Cook Book Look At Genre

Recipe for a good tale?

I was recently asked, by a well-meaning friend, what kind of stories I wrote.

“Thrillers,” I answered.

“Oh, not romance then,” the friend said, plainly dissapointed.

“Oh no, there is romance in my stories as well,” I responded.

It got me thinking about the question of genres and the categories we all use.

So, exactly what kind of writer am I, I ask myself? I call myself a thriller writer – mainly of the supernatural genre. But when I think hard about categories, I realise my novels may well feel like everything but the kitchen sink added in!

You see, I think of a plot as a cooking recipe. For a good story I mix together certain ideas and form them into the basic story-line for what I need. I then add in extra ingredients to, hopefully, make my story stand out.  Not to overdo it, of course, otherwise the main story line can become obscured.

To that end, when I examine my plots, I find they are usually Manichean (good against evil) and often the main character is unwilling at first but then is in a desperate race to get something. My recipe usually includes the raising of stakes for the main character and rising tension throughout the story. Rather like baking a cake, methinks? Well there you go, more cooking analogies!

I find I nearly always add a love interest, (the genre of romance?) a ‘what if’ element (maybe it could be horror?), a ‘whodunit’ bit (mystery story) and usually some kind of race against time (a thriller caper). And then again, I also try to add subplots that intertwine with the main story. My recent book also had a time-slip element to it so I could call it historical too.

Maybe other writers don’t have to fight with themselves when they realise they want to add further spice to their stories but I always do. I would happily mix genres even more if I let my muse loose for long enough…  Like a good cake recipe, you need to know when the mixture is just right. Sometimes less is more…

So I reign myself in and try to stick to the main category I enjoy – supernatural thriller writing. But it doesn’t stop me adding a bit of spice here and there…

Do you tend to mix things up or are you totally faithful to your own genre?

Demons, devils and other deadly spirits...

The Devil's in the detail.

“Willingly, I too say Hail! To the awful unknown powers which transcend the ken of understanding.” Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Demons are subversive spirits. They exist in the folklore of every society on earth so whatever your religious convictions there are many ordinary people who think that in the natural world there are things which defy explanation. What a rich source of material for a fiction writer to mine!

This unknown quantity (and a belief in greater powers we know little about) has led some to believe in all sorts of mythical creatures. In this scientific day and age, those beliefs are less common than they were centuries ago but they still thrive today on every continent in the world.

Fiction writers – and especially horror, supernatural writers - have used those beliefs to good effect in their writing. If you cannot disprove a belief then you have to acknowledge that there is always the slim chance that the belief is true! Enter the world of ‘what if’! A world of fairies, angels and demons.  These kinds of scenarios are common in tales of horror

A demon/evil spirit of some kind may be wreaking havoc in a story or it could even be that a demon is the main protagonist. Or perhaps a demon is simply a messenger - the henchman of the devil, carrying out his will. These kinds of scenarios are common in tales of the supernatural and, indeed, horror in general.  

Throughout the history of the world, demons have been held responsible for every natural disaster that ever befell humankind. Whatever a demon is or does there is a certain categorisation of them in folklore that may be worth looking at. Every demon has their own relevant characteristic according to patterns and habits and what they stand for. For example there are demons associated with water, mountains, deserts, buildings etc. They are as invisible as bacteria, slipping inside people’s minds and commandeering their will. They are full of trickery and deceit and can be vengeful and destructive.   They are also used as a signpost for morality – underlining the fight between good and evil.

In the traditional story telling of ancient times the demon was usually the villain of the piece. Nowadays, we are a bit more discerning and take a rather more cynical view of such things but if we appeal to the deep subconscious part of our minds the primal fear of demons and all things evil are still there.

In my opinion, to write about such things as demons, evil spirits or similar entities and to construct a tale so powerful that readers will suspend disbelief and enter your story world, is a thrill indeed. This is the challenge for writers of the supernatural thriller.

Do you read these kinds of stories? Do you find them a bit too much?

The good, the bad and the ugly (insane)!

Hi all
Now that I am getting used to social networking I thought I would make a few comments on what, it seems to me, is good about it and what is not! In other words the good, the bad and the ugly, (aka insane)!

First off, I love that you can connect, however briefly with like-minded folks from all over the world! I did learn quite early on that I really only wanted to connect with people whom I have something in common with - ie. writing! That said, I have broadened out a bit lately, but I am still more interested in what other writers have to say about writing related topics...

I also love that my list of contacts grows daily and is generally reciprocated so I don't feel I am wasting valuable writing time. Networking in todays society is not only desirable but is totally necessary if you have something to say that you want to get out there or have a product (yourself and your work) to promote.

Tied into this, of course, for me, is my blog (tadaa!) and my website. I've had many a useful comment and/or insight in terms of writing than I know what to do with. All grist to the mill!! And all very welcome. It's so great to get this kind of feedback. Never could I have imagined - just a couple of years ago even - that I would be networking and promoting like this.

Now for the bad (moans). I so hate when people do not put a few words of bio into their profile. I like to know something about the person I'm contemplating tweeting or networking with. In fact, I think it's absolutely crucial to keeping some kind of common dialogue thread going. I mean, I wouldn't try and talk about brain surgery with a neuroscientist willingly, would I? Or maybe that could be interesting.... But you know what I mean...
So come on folks, give us a little info about yourselves so we can judge whether you'd want to tweet with us.

Lastly insane. No not me - although some may dispute that fact! Insanity comes when I am madly trying to keep up with it all and realise the morning or afternoon has sunk without trace! I'm a writer - ergo I WRITE. Or at least I try to when I am not networking.... Eeek!
Oh well, mental home here I come...
So, do you have good and bad things to say about networking? What are your pet hates?

If you want to read a sample from my book please visit - http://www.patricianewcombe.webnode.com/
Or buy my book 'The Witcheye Gene' from http://www.amazon.co.uk/