How do you narrow down what goes into your scenes? What do readers expect? Why does writing what you know sound like good advice, but audiences don’t always agree? Why is your creativity so important to exceeding expectations?
Familiar Engages Readers before the Fresh Twist
I have my favorite books, TV shows, and films.
With few exceptions, most of my entertainment contains familiar storylines, such as mysteries and thrillers that contain a touch of romance. I get comfortable, embracing the plot and loving the characters. Then wham! The author or scriptwriter throws in a fresh twist that turns ordinary narratives into extraordinary stories.
The familiar makes me feel comfortable (i.e., meets my expectations), then the twist delights my senses (i.e., exceeds my expectations).
Genres Offer Insights into Readers’ Expectations
A quick look around and you’ll see that most novels, TV shows, and films fall into pre-established genres.
That’s no accident. Audiences know what they like, and they want more of it. The rub is that the names and descriptions for genres vary. What’s common is a sense of the key scenes and conventions.
Study a genre and you’ll soon identify those key scenes and conventions.
Audiences Love to Comment on Their Expectations
My reading routine includes healthy doses of readers’ comments on bestselling books.
A deep dive into comments on Amazon can give you a windfall of insights. The four-to-five-star ratings often identify the most loved aspects of a book. The one-to-three-star ratings reveal what not to do.
Give readers what they like, avoid what they dislike, and you just might create a bestseller.
Example: Where the Crawdads Sing
On Amazon, readers gave this bestseller 4.7 stars based on over 600,000 reviews. The movie based on the book garnered a 7.2 IMDb rating with over 150,000 contributing to that score.
Takeaways:
• The ending offers a fresh twist.
• Comments give details of its flaws.
Genres Require Study
No person to date has created a single resource that covers all primary genres and their many subgenres.
With study, you can identify which genre you want to write, including the key scenes and conventions that readers expect. However, you’ll then have to decide where those key scenes fall within your narrative. You’ll also have to choose how you’ll reveal the conventions. And that, my writing friends, is a big part of creating a novel.
To prime your genre-study pump, check out these prior posts:
- Use Genres to Fulfill Readers Expectations
- Genres Are the Portals to Your Story World
- The Trellis Method: Looking for Brown M&M’s in Your Chosen Genres
Your Thoughts?
What part does the study and use of genres play in your role as a fiction writer?
13 responses to “The Importance of Genre in Writing Success”
I think your note that genres require study is so good. And “The familiar makes me feel comfortable (i.e., meets my expectations), then the twist delights my senses (i.e., exceeds my expectations).” That’s so right on! Thanks, Grant!
Thanks, Wynne. Like making an omelet, the basic ingredients plus optional toppings combined with different spices can please even the fussiest of appetites.
I enjoy reading a genre book and trying to predict what will happen next. And then I’m kinda disappointed when I’m right. From the writing aspect, it’s fun to get deep into the story and then write the opposite of what the next scene should be according to the outline.
Well said, Priscilla. You’ve showcased why genres guide but don’t control. Writers can surprise and delight readers after engaging the audience with the genre’s expected key scenes and conventions. The unexpected resolution of Where the Crawdads Sing serves as an example of what you’ve described. Thank you!
Genre choice wasn’t even a consideration for the story I’ve wanted to tell for 30 years—it had to be a historical fiction thriller. I learned I needed a designated genre for general book identity and plotting and that I could add sub-genres for story depth. For new novelist wanna-be’s like me, I don’t have the luxury (distraction?) to challenge myself with a genre that isn’t already in my bones—hence the advice, “write what you know.” . Within the Trellis Framework beats for structural guidance, I studied and included the thriller conventions (i.e., the clock is ticking), working them into my plot, and the story practically wrote itself. I was also able to include the sub-genres of Southern Gothic horror and romance, as determined by not only geography, but also writing strong characters. Life experience, particularly with romance, is a huge plus. I was shocked when I looked up and realized I had only been writing for 2 months—89,000 words. Planning and research about 4 months. I edit along the way, so I’ve had very few revisions, but received suggestions that turned out to be critical to the story, by beta readers, many claiming it is a “page-turner.” So, thanks Grant for the graphic Trellis Method beats, and by adding tried-and-true reader expectation conventions, I think anybody can tell a story, within their chosen genre that people will want to read.
Thanks for the boost, John! I appreciate how you highlighted the way readers’ expectations can guide (not control). Putting the priority on the audience makes it much simpler to find the pieces of the story you know will prove interesting and appreciated.
I’m looking forward to reading your book!
I guess I’d better make a decision for indie or trad publishing—or both, very soon. It’s a fluid landscape with a few landmines, so I’m moving slowly, while I start the second book. I want you to read it too—thanks
Many options, but ultimately your choice whether to go trad or indie. If you go indie and want a proven tool to format even complex print and digital layouts, consider Atticus. I’ve got the license, and while I do not consider myself an expert on formatting, I understand the supporting code and welcome your questions. A quick scan of top-performing books in your genre can help you choose the layout and style.
I check genres, but it’s difficult, because my work doesn’t always fit neatly into any one genre. I end up putting it into that which is the best fit. 🙂
I understand how a book seldom fits into one genre. The work by Dave Chesson and his team over at Kindlepreneur (dot com) helps us navigate, serving as a Rosetta stone for writers. If you have an interest, my posts about Publisher Rocket show how I use the tool (and it’s not AI!). Enter ‘Publisher Rocket’ in the Search menu (https://tameyourbook.com/search/) and you’ll see my posts and a link to Kindlepreneur.
Thanks for that, Grant. I’ll give it a whirl. 🙂
Good plan, Laura. I take the lazy way and just always write in one genre!
I do write in a few ‘genres’, it”s just that my book don’t always fit neatly! 🙂