Are you interested in becoming a successful genre writer? Do you have a passion for science fiction, fantasy romance or young adult fiction? There are techniques and approaches that will assist you in your journey to being a practitioner and enthusiast of your chosen genre. This guide outlines best practice ideas to ensure that genre writing has a fresh perspective and tells intriguing stories. Scott Belose is a professional writing coach for authors and screenplay writers, he designed this guide and has a passion for genre fiction.

 

 

a) Read stories and books in your chosen genre. You need to become a prolific reader in your genre. Watching TV show and films in this genre is another good approach to invest time in. This can help you to formulate new ideas. But be original.

 

b) Become a member of a book club or writing community, either in the local area or online. This is especially a valuable strategy if the community is related to the genre that you are writing in. As in all things a community around you will provide moral support and extenuate your own talents.

 

c) An approach many find productive is to develop a series of questions that are designed to inspire the creative juices and set the direction in motion. For example, the questions could be what do people do everyday, what are their dreams or ambitions, what makes them content or depressed, what do they find curious or interesting? The queries should be divided into the wider world and the individual lives of the characters. Any premise that encourages creativity is worth pursuing.

 

d) Explore themes that are universal and that matter in people’s personal lives that can be embedded into the story. A personal character journey need to be developed that connects with themes and concepts that people either believe are important or have timeless qualities. World building only works if the setting draws upon and preferably subverts our own reality.

 

e) The personal journey of the character should complement the world that is being imagined. Reflect on your own past experiences and the events that have happened during your life. Develop these experiences into the inner world and language that you are crafting. Draw upon the impressions they prompted for inspiration. Make time to investigate further concepts that capture your imagination or draw towards them your attention. Don’t forget to tell personal stories or lose sight of the characters. The personal journey of the character should complement the world that is being imagined.