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Posted By: fire365 Sep 07, 2004 - 02:43 pm

I was thinking about a new idea I have for a story over the holiday based upon a story someone was telling me about one of thier employees. This inspired me to write a story that is based upon real life events but also incorporates fiction into it. Anyway I was wondering what other types of story you guys write, and if you ever blend styles like I did here. Sorry if there is already a post about this because I might have made commented on one or even started one I just can't remember.

Posted By: Magus Sep 07, 2004 - 05:33 pm

Hmmmm... I know that I have my own definate styles... and my ideas usually reflect what I read at the time... but my style sometimes does change while writing. This one mystery short story I'm writing in the ten or so minutes of down time in my math class when the teacher comes in, walks around the room, and checks all of the work from everybody. It's a little more blunt then most of my other pieces, a little dryer perhaps, but it is still just the first draft. I guess I do it a little, but not so much with simply style. My ideas I get at any given time are highly influenced by what I read watch and do at the time, influenced allot. But that's not really what your asking. My answer is some of the time, but not too often.

Posted By: Bedouin Sep 07, 2004 - 10:10 pm

Who really defines the genres? How do we break out of the "mold" enough to create our own catagories in order to capture the audience we assume will enjoy our products the most. Something I wish I could do, but the illuminati of the literary world keep tabs on me...

In the sci/fi and fantasy worlds, most readers seem to be looking for that 'over the top' world of events and characters. But if we blend realism with fantasy or even realism with historical fiction... the outcome is even better than the alternative; actually without elements of truth, some lies can never be believed. Realism is the miracle spice for fiction writers. Yet realism doesn't necessarily mean "real life event" the most preposterous ideas came be made realistic, its all in the prose; and vice versa. Even when we add real-life events, they are only non-fiction to those involved, for arguments' sake at least. And when we mix genre's, we usually end up with a product that ends up being only one of those genres the author involved. Unless ofcourse the blend is pretty easily identified and the subjects are not relatable, for example: Animal psychology and cooking in quantam-dimensional kitchens... In this case the stronger theme with take precidence.

If I could create a new sub-genre, like for the book I'm currently writing, it would be nonfiction/fantasy. I think I'll actually lobby for it, who knows. If you don't try...

Posted By: ricke Sep 09, 2004 - 06:25 am

nonfiction/fantasy......

I don't think 'genre' is a term for writers. Write the story, and let someone else decide where it belongs.... stories is stories. I think the term 'genre' is more a term for readers, so they feel like they know a little something about the book before they purchase it.

From a writing perspective, the word has no meaning. What seperates a mystery from science fiction? The same elements are presented in both.

Posted By: Spiderkeg Sep 09, 2004 - 08:39 am

You know what they say, "Life is stranger than fiction." With that in mind I tend to incorporate a lot of real life situations into my story but just changed a little bit to fit my scheme. I have lots of plots and side stories that are snipets and real stories I have heard on the news or from out-of-the-way sources.

Posted By: Magus Sep 09, 2004 - 11:55 am

I agre with that, Ricke.

I believe it was Tom Clancy, or maybe somebody else, I don't recall completely off hand, who said "The only difference between reality and fiction is that fiction HAS to make sense."

Posted By: Magus Sep 09, 2004 - 06:53 pm

Here's a good example of a uniue genre:

The Dark Tower by Stephen King

A futuristic post apacolyptic scifi western epic fantasy.

Unique, no? And it's very good.

Posted By: Esioul Sep 12, 2004 - 10:57 am

I try to be unique if I can, but I usually find myself writing in a certain genre.

Actually, I think there is some realism in science fiction. It seems that science fiction is a way of exploring how things will turn out- to be interesting this needs to be based on realism, if it's that kind of sci-fi.

Posted By: Magus Sep 13, 2004 - 02:13 pm

I think that there are very few genre benders out there. Most writing is either written as or finds its way into one of the preset genres.

Stephen King wanted to make an epic fantasy story, different from The Lord of the Rings from which it had been inspired. He decided he'd make it a western epic fantasy story. How do you make a western fantasy? You make it in the post-apacolyptic future where all technology, or at least the vast majority of it, is gone. And post-apacolyptic stories are inheritly sci-fi.

Just thought I'd explain how that came about.