Genres: The Art of Avoiding Social Exile

By Shalisha Bynoe

Genres have their own unwritten rules but are widely understood. It’s like opening a mystery novel expecting a dead body suspicious characters, and a classic gumshoe to be hot on a trail. In the literary world, genres act as models and blueprints. They don’t just help writers keep the story on track they also help readers know what emotional rollercoaster they’re boarding.

Are we going to laugh, cry, fall in love, grab our seats, or shite our seats? It is a way to guide enthusiasts to read stories that matter most to them.

Readers expect blinking lights, ethical questions, and someone painting a visual story that leads to lasting moments and conversations. In other words, they want stories that are familiar and satisfying.

Some writers ignore genre conventions at their peril. Readers pick up certain books looking for a very specific experience, and when they don’t get it, things get ugly. Bad reviews on blogs and social media, as well social exile can become a possibility.

But sticking to conventions doesn’t mean you’re trapped. In fact, it gives you a solid structure to work with. You just need to know the guidelines of each genre and how to break the rules with style. Otherwise, you’re just going to leave your adoring fans in a cloud of confusion.

Genres aren’t set in stone. They evolve like fashion trends and smartphone models. To master it, you must get used to reading like a bookworm. Absorb the classics, study the contemporary, and question the tropes. Dissect it all as if you are a mortuary assistant at a funeral home. Be patient enough to understand that your autopsy will reveal sweet findings that can be used for your next book.

Remember that genres are not handcuffs to arrest your creativity. It is a foundation that helps keep you grounded and to ensure that you have controlled chaos in your work.

So wield your weapons of choice like Link from Zelda and help to slay a new generation in desperate need of some good entertainment!