Genre Writing

I know, I know, I'm not the one who writes Science Fiction or Fantasy. I do, however, read Science Fiction and Fantasy. And, something that marks good writing within this genre is an ability to build a world.

When writing in this world, in the world we already live in, the author can leave almost everything up to the reader's imagination that's not directly pertinent to the story. What color is the grass? The sky? What's the normal weather? What do people as a whole want out of life? What do people believe? These questions, and many more, are answered very briefly when writing in this world.

What happens when you move into another world? The author has to build a rich, believable world, and tell a story, all at the same time. Not to mention, the writing quality can't dissipate just because the author is having to do so much. This, I think, is why writing Science Fiction and Fantasy is very difficult, and, at least in part, is why I don't do it.

For that very reason dear readers, I'm presenting you with a challenge for this weekend. I'll join you in it, because I want to do it; i want to flex my writing muscles in a new way. Write a scene in a genre that you don't normally write. If you're like me, and you generally write "literary fiction" or "mainstream fiction", go for something different. I'll put on the Science Fiction hat I think. I could go for suspense or thriller, mystery or romance instead. There's so many different genres to try, and all of them will force you to think about something different.

I already mentioned Science Fiction: what color is the sky? What do the guns look like? And Fantasy: Are there more than Elves and magic? Fairies? Perhaps the main character can wish herself anywhere in the world.

What about some other genres? Romance, mystery, thriller. These usually happen in our world, but there are still questions to grapple. Why does the main character lust for the person he or she can't have? Who killed the victim, and why? What twist will you give the reader next?

Go write your 500. Do something a little different. Challenge yourself. Post it on your blog. Come back here and tell us how it went; give us a link to your blog. Tell us what you thought about while you were writing your Genre 500. All of these thoughts are helpful to your fellow writers. Don't be afraid to speak up.

Megan