#AtoZChallenge: Genres–Genre Fiction

The A to Z Challenge asks bloggers to post 26 articles on a themed topic. It’s supposed to be every day except Sundays during the month of April but I did this last year, found it way to busy for the likes of me, and decided to post mine ‘about’ once a month. Yes, it’ll take me a couple of years. Sigh.

My topic, like the last two times I did the conventional approach, will be writing genres.

This genre:

Genre Fiction

Definition

Fictional works written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre (like one of these genres) in order to appeal to readers and fans already familiar with that genre; also referred to as Category Fiction.

Tips

1. Choose one of the dozens (scores–or hundreds) of genres and subgenres that revolve around a theme, research its characteristics, and write about it.
2. Write fiction that escapes reality.
3. Don’t require deep thinking, soul analysis, or challenging of deeply-held beliefs. You may include it but don’t make it central.
4. Do not aim for transcendency. Your story is not about ideas; it’s about action, plot, characters.
5. Don’t try to write after thinking deep thoughts. You’ll get your novel confused with literary fiction.
6. Themes may be big—Good vs. evil? Individual vs. Big Government? Human forgiveness. It may be central to your novel but it’s not the driving force. Every page doesn’t remind your reader that they are flawed, nasty, or small-minded.
7. Think country music, not classical. Your genre fiction will be fun, entertaining, and escape from the world.
8. Share opinions, but don’t get preachy.
9. Don’t worry if your writing isn’t described as ‘elegant’, ‘lyrical’, ‘thought-provoking’, or ‘high-brow’. If it is, and you like that, you are probably a literary fiction writer.

Popular Books

I won’t even try to list popular genre fiction. Think of your favorites mysteries, thrillers, sci-fi, romantic, fantasy, historical, vampire, or another–that’s on this list!

Click for complete list of these 26 genres

Click for a complete list of all genres I’ve written about

More G Genres:

• Grant Proposals
• Graphic Novel

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Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature saga. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice,  a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, The Quest for Home, Fall 2019. You can find her tech ed books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning