One of my trusty followers here on the blog threw this question to me. She was wondering about the concept of "genre blending" that we are hearing more and more writers doing. Her question, "is this what the editors and agents are talking about when they want something new and unique?"
While this approach is certainly something new and it does work, this is far from what the editors and agents are talking about. Simply adding a new genre into your standard story isn't really doing anything new. In fact, most of the time, I am seeing stories that are flat in both of the genres.
When we say we want something new, we are talking about your ability to take something familiar and put a new spin on it. The heroine that is the serial killer, a villain that we want to like. That is a new twist.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am not against blending genres. I just wanted to get that point across to some of you. Hopefully I answered your question.
Scott
Thanks, Scott. I agree that doing one genre well is more important than piling genres into a manuscript. I adhere to the idea you should know where your book fits on the shelf: know your genre.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong - I love cross genre works (a lot). But the well-rounded character, developed conflict and personal investment are what grab me.
I appreciate you clarifying the need for something new. I'm new to your blog but I'm really enjoying it!