Fiction Writing

October 4, 2010 by Joe Gnarles

Writing

Romance: Novelists like Nora Roberts and Fern Michaels are exploiting this genre for all its worth right now. Putting the girl next door into formulaic plot scenarios, NC-17 level sex and/or violence, and making sure the girl gets the guy at the end is good enough to justify dozens of these books each year. Newer twists involve adding occult elements, a la “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” or “Supernatural”. While the “he loves me, he loves me not” may be the premise of the stories, the outer elements have had to get more outlandish, also seen on daytime soap operas, to keep driving readership. Still, there may be worse ways to waste time than finding out if Becky can battle evil demons, save the world and find true love at the same time.

Science-Fiction/Fantasy: Science fiction and fantasy are often linked as either the same or companion genres. The writers for the Syfy cable channel have had much success mixing the two as their scripts for “Tin Man” and “Battlestar Galactica” illustrate. “Tin Man” changes L. Frank Baum’s land of Oz into a meaner level of fantasy laced with killer robots. The climax of the dark and heavy “Battlestar” ultimately hinges on the acts of “angels and/or demons” thwarting the plans of the evil Cylon leader. Readers who crave “pure” science fiction prefer futuristic settings, endless gadgetry, with a side of humanity as the foundation of their stories. Fantasy readers are thrilled when magic is used to save the kingdom, the damsel, or a lost lover’s soul and if all three can fit in the story.

Western: Although this genre flies under the radar for many readers; its more successful authors garner less visibility than those writing in other areas, there are steady offerings to be found. Written in 1985, Larry McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove” was a forerunner of what westerns look like today. The gunslinger with no back-story, made infamous in the “Man With No Name” spaghetti-westerns, has been replaced by deep, thoughtful men who know how to use a gun but most often would rather not. Recently, many Western novels have focused on the twilight period of history that saw the end of quick draws high noon shootouts as the way to resolve conflict. Retired lawmen and their respective outlaws are seen clinging to a life that no longer exists.

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