2021 at 2:01am |
|
Post Reply | Page 12> |
Tweet |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |