Cross-Genre Stories: The Vision In Mixing Genres In A Story
by Blog Contributor | November 15, 2023 | writing craft, Writing Tips | 0
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
Different genres have different strengths and factors as to why readers love them. But often, combining these into cross-genre stories gets them the best result.
Authors typically stick to a specific genre to master.
They focus their skills and time on honing a reputation or a tone around one writing style. This helps set themselves apart, making them recognizable among hundreds of other writers and creating an empire around one to claim as theirs. However, limiting themselves to a particular genre also often restricts their creativity. This lowers their enthusiasm about writing until they burn their sparks out, and writing becomes a chore more than a passion.
However, authors don’t always have to be frigid. They don’t have to stick to the status quo, the template that’s been done and passed around for ages. Instead, as creative writers, they can ultimately come up with their own or combine multiple genres in one.
The Secret To A Book That Will Surely Be Well-Received
Author Count Olson has established a name for himself in the scene with his Black Shadow book series. Although the book’s central plot is nothing new, the author made an original from a commonplace genre. Crime and detective fiction novels have been circling libraries for ages. But Olson ensured he would stand out by incorporating bits of supernatural fiction into the genre.
Becoming a prime example of cross-genre stories, the Black Shadow series captures the best of both worlds within its pages. It’s a supernatural fantasy focused on finding justice in the real world instead of creatures and beasts dueling with each other. The novel is an excellent mixture of magic and reality, both relatable and not. It shoves readers into a world they can reflect on and merely imagine, an amalgamation of what could be and the impossible.
Readers have genres they like and those they don’t. This can be a hit or miss for authors looking to grow their audience. A fraction of their crowd may prefer them to write romance, while others are fond of fantasy stories. This can be an extremely dividing experience, and satisfying both sides may seem impossible. Authors would feel like they’d have to compromise and prioritize one genre over the other. But fortunately, genres can occasionally overlap one another, creating cross-genre stories.
Authors desire nothing more than to create unique stories.
Everyone wishes to write something that’s unlike what the others are making. But working in a highly condensed market makes this a challenge. Fortunately, authors don’t have to limit themselves to a single template. They can experiment with different genres and blend some into a captivating one.
How To Create Cross-Genre Stories
If there’s anything cross-genre stories like the Black Shadow series captures, it’s the beauty in finding the perfect blend and balance between genres. This might be a complicated business, a tricky equation to find that allows for the ideal balance. But it’s well worth the risk.
Cross-genre stories are a catalyst for a new level of fascination in literature. These allow readers to revel in multiple events in a single book and a wider range of emotions through its pages. It’s opening different dimensions from a single bind, a plethora of incredible and cathartic journeys for readers to enjoy.
However, while these sound very promising, crafting these narratives isn’t all fun and games. When miswritten, these end up as chaotic and confusing stories. So, how do authors ensure their cross-genres stories are well-written?
Establish A Base
In cross-genre stories, the base is the central genre. While these narratives are made to include multiple genres, they should still have a singular focus. What genre significantly influences the whole story? This helps authors ensure the story will be clear and consistent throughout the changes because it has somewhere to fall back into when things get muddled.
Whether it’s a romantic story mixed with bits of fantasy, horror, or crime, the central genre should remain romance. The narrative should still significantly focus on the love story between characters before it dabbles on the other genres.
Combine The Genres’ Flavors
Every genre has a flavor – a specific template or flow it follows. Writing multiple genres in a single story should incorporate these templates throughout the pages. These flavors or how they’re typically written can give authors clarity regarding how they want their story to be. Utilizing these flavors also offers authors the opportunity to experiment with these genres.
