Genre

why knowing your genre and it's unsaid expectations is important

I’m not a big fan of sci-fi. Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, what have you, none of it ever really sunk under my skin and changed me. Which makes it feel strange to be gearing up to write a sci-fi novel.

It’s not because I’m afraid of words on a page or the effort of getting them there, this is my fourth foray into writing a novel after all!

BUT, my first two novels are high fantasy, definitely within my comfort zone.

I enjoy expansive worlds, individual magic systems, and a cast of characters all in touch with this magic system. Unsurprisingly to fans, these characteristics of high fantasy are also found throughout much of sci-fi. Yay!! Love that, but what keeps me from loving sci-fi?

Spaceships, tech, and the over explanation of both makes me want to melt into a puddle.

I want to write in the sci-fi space in spite of the tech. The THEMES & SETTINGS are different from high fantasy and are why I want to write this book in a genre I’m not as familiar with.

What Does It Mean to Be Familiar with a Genre?

I’d say you’ve reached familiarity when you can read the first chapter and know that the book will be a fantasy or a romance. The plot devices in each genre are overt. An author does not typically try to hide from genre, rather they lean into the formula so that their audience can quickly pick up what they’re putting down.

I’ve read countless fantasy novels since I was young. Many, many, a series was read by younger me. Artemis Fowl, Percy Jackson, Narnia, the-series-that-shall-not-be-named, on and on.

Now, I’d categorize these books as magical realism, which is why my third book is magical realism! I refocused on what I loved reading as a kid, reevaluated how I wanted to write the story I was grappling with, and came up with slipping between our world and an unfamiliar one that exists right beneath the surface.

What Does Sci-fi Demand?

I’ve been reading sci-fi as “homework” for this novel. However, the books I’ve focused on has been limited to narratives lead by robots:)

Monk And Robot by Becky Chambers

while this book isn’t from the robot’s POV, the monk’s POV is definitely need for the reader to understand the robot

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

a ship’s AI takes over human bodies called ancillaries. The Justice of Toren’s mind is broken in two, the smaller of which embarks on a journey of revenge.

From reading these two books and watching a lot of sci-fi, I’d say the genre demands:

• high stakes: to the tune of world-wide or galaxy wide consequence

• some kind of fascinating technology (no spaceships for me tho, thx)

• multiple races of aliens (much fun:))))

• politics which span much further than the boarder of a country (high fantasy has more country vs country while sci-fi is planet vs galaxy/other planets)

I’m sure there’s more that I’m forgetting, or not aware of, but breaking down the expectations of genre like this helps me to outline the novel!

What do you think the genre sci-fi demands?