When your story decides to change genre ...

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No, this isn't a "what do I do?" thread. How many of you have started writing a novel in one genre and after you've gotten deep into it realized that it would be much better in a different genre?

This happened to me with a shelved novel that I dusted off recently. I started the book with every intention of making it erotica. It's heavy in the erotica, but there's a rub with that ... while I'm capable of writing romantic scenes as well as those that are Steamy™ and explicit, I don't have a lot of interest in the romance genre and books with nothing but Steam™ don't hold my interest.

After I dusted off my novel and scanned through the outline for the remaining, unwritten parts, I realized I had a really interesting science fiction (bordering on science fantasy) novel. Trim out some, not all, of the erotica and the science fiction story leaps out. Since it's an early effort, the writing needs a lot of rework. After reading through and considering what to change, I'm excited about the story again. It just needs to be a different genre.
 

rwm4768

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I've actually never had this happen. Every story I've written has remained the genre I chose initially. About the closest I can get to this is that my MG fantasy series does incorporate some science fiction elements. Still, the fantasy is more dominant.
 

dondomat

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Peter Benchley wrote Jaws as a black comedy. His agent told him to cut the humor and make it deadpan shark and politics drama.

Jerome K Jerome wrote Three Men in a Boat as a deadpan travelogue, his agent told him to cut the lyrical crap and keep the zany humor only.

On a personal note, I once wrote a postmodern satire set in the near future, and no one wanted it. At one point I had enough and downed a bottle of Fukitol and then simply changed the opening of the book and a few other things, re-formulated the title into a snappy deadpan thing of the TV film crime drama type, and called the novel a cyberpunk thriller. It was accepted for publication a day after I sent out the new submission package.
 
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Buffysquirrel

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I don't usually worry about the genre that much except when talking about writing. I just write. I was 20k into the WIP before I knew it was about time travel.
 

WriteMinded

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Well, I once started a romance novel, but couldn't get beyond the first chapter because my dark turn of mind kept begging to me to bring out the knives, the teeth, the mind control. -- Does that count?

What's with this:
Steam™
?
 

Supergirlofnc

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No, this isn't a "what do I do?" thread. How many of you have started writing a novel in one genre and after you've gotten deep into it realized that it would be much better in a different genre?

This happened to me with a shelved novel that I dusted off recently. I started the book with every intention of making it erotica. It's heavy in the erotica, but there's a rub with that ... while I'm capable of writing romantic scenes as well as those that are Steamy™ and explicit, I don't have a lot of interest in the romance genre and books with nothing but Steam™ don't hold my interest.

After I dusted off my novel and scanned through the outline for the remaining, unwritten parts, I realized I had a really interesting science fiction (bordering on science fantasy) novel. Trim out some, not all, of the erotica and the science fiction story leaps out. Since it's an early effort, the writing needs a lot of rework. After reading through and considering what to change, I'm excited about the story again. It just needs to be a different genre.

I usually have some idea - it helps me decide how to go - but if the story wants to go elsewhere, I say go a different direction! It makes me think of writing and having a plan in mind for plot or character, and then having the plot or character "want" to go in a different direction. Usually, I find that type of inspiration good for my story :)
 

Buffysquirrel

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Well, I once started a romance novel, but couldn't get beyond the first chapter because my dark turn of mind kept begging to me to bring out the knives, the teeth, the mind control. -- Does that count?

What's with this:
Steam™
?

Sounds like you should write Paranormal Romance. And I think the Steam thing was a joke.
 
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A euphemism, actually. Rather than using something like "hardcore, every intimate sexual detail expounded upon with every metaphorical reference imaginable used for body parts." Keep it clean the editor said, so I rewrote the scene with the characters in the bathtub. Don't ask what they did with the rubber ducky. :evil
 

Viridian

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Well, I once started a romance novel, but couldn't get beyond the first chapter because my dark turn of mind kept begging to me to bring out the knives, the teeth, the mind control. -- Does that count?


... It sounds to me like you need to start writing romance novels. :D
 

Jamesaritchie

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I write stories. I don't write in genres. So I don't even understand the premise of your questions.

Jeff

We all write in genres, and if we don't make the decision of which genre it is, someone else will make it for us. But you know what a genre is, so you know the premise.
 

Jamesaritchie

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I decide which genre I'm going to write before word one goes down, and that's the genre I write. If I'm true to that genre, the story won't fit any other genre. But I never try to write a story in a genre that doesn't interest me, so maybe this is the difference.

Sounds like you were writing what you enjoy reading all along, but didn't realize it.
 

Viridian

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I write stories. I don't write in genres. So I don't even understand the premise of your questions.

Jeff

We all write in genres, and if we don't make the decision of which genre it is, someone else will make it for us. But you know what a genre is, so you know the premise.

I'm going to pretend he meant that he disagrees with the premise (that genres exist and writers write inside them), not that he literally doesn't understand the question. Less of a headache.
 

Melanii

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I thought this was going to happen in my current WIP. It starts off as high fantasy, when the female MC kills a man who tried to assault her younger sister. After she was sent to the dungeons for the day and was able to try to join the male dominated free "mercenary" company, she meets the commander's son, and soon I couldn't stop writing about THEM. They're not always together, but their relationship is important enough to the story.

There's still the sword and sorcery, some adventuring, etc. XD
 

ArachnePhobia

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I decided to challenge myself one NaNo to see if I could write a slightly paranormal/magical realism romance set in an art gallery.

It turned into an MG horror about a haunted gallery that has so little to do with what I set out to write, but for the setting and an antagonist named Sigmund Harcourt, you woudn't be able to match the outline to the novel.

So... challenge fail. But at least I got a novel out of it.
 

Melanii

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I decided to challenge myself one NaNo to see if I could write a slightly paranormal/magical realism romance set in an art gallery.

It turned into an MG horror about a haunted gallery that has so little to do with what I set out to write, but for the setting and an antagonist named Sigmund Harcourt, you woudn't be able to match the outline to the novel.

So... challenge fail. But at least I got a novel out of it.
I love your avatar! Jagar Tharn from Arena!

Your novel sounds cool as well! Sigmund Harcoury sounds awesome!
 
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