  Fantasy
This week: Genres Edited by: Robert Waltz  
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I don't like to label films with a genre.
-Tom Felton
The term 'genre' eventually becomes pejorative because you're referring to something that's so codified and ritualised that it ceases to have the power and meaning it had when it first started.
-Christopher Nolan
The term 'genre' eventually becomes pejorative because you're referring to something that's so codified and ritualised that it ceases to have the power and meaning it had when it first started.
-Quentin Tarantino |
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Genre
The academics (who write in the academic genre) use the word as an insult, as if it were something to ridicule. But the word "genre" is really just a marketing tool. People who like fantasy will read fantasy. People who like science fiction will read science fiction. People who like mystery will also read science fiction.
Wait, what?
Okay, here's the thing: it occurred to me a long time ago that there are different reasons to have a "genre." If you look at the huge list of genres here on Writing.Com, you see a lot of different subjects.
But subject is really distinct from genre, isn't it?
Some genres give away the subject matter. In a mystery, for example, there's a mystery to solve. In something in the Supernatural genre, you know there's going to be elements of the supernatural such as, maybe, telekinesis or ghosts.
But in fantasy (and in science fiction), the only thing the genre name tells you is the setting - not the subject matter. A fantasy or science fiction setting can vary from distant past to other worlds to contemporary to near future to different dimensions of time and space, but there needs to be elements of something to do with magic (for fantasy) or science (for science fiction).
It tells you nothing about the plot.
Sure, the classic fantasy epics like those written by Tolkien dominate the field, but those are not the only types.
So in my view, fantasy and science fiction aren't really genres - they're settings.
Therefore, there's another way of looking at these types of stories: as a frame, or setting, for stories of another genre.
With a fantasy or science fiction story - or TV show, or movie, or whatever - you're really writing, or reading or viewing, an action story, or a mystery, or a drama, or a comedy, or a romance, or a tragedy, or a melodrama, or a horror piece, or a thriller, or some combination of all of these and more.
To complicate matters, as I've noted before, sometimes the line between science fiction and fantasy is a bit blurred.
So, perhaps, next time you're writing fantasy or science fiction, ask yourself: what actual genre am I writing in? How would I market this if it weren't a fantasy or science fiction story?
Again, genre is merely a marketing tool - but it's a strong one. |
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Last time, in "Fantasy Newsletter (March 13, 2013)" , I talked about Doctor Who and its upcoming 50th anniversary.
writetight: The Doctor rules! I'm currently recording two episodes daily of the 2005 and later shows. My all time favorite episode is "Vincent and the Doctor." I'm a tough old human, but that one made me cry. Thanks for the newsletter!
Seriously, people need to stop cutting onions near me during that episode.
Quick-Quill  : When I finished reading this I was no better at understanding Dr. Who than when I read the title. I know who he is and watched a couple of the original reruns (I am well over the 50yr mark)yrs ago. While I was intrigued with the NL to read to the end. I am no wiser about the show or what it is about (if I didn't know). I felt you were trying to convince someone to eat brussel sprouts who had never tasted them yet knew what they were. I probably won't watch it except out of boredom or as a project to review the story lines that you say are excellent. In the FUTURE! 
Well, I wasn't really trying to sell it. I'm crap as a salesman. It was more just a fan rave. Give it a try or not; until the BBC pays me to shill for 'em, I won't be offended either way
Squeekachu  : Reading this letter made me squeal. As a shameless fan of doctor who, this was a delight to read. And now I'm attempting to hash up some excuse to go to London in November.
Thanks! :P
Don't go to London in November. It's why Morrissey is the way Morrissey is. Also, the more people I can convince not to go, the higher my chance at scoring a ticket. Ooops, did I type that out loud?
Professor Q  : I admit, NuWho got me into the series, but I love me some "old" Who, as well. Especially Patrick Troughton, which seems to be an aberration...as does being such a huge Matt Smith fan. More people seem to prefer Tom Baker and/or David Tennant. And I hear they're bringing back the Ice Warriors this season!!! (Speaking of the missing episodes and Patrick Troughton.) So excited to see what Moffat brings us for the 50th, as well.
Yeah, Troughton got shafted hard with the missing episodes. And I hear Tennant is coming back for the 50th. Not that I'd make a pair o' docs joke in this newsletter.
Winn Storm : Loved the Whovian theme! I don't always read the newsletters, even the ones I'm subscribed to, but this one caught my attention. I have started to watch the original series but finding it hard to get into them as much. I would like to get around to reading the novels, though. There's quite a few for the new series. Have you had a chance to read any of them?
Actually, yes, thanks to having a Kindle and traveling a bit recently. The quality varies widely, in my opinion, but they get me through boring plane rides and waiting areas just fine 
Spawn of Sylvia Plath : As one of the two people who have not watched any Doctor Who, I really appreciated this newsletter! I've been planning to embark upon that same great undertaking you talked about--watching every available Doctor Who episode starting with the very first ones. I'm going to get on that as soon as I finish my trek through all of Star Trek (and I just started Voyager, so it won't be long now!) I knew nothing about the history of the show, so it was cool to get some background info before I start trying to track down the old episodes...which my boyfriend absolutely refuses to watch on the grounds that campy old shows no longer possess any value or watchability...with which I wholeheartedly disagree.
They're not for everyone, true, but if you watch them in the context of their time and the other kinds of TV shows that were around then, they can be rewarding. Of course today's are "better," with today's production values and higher budgets, but many of the old ones have a certain charm of their own.
Mark Allen Mc Lemore : That's great, this weeks editor of the comedy newsletter was brilliant! Haha, good one! Funny how the word "frakking" used in both newsletters made me have to go back and check to see if it was you. So, I take it you are a fan of the Battlestar Galactica remake as well as the Doctor Who remakes (not a question).
Anyways, you make reference to the Browncoats, is this made towards the show Firefly? Because, yes, that is a large following. Nathan Fillion was swallowed up at this years ComiCon being it was the 10 year Anni of the show!
Thanks for the newsletter, (both of them, lol)
I remember Doctor Who when I was a child on PBS, the same channel as Sesame Street and The Electric Company. When I was younger the special effects were cool and, at the time, I really didn't follow the story, just watched it for the visual effects. Watching it now, yeah, very low tech!
Mark A. McLemore.
Point of order: BSG was a remake, while Doctor Who is a series continuation. But yeah, though they weren't much for special effects, they did what they could with the budget they had. It's like watching a stage play - a certain suspension of disbelief is required.
Tinman : I can honestly say this has definitely swayed me to watch Dr Who now. Believe, that is no easy task, because I pretty much despise television today. However, with such an illustrious career, from such humble beginnings, I feel that this show would fit in well to my "must see" life. And thanks for the nods to us Browncoats. We may not be many, but we're a proud and loyal bunch. ;)
While most of TV is (and always has been) crap, there are quite a few good shows on these days. Of course, I don't have cable, so I usually have to wait for them to show up on Amazon or Netflix.
And that's it for me for April - until next month,
DREAM ON!!! |
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Fantasy: April 10, 2013 Issue [#5615]
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