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Writing Battle Genres

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dashesndots2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote dashesndots2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 2022 at 9:17am
Looks like I made a big tactical error when redrew Drama and ended up with SciFi, haha.  But I was in no mood to write Drama, so...
I ended up using ALL my redraws on the character/object, too. The first character/object prompts did not speak to me at all. The second ones probably would've been the best choice, but I said, "why not reroll and see if you can get something better?"  That was a mistake. So on my final redraw I got something I didn't really love, but I think I made it work.

(This is my first time participating...think I'll probably join Short Story, just want to see how the duel phase goes overall.  I judged my first duel last night and it was fun!).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pumpkincurry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 2022 at 6:18pm
Max, thank you for your response.
If I were to pick four genres for a contest, I would try to have a great a variety as I could.
I am not much for genre fiction in the first place, so I don't know all the category names...
One type of spec fiction (sci fi, paranormal, fantasy, ghost story), and then three at random from drama, romance, comedy, historical fiction, western, and whatever other categories exist.
My only point was that for some people, myself included, spec fiction all fits into one bucket.

And: Thanks for putting these contests together. It's not a small undertaking, and I among many many others appreciate it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pumpkincurry Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Aug 2022 at 6:25pm
I just read Dcontrarto's responses regarding genre choices and I like his answer better than mine.

(FWIW, WINM (For What It's Worth, Which Is Not Much).)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote UK5AM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Aug 2022 at 1:13am
One of the things that draws me to writing battle is the out of the box genres, if it became just another contest of bog standard genres it would be disappointing. It's not just the battle format that makes it special (to me). 

Everyone being out of their comfort zones is something of a leveller.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maxbjork Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 1:47pm
Originally posted by dcontarato dcontarato wrote:

Hey Max - as you know, I skipped this one to focus on NYCM Short Screenplay, but since you ask here about suggestions for the genres, I'll give you my 2 cents.

I think it would be good to have a spread of genres catering to a wide range of interests. For example, one of each:
- speculative (sci-fi, fantasy, etc.)
- plot-driven (mystery, thriller, etc.)
- comedic (comedy, rom-com, caper)
- "serious" (drama, romance...) 

Knowing that what we like or something similar will be there or possibly a swap away, while not guaranteed, could be an incentive for writers of all inclinations to join.

For example, I would immediately swap a comedic genre for either of the other three!

Okay, finally have some time to come back to this. That's interesting, and others seem to like it as well. So where would the other genres land in this categorization? What about Action? Is that Plot-driven? What are some other genres that fall into "serious?" I'd like to nail this down before the Short Story battle in November.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote td333777 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 5:49pm
Just my two cents, but if you wanted to break down all the NYCM genres into dcontarato's buckets, I'd do it this way:

Speculative: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Fairy Tale, Ghost Story
Plot-driven: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Action/Adventure, Spy
Comedic: Comedy, Rom-Com, Crime Caper, Political Satire
Serious: Drama, Romance, Historical Fiction

Now obviously there's huge crossover potential in ALL of these (mysteries/thrillers/suspense can clearly contain sci-fi elements, which makes them speculative--not all crime capers HAVE to be comedic--historical fiction doesn't HAVE to be "serious", etc.) but if you give people options like these, the literary folks who write in a certain style/voice definitely have a quadrant with which they're more comfortable, and the genre folk have plenty of places to play as well.  Even better, your system still allows for people (even with one random genre redraw) to get something they otherwise might not have attempted, which is a great motivator for writers that want to test their limits and be outside their comfort zone.  And you don't have to label these four categories anywhere (and I wouldn't, because it leads to all kinds of complaints--"SCI-FI CAN BE PLOT-DRIVEN, DAMN YOU!") but back-end planning to make the four potential genres break down this way will lead to more variety and less complaints, regardless.   Just my free input, which is worth almost what you paid for it. :)

Trey

PS  but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE continue to offer a cool subgenre or two (within these buckets) like you have in the past--vampire romance, alternate history, fable, steampunk, etc.--that's a big reason I love this contest so much!


Edited by td333777 - 23 Aug 2022 at 5:59pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote iress Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 5:56pm
Originally posted by maxbjork maxbjork wrote:

Originally posted by dcontarato dcontarato wrote:

Hey Max - as you know, I skipped this one to focus on NYCM Short Screenplay, but since you ask here about suggestions for the genres, I'll give you my 2 cents.

I think it would be good to have a spread of genres catering to a wide range of interests. For example, one of each:
- speculative (sci-fi, fantasy, etc.)
- plot-driven (mystery, thriller, etc.)
- comedic (comedy, rom-com, caper)
- "serious" (drama, romance...) 

Knowing that what we like or something similar will be there or possibly a swap away, while not guaranteed, could be an incentive for writers of all inclinations to join.

For example, I would immediately swap a comedic genre for either of the other three!

Okay, finally have some time to come back to this. That's interesting, and others seem to like it as well. So where would the other genres land in this categorization? What about Action? Is that Plot-driven? What are some other genres that fall into "serious?" I'd like to nail this down before the Short Story battle in November.

Huh...I don't know if I have too much to add to the genre conversation (yet..I'll think on it) but the idea of "plot driven" made start thinking of what a contest would be like if, in addition to a couple of prompts (genre/character/whatever), there was like these style challenges..like you had to write something in an epistolary style, or frame narrative, or circular, or in reverse, or flashback. Some kind of structural prompt. I suppose the new rhyming story of NYCM is sort of doing a structural challenge this time around.

P.S. I'm not saying make that happen in this comp. It was just an interesting thought dcontarato sparked in ma brain and I had ta get it outta ma brain and share.


Edited by iress - 23 Aug 2022 at 6:05pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote nod1v1ng Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 6:01pm
Originally posted by td333777 td333777 wrote:

Just my two cents, but if you wanted to break down all the NYCM genres into dcontarato's buckets, I'd do it this way:

Speculative: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Fairy Tale, Ghost Story
Plot-driven: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Action/Adventure, Spy
Comedic: Comedy, Rom-Com, Crime Caper, Political Satire
Serious: Drama, Romance, Historical Fiction

Trey

I’d agree with Trey’s assessment. Then once you have your four buckets, if you want to shake things up and make things exciting you can choose a sub-genre for a couple of them. 

Using SciFi for the speculative pick? Maybe choose CyberPunk. 

RomCom for the comedic? Call it Comedy of Errors Meet Cute. 

It’s up to you how specific you want to make the genre prompts, but I might suggest, doing 2 sub genres and 2 of the broader ones. With the free genre draw it gives folks a chance to either walk on the wild side, or land in something a little more familiar with more options. 

Just my thoughts. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maxbjork Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 9:08pm
Thanks Trey, iress, and nod1v1ing

Okay, so this is how I have it so far. Please let me know if I'm missing something or if anyone has any other cool ideas because I'm digging this.

Genres will have 2 broad genres, and 2 sub-genres (sometimes 1 broad and 3 sub-genres... because I think the general consensus is sub-genres are fun).

Using Trey's categorization and adding the genres I have used in the past, and removing Spy and Political Satire (because I can... and "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.")
Speculative: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Fairy Tale, Ghost Story, Dystopian & Apocalyptic, Vampirical Romance, Fable, Witchcraft, Zombie, Ghost Story, Paranormal Mystery
Plot-driven: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Action, Adventure, Superhero, Swashbuckler
Comedic: Comedy, Rom-Com, Crime Caper
Serious: Drama, Romance, Historical Fiction, Crime, Western, Breakup Story

That leaves Comedic fairly empty. I know I can dig into sub-genres of comedy and rom-com, but does anyone else have any ideas? @nod1v1ing, I really like Meet Cute as a sub-genre to use. I would put vamp romance in comedic, at least that was my intention, but I understand it still fits in spec.

Also, totally agree that I will not post the category names anywhere, besides this thread.

Thanks again all!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote iress Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 9:45pm
Originally posted by maxbjork maxbjork wrote:

…removing Spy and Political Satire (because I can... and "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.")

 But there’s still crime caper? Lol.  Just kidding. I would actually be relieved to get crime caper the first time because that meant the next draw would definitely not be it. 😂 

For comedy, what  about melodrama, or maybe farce? I suppose parody (but that’s in the house of satire though maybe more accessible for its form?).  You could also make anything a little niche like vampire comedy as you did with romance (tho that’s kind of a thing on its own). Could be your mash up genre for the adventure of it. 

 The potentially weird genres are what I show up for. I can def get my spy or polsat fix (I like!) on NYCM. So I like the two sub genre idea two broad genre idea for WB (or the 1/3 idea even better).    Sounds like you have a solid plan.  


Edited by iress - 23 Aug 2022 at 9:47pm
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