To continue the NaNoWriMo countdown, let’s talk about genre.
Know Your Genre
There are many reasons why genre is important. From a business perspective, you need to know your genre so bookstores know where to shelve it. As a reminder to YA writers, Barnes and Noble is now dividing YA based on genre (check out this blog too), just like they do with adult books, so genre really is important to consider.
From the perspective of a writer just looking to write, genre is important because it can help guide you in the development of your plot. If you are writing high fantasy, you better include a quest, because that is what your readers will expect. For definitions of some common genres, check out this post from Jennifer Represents…
Knowing your genre can help provide a mini-blueprint. If you get stuck, you can think about what elements you need to include in your book and then try to figure out how to include those elements. Of course, you don’t have to follow a formula, but you should be mindful of what readers of a particular genre will expect to read.
And finally, for NaNoWriMo participants, genre is important in that it helps you to meet other writers. By including your genre on your profile page, writers can find you by genre. There are also forums set up by genre. The forums are a great place to chat with other writers about any and everything related to NaNoWriMo, your book, writing, etc.. By browsing forums for your genre, you are sure to encounter people who know about your genre and can offer genre specific advice.
So, do you know your genre?
