Writers in the Storm

by Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Genre is often a hot topic of discussion in the writing world, and new writers particularly wonder how much does genre matter?

For some writers, genre is an integral part of their craft.

• “All I’ve ever done are thrillers, but someday I might like to branch out.”
• “They couldn’t pay me enough to write anything but Regency romance.”
• “Lately she’s been thinking about switching from MG to YA mysteries.”
• “Police procedural fans will snap up whatever he writes next.”

For other writers, not so much.

• “I couldn’t pin down a genre; my book doesn’t fit any specific niche.”
• “Well, maybe you could call this a cozy LGBTQ historical fantasy..."
• “Why should a book have to fit within one very limited set of rules?”
• “My story is mainstream, literary -- it’s meant for readers who think.”

So that leads to the question of how much (if at all) genre actually matters.

What IS genre?

It’s a quick way of defining what kind of reading experience someone can expect from a particular book. Fans of certain genres have definite expectations of what they do and don’t want to see in the kind of story they love.

“That’s so LIMITING!” someone might protest. “That’s like saying you can build whatever style of house you want as long as it’s exactly 1357 square feet and has three bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen and living room. Where’s the creative freedom?”

“That’s so FREEING!” someone else might exult. “As long as I plant enough clues that readers could solve the mystery, and show the good guys hauling the bad guys off to face justice in the final chapter, I can do anything I want with this story.”

Both points are valid. And a lot of writers’ feelings about genre are based on their reason for writing in the first place.

Why ARE we writing?

There’s sure no One Right Answer to that question – although, since genre is only an issue for writers who intend to publish, let’s change the question to “Why are we writing for publication?”

Some possibilities might be:

• Validation (to prove I can write books people want to read)
• Money (to at least cover my expenses, or even earn a living)
• Accomplishment (to take pride in achieving a difficult goal)
• Expression (to share my thoughts and ideas with the world)
• Recognition (to gain credibility, honors, sense of fulfillment)
• Recreation (to have fun making up stories people will enjoy)

For some of those desires, writing within a specific genre will make life easier. For others, harder. Which makes it important to consider the question...

How can genre help you?

Genre fiction is, by and large, easier to sell. Romance has been the top-selling genre for decades, with readers loyally buying every single book their favorite authors release. Mystery is the next highest, and science fiction/fantasy does extremely well, too. While any of those categories could easily contain truly innovative themes, they’re still considered genre fiction because, by and large, readers appreciate knowing:

They can count on the kind of story they want.

• When someone picks up a book labeled “romance,” they’re going to see by the end that love conquers all.
• When someone picks up a book labeled “mystery,” they’re going to see by the end that justice triumphs.
• When someone picks up a book labeled “fantasy” or “science fiction,” they’re going to see a fascinating other world.

And so on.

That holds true for literary fiction, as well. When readers pick up a book reviewed by The New York Times, they can feel pretty certain that their thinking will be challenged or deepened. If the book simply offers the same kind of traditional satisfaction they expect from a romance or mystery or SFF, they’re going to feel cheated.

And it’s the other way around for genre readers. If the romantic couple doesn’t live happily ever after, or if the murderer kills not only the hostages but the entire police force, THEY’RE going to feel cheated.

Does your book fit a genre?

It might. If you want quicker, easier sales and likely higher profits, it probably should. But if that’s not part of your aim in writing, there’s no reason you need to fit into any genre -- you can tell any kind of story you feel like telling, and feel satisfied with having expressed yourself in a book that readers who love it will remember fondly for a long time. (And, heck, you never know: you could also wind up on the NYT bestseller list!)

But let’s say that for now, you’re more interested in delivering a story that readers will feel confident about buying because they know what kind of experience they can expect.

How do you satisfy the demands of genre fiction, while also making it work for you?

Genre highlights can be a powerful tool. So can plot and character, which are the other two elements of your Story Braid. In fact, someone who answers the question below will win free registration to a class on that very topic.

Your Plot Character Genre Braid will be taught via email from September 5-30, going over how to integrate all three elements (plot, character, and genre) for a story that stays strong from beginning to end.

Which leads to our prize-drawing question...

What genre(s) do you most like to write and/or read?

Are they the same? Are they different? Of course they’ve changed since you first started reading children’s books way-back-when, but what’s your latest favorite for reading and/or writing?

Mention either or both -- it’s fine to use conventional labels like “cozy mystery” or “erotic fantasy” and it’s also fine to mention something more specialized. Just think about what you love to (at least sometimes) write and/or read!

Other Offer: if you’d like a Zoom class on “Keeping the Writing Fire Lit,” that’s free for anyone who makes ANY size donation of time or money to ANY charity (not their usual) they feel like God has in mind. It’ll be held next Saturday, August 27, from 12-1pm Eastern Time and you can register here.

About Laurie

Laurie Schnebly Campbell (BookLaurie.com) always loves creating a class, so when a writer asked about “braiding” she was delighted at the chance to explore an untouched subject. Although she enjoyed braiding her own books, including one that beat out Nora Roberts for “Best Special Edition of the Year,” she enjoys teaching even more. That’s why she now has 52 first-sale novels on her bookshelf from authors inspired by her classes.

Top Photo by Daniel on Unsplash

by Sandy Vaile

One of the fastest ways to alienate readers is to get your facts wrong, which can feel like an overwhelming responsibility when writing a story. But how far would you go to bring authenticity and interesting elements into your story? 

I’m going to demonstrate how research can benefit all stories, and then we’ll peek over the shoulders of a few authors to discover the lengths they’ve gone to, in the name of fiction research.

Do You Need to Research for a Fiction Story?

If you’re writing anything longer than a short story, you are bound to need to do some research.

For historical times or stories based on real events, it’s easy to see how understanding those times will add credibility to what you write, but the benefits aren’t as obvious if you’re creating make-believe worlds and situations.

The truth is, we can’t possibly know everything about everything. Each of us is limited by what we’ve experienced or have intimate knowledge about, which may result in missed opportunities to add authentic details to our story.

The right research can strengthen a story by:

• Incorporating the five senses to add vivid details.
• Setting an appropriate tone for an era or event.
• Helping readers feel confident in the believability of the characters and plot.
• Supporting the people, places and events in the story with authentic facts.

You might think if you’re writing a fantasy story or fictitious place, that you just make the whole lot up, but consider these situations:

• Another universe will still have plants and you may need to know the science behind how they grow or what the leaves look like.
• You may need to describe how an alien creature moves and could base this on watching real animals.
• A make-believe town will still have buildings and gardens, and drawing inspiration from locations you can see helps you add more than basic descriptions because you can better picture the colour of the bricks, the types of plants, the layout of shared spaces, etc.

The Bottomless Pit of Investigation

Some authors absolutely love surfing the internet and/or library to learn everything there is to know about a subject, while others prefer a minimalistic approach. Writers are inherently curious, so it’s no wonder we sometimes have a tendency to disappear down the rabbit hole of research. The danger is, never being heard from again!

“Research feeds the natural curiosity of an author. Use it to add authenticity to topics and places, and fill your pages with specific, vivid details that deepen the reader’s experience, instead of generalizations.”

Sandy Vaile

Out of the Box Research

Many authors expend a great deal of effort uncovering interesting gems to add that “special something” to their stories but the truth is that the really good stuff is buried deep. These days, anyone can Google a subject and come up with a list of common facts. To get to the hidden gems, you need to keep digging after most authors have given up.

An author needs to investigate obscure and forgotten aspects of a subject. Track mere traces of interest and root out the cause and effect. Go the extra mile and you will be astounded where those fascinating facts will lead, like previously unimaged details, subplots and descriptive layers.

For example, while researching the bathing habits of the 1400s, a friend stumbled across a newspaper article about a gentleman who drowned in his bathtub, with wet footprints that were too small to be his at the scene. By following this research trail, she discovered hearsay about a female serial murderer whose modus operandi was drowning. Now there’s a great story waiting to be told.

How else can you unearth those information gems?

Ride Alongs                    

Well, you might not be as lucky as Tara Moss and get to ride along with FBI agents and police officers, but you might be surprised at how willing people are to be interviewed about a subject they’re an expert in. Seriously, all you have to do is ask.

Interviews                      

I gleaned a wealth of knowledge interviewing a coroner, detective, and firefighter. All because I asked and was respectful of their time, knowledge, and privacy.

Don’t limit yourself to experts either. Laypeople with special skills or interests can be a wealth of knowledge. Put your feelers out with friends and acquaintances, asking if they know anyone with information about a particular topic. People love to help.

Travel                           

I know lots of authors who have travelled to the locations in their books so they can experience the sounds, scents and textures you simply can’t understand from photos. If you can’t make it to a location, you could walk along the streets using Google Maps or read travel blogs.

Historical Accounts         

If you’re writing about the past, visit the archives or historical society and look for personal accounts of events.

Amass a Library              

Many authors build a library of information that is relevant to their genre. For example, details about what existed at a point in time, cultural customs, police procedures, or body language. Every time you read an interesting article or come across a curiosity-inspiring news report, make a note of the details for a rainy day.

Books                            

Remember those heavy paper things that smell a bit musty? Visit a library and rediscover them, because there’s a book on every topic you can think of. Don’t stop there, delve into science and scholarly journals too.

Special Interest Clubs      

If there is a minuscule interest in it, there is probably a group of people somewhere in the world talking about it. Search the internet, local councils and community centres for clubs and interest groups.

What have other authors done in the search for research gold?

Examples from Real Authors

Sandy Vaile

I like to be hands-on whenever possible (read – any excuse for an adventure).

One time I flew a jet plane in a flight simulator. Under the guidance of a genuine pilot, I took off and landed the plane from several airports around the world, rolled it midair, stalled and re-started it. I even performed an emergency landing on the Tamar River near Launceston — and didn’t lose a single passenger! 😊

One of the most fun adventures was a day at a local gun club. A writing group approached a local gun club to organize a hosted day, during which I shot thirteen different guns. It was frightening and exhilarating, but there’s one thing for sure, there is no way I could have understood what it felt, sounded or smelt like to shoot, without doing it myself.

That sort of insider knowledge enables me to add authentic layers to my stories and (hopefully) anyone who knows a lot about guns will appreciate the accuracy.

When it comes to writing, I am more aware when selecting the type of gun, the differences in bullets, the volume of the report, how they feel in your hand, how to load them, the gunpowder smell after they’ve been fired and the kickback. Oh, the recoil!

All of this information will enable me to take the guns in my books from props to realistic features.

Carla Caruso

Carla read a newspaper article about a local woman who worked as a professional organizer and said she often became an accidental counsellor for her clients because going through people’s possessions can also mean dealing with a tonne of emotional baggage.

This sparked the idea for a mystery series, which took hold and wouldn’t let go. I mean, what other job would let you see into the deepest, darkest corners of another person’s closet, under their bed or behind closed doors?

Before she started writing, Carla interviewed a few professional organizers to find out about the nitty-gritty of the job.

Rowena Holloway

undertook a time-consuming language study for her latest release, All That’s Left Unsaid. Now that’s dedication! She wanted to capture the cadence of the language so that her Italian characters sounded authentic and didn’t slip into cliché accents or overused Italian phrases. What Rowena discovered was so much more than verb drills.

Her teacher explained the language through examples of Italian culture: “I learned that cappuccino is only consumed at breakfast, that when meeting it is customary to shake hands over the phrase piacere, and that when first names are exchanged a native Italian will say ‘now we speak to each other as friends’—a sign to use the less formal tu forms of verbs when speaking. I also learned it takes more than a year of weekly lessons to master the language!”

Lillian Grant

Writer of erotic romance novels, Lillian once interviewed a real-life male stripper, Justin Whitfield. Thankfully, the interview was conducted via email, which avoided any blush factor. It gave her the courage to ask all sorts of probing questions.

The answers to many questions were surprising, like the reasons he started stripping, his usually shy demeanor and how they get those skimpy undies. All of this off-the-cuff information spawned multiple books.

Research has Benefits

I sure hope you see not only the benefits of going deep when conducting research but the potential fun adventures and unique storylines you have the potential to uncover.

If you are stuck in a rut of writing novels you never finish, never submit, or aren’t sure how to fix, then it’s your lucky day. I’m offering Writers in the Storm readers a FREE masterclass, which reveals the real reasons few aspiring authors finish their novels (and how to avoid them).

Grab the Quit Procrastinating and Write a Publishable Novel masterclass here.

Are you ready to jump right into research and bring authenticity and interesting elements into your story? How deep do you go when you research? What is the most intriguing fact you've discovered? Please share it with us in the comments!

About Sandy Vaile

Sandy Vaile is a motorbike-riding daredevil who isn’t content with a story unless there’s a courageous heroine and a dead body. She writes romantic suspense for Simon & Schuster US and coaches fiction authors to write novels they are proud to share (and which get noticed by agents and publishers).

In her spare time, Sandy composes procedures for high-risk industrial processes, judges writing competitions, runs The Fearless Novelist Facebook group, and offers developmental editing.

Connect with Sandy Vaile on her website or social media.

by Lisa Norman

Writers ask me what to blog about all the time.

Recently, I was brainstorming story background (world-building) ideas with a writer. We were having a lot of fun just playing with the story. She stopped and stared at her screen full of ideas. “These are all great blogging ideas!” Her gasp of surprise was delightful.

“Yep.”

“But ... why didn’t I see this before?”

The answer is in that pesky word — blog — and in our subconscious understanding of what that means.

We imagine the movie Julie and Julia playing in our heads. Or maybe we think about a writer rambling on in a self-indulgent manner, and we self-sabotage our creative process.

Here’s the trick: each author’s blog should be as unique as the writer and their story.

Let’s re-define blog for writers

Merriam-Webster says:

Definition of blog

1 computers: a website that contains online personal reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks, videos, and photographs provided by the writer

also: the contents of such a site

2:a regular feature appearing as part of an online publication that typically relates to a particular topic and consists of articles and personal commentary by one or more authors

//a technology blog

— Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “blog,” accessed August 2, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blog.

Blog is short for weblog.

Let’s focus on the second definition:

a regular feature appearing as part of an online publication that typically relates to a particular topic and consists of articles and personal commentary by one or more authors

Sounds a little like a magazine or newspaper column, right?

Think “Dear Abby” or any other feature article that you’ve loved to read over your lifetime. Yes, cartoons absolutely count. Why? Because cartoons tell a story. Like a serial radio drama, cartoons unveil a story slowly over time. Blogs can do the same thing.

My favorite how-to article for blogging is “10 Tips on Writing the Living Web” by Mark Bernstein. Any quasi-tech article that is still relevant, even though Mark wrote it in 2002, is worth a read!

The #1 qualification for being a stellar blogger is that you need to have skill as a writer. If you are reading WITS, you qualify!

Let’s break it down

Regular

Some people think this means weekly or even twice a week. I’ve seen elaborate schedules for these. Note: they designed most of those schedules for technology authors. Fiction authors and their fans are a unique bunch. There is an advantage to writing something at least once a month, and the more often the better. BUT — if you write something uninteresting, you will destroy any frequency bonus you get.

I define regular to mean “when you have something worth saying.”

Now, for those of you who have just said, “Ah! I’m off the hook! I have nothing interesting to say” — not so!

If you don’t have anything worth saying, why are you writing a book? Hmmm?

Online

Yep, this is where your website comes in. You can also guest post for other folks or for a site like Wattpad or Medium, but you’ll get the most return when you post on your own website.

Online sites are always looking for contributors!

Relates to a Particular Topic

Your book is your topic, or the ideas and inspiration for your book.

Your topic can also be anything that interests you.

Why? Because these are the same thing, if you go way down deep into your subconscious. What interests you finds its way into your writing, therefore ... they connect!

Articles and Personal Commentary

Share bits of story, bits of backstory, funny things that happened to you today. You can even share fun things that happened to your characters!

You can share pictures of your cats with funny anecdotes. Don’t get hung up on staying on topic. Have fun.

One or more authors

You can have people guest blog for you! Interview your friends. They must be interesting people, right? I mean, you think they are worth spending time with, right? Your readers will, too. You can even interview your characters.

An Exercise

Notes for after the exercise:

• Set aside your list for 24 hours. Add to it whenever an idea comes to mind.
• When you are ready to write a blog post, pull out that list and pick one treasure off it. Develop and write that article. Cross it off on the list.
• Every few months, or whenever the list looks thin, do the exercise again.
• My list is on my phone. When I have an unexpected downtime, I pull it out and draft something up.
• You can even schedule your blog posts out in advance, so they auto-post on that regular basis.
• The idea here is to have fun.

Enough chatter — Let’s do this!

Brainstorming time. Give me 10 minutes and you’ll have a list of blog topics to keep you going for at least 6 months, if not a year.

Get out a piece of paper or a blank document in whatever note-taking software you use. I do it in Evernote.

Set a timer for 10 minutes.

One rule: this is not the time to try out new software. If you are comfortable with mind-mapping software, you can absolutely use it during this exercise. But we don’t want any conscious thoughts to interrupt this process. Pen and paper will work fine.

Ready?

I’m going to ask a bunch of questions. If one sparks an idea, write it down. Completely unrelated idea? Write it down.

If you suddenly remember you need to buy milk, write that down off to the side and keep going.

Don’t judge your ideas. Just write them down as fast as your fingers can go.

Here are some seed questions to get you started:

• What motivates you to write?
• What is the most delightful aha moment you’ve had as a writer?
• Do any of your characters have fun bits of backstory?
• Got any flash fiction lying around that you can share?
• Have a topic idea for flash fiction?
• What freaks out your main character?
• What is the best part of being a writer?
• What’s the worst part?
• What gets you up in the morning?
• What keeps you up at night?
• Think about the motivations for your characters. Any fun stories there?
• What about your story world? Is there something fun? Beautiful? Shocking?
• What is the scariest thing in your story world? The most unique?
• Which is your favorite minor character?
• Do you have a character that doesn’t have a story yet?
• Need to flesh out backstory for your main character?

Keep going from here.

DING!

How many ideas did you get?

About Lisa

Lisa Norman's passion has been writing since she could hold a pencil. While that is a cliché, she is unique in that her first novel was written on gum wrappers. As a young woman, she learned to program and discovered she has a talent for helping people and computers learn to work together and play nice. When she's not playing with her daughter, writing, or designing for the web, she can be found wandering the local beaches.

Lisa writes as Deleyna Marr and is the owner of Deleyna's Dynamic Designs, a web development company focused on helping writers, and Heart Ally Books, an indie publishing firm. She teaches for Lawson Writer's Academy.

Interested in learning more from Lisa? See her teaching schedule below.

Classes:

• September: Maximize your Crazy Easy Author’s Website
• November: How to Write a Novel in World Anvil
• Desember: It's a Wonderful Writer's Life

Top Image by Deleyna using MidJourney.