When Writing, Know Your Genre

What is genre?

It is literary technique, tone, content, length etc.

Fiction is the hardest genre to break into.

• Realism-Plausible story about people and events that could really happen. Romance, thriller, historical, sports all fit under realism.

• Fantasy-Fantastical elements in traditional or modern fantasy.
  • Traditional fantasy follows the quest. 
  • Modern fantasy has elements of magic in the human world. Horror and sci/fi are sub genres of modern fantasy.

Elements in Fiction:

Plot-Plot is the backbone of the story. In fiction plot is the action that grows out of conflict.

Conflict-is the obstacle, the problem

Initial Conflict-First event that starts the quest, the hook. Only needs one page (sometimes a chapter) to establish. It creates the next cause & effect (conflict) then moves the character to the next conflict. Initial conflict will predict the climax.

Exposition-Back story weaves through out the story.

Rising Action-Series of at least three conflicts

Climax-The most intense part of the story. Everything in the story moves the story to this point and the main character has an Epiphany to the resolution. Needs only one chapter.

Resolution-Is the outcome. Needs only one chapter

Non-fiction SELLS THE MOST (by the end of the conference I was ready to change. I’m keeping ideas in the back of my mind and notebook).

• Biography-needs more factual support.
• Autobiography-Bigger piece of time
• Memoirs-Small part of life
• General non-fiction (Dewey decimal)-Different stories from life in one book

Elements in Non-Fiction

All non-fiction needs:

Plot

Conflict

Hook

Exposition

Climax-lesson learned

Resolution-reader says “I can do that!”

What are the target audiences?

Picture book: 1-3 pages

Chapter book: Max 100 pages

Middle grade: 100-200 pages

Young Adult: 150-300 pages

Adult: 150-several hundred pages, 70,000-90,000 words max

Other writing articles by me:

Suspense vs.  Mystery

Which Agent it Right for Me and My Book?

Cure Writers Block

Tips For Writing

I’m the Author

Editing Your Book-Help!

Writing Tips

Writing Internal Characters

Writing the External in Your Characters

The Hero’s Journey in Writing

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