Category: Genre

Give Up! Why Your Genre is Probably Stupid

Space books? Dumb. Sexy books. Dumb. Westerns? Obviously dumb. Self-help? Why would I waste time on just how dumb those are.

Formula: Writing to Formula vs. Being Formulaic

Formula is critical in everything, even writing. Thus, when someone asks, is storytelling becoming more of a product than an art form, the answer isn’t as straightforward as one might think.

So Very Cheesy: the Fantasy Diet

Kristen is away at a conference in San Francisco….so that means today, you get ME! And despite what the title implies, I’m not here to talk about the failed New Year’s diet (ask me if I even bothered). No, today, you get a super special fun rant from me about food in the fantasy genre. …

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Publishing Success: Genre Loyalty vs. Plot Bunny Saboteurs

Genre matters. Genre is the foundation for longevity, building a loyal fan base and also the key to unlocking all the other plot bunnies (other genres/story ideas) we’ve been dying to try out. Regardless of the publishing path we choose, genre focus is the game-changer that transitions us from published authors to powerhouse brands. Hello, …

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Putting the Fan BACK in Fantasy—Getting Past Ye Same Olde Same Olde

I’m Kim Alexander back to talk about fantasy world-building. This time I’m looking at those writers who make every heroine in their stories a—wait for it—princess. This is different from Chosen One Syndrome, because when it comes down to it, every protagonist is a chosen one; you’ve chosen to write about them. In this installment, I’ll …

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