Is it time for a new genre?

[estranguerro]

Writers will always find something new to write. One can only write so much of the same stuff and not burn themselves out with it. As much as the audience would want something new to read, writers will want to challenge themselves with new ideas, too.

Writing stories in bite-sized consumables in the same way that YouTube and Tiktok do can be seen in penny dreadfuls and light novels, capturing readers in the hype of the moment in the pages rather than the slower burn of longer novels. It'll be an interesting experiment to write, especially in this day of shortening attention spans.

[Taylor]

I like ‘first drafts’...as a genre. I like the vitality, and risk, and error. That’s my nomination for new genre. For example ‘a first draft shootout’ contest would give a lot of pleasure. We could write free, laugh at ourselves afterward, discuss ‘way to go’/pathways,

Kind of a counterweight to endless draft with which we are all familiar. Futureways stick a D1 in the top right corner, or 1D as marker of super genre.

Yes, many of you speak of these multiples drafts. I'm still working on my first draft so I can't imagine this yet. When you say "draft", I'm never too sure what that means. Is each new draft just edited? Or do you actually write a new draft?

[Taylor]

Writers will always find something new to write. One can only write so much of the same stuff and not burn themselves out with it. As much as the audience would want something new to read, writers will want to challenge themselves with new ideas, too.

Writing stories in bite-sized consumables in the same way that YouTube and Tiktok do can be seen in penny dreadfuls and light novels, capturing readers in the hype of the moment in the pages rather than the slower burn of longer novels. It'll be an interesting experiment to write, especially in this day of shortening attention spans.

This is the first I had heard of penny dreadfuls. Wikipedia describes it as: "cheap popular serial literature produced during the nineteenth century in the United Kingdom."They also say that they were aimed at working class men. Typically the stories were of crimes. It's funny that the newer genre of cozy mysteries is widely read more by women over 40.

Seems like there will always be some sort of re-invention of the crime story genre. But I see your point about the hype of the moment. If people crave this thrill, why make them read a whole novel. Maybe someone is already doing this, but I can see a website like Tiktok, that is entirely dedicated to quicky crime stories. There could be rules around length, maybe the website will limit the amount of words that can be uploaded. The user can log in and either post one or read one. There could be a comment section for readers to discuss. Also a rating system will help users to identify the most popular writers. And it could use the YouTube model, where after a certain number of reads the writer gets a cash payout. That would keep the quality of the stories high?

Any ideas for a genre name?

[Matchu]

...like an exam write, straight off the bat 800 words in the hour, appreciated as much for error as for energy. Yes, we understand this diamond will polish toward 2000, or 80 000 words, but an appreciation of first flourish & imagination...often lost when all the dull conjunctions join to play...

Also antidote to mindset of ever-approaching unveiling to audience of zero upon Amazon platform ten year journey...which is cruel anti-pleasure...

[Taylor]

...like an exam write, straight off the bat 800 words in the hour, appreciated as much for error as for energy. Yes, we understand this diamond will polish toward 2000, or 80 000 words, but an appreciation of first flourish & imagination...often lost when all the dull conjunctions join to play...

Also antidote to mindset of ever-approaching unveiling to audience of zero upon Amazon platform ten year journey...which is cruel anti-pleasure...

Aha...yes, I see what you mean. It reminds me of once when I was in the Louvre in Paris. Way down in the basement is a special Michelangelo section. There they have many of his unfinished sculptures. I guess most people don't see a value in them. Perhaps they are the ones he abandoned because they weren't working out, or maybe he was like most artists always attracted to a new shiny object. But it is a pleasure to see the raw energy as you say. You can imagine the artist at work.

Sometimes I think the artists first work is perfection...and then the conjures of completion slowly destroy it. I can see a genre as you speak of, but likely only for other authors to appreciate.

[Matchu]

Yes...naturally the ‘movement’ will take centuries to embed. I’m probably Founder, apostles about the place, and now I’m stuck on bold forever, appropriate.

As is the way with things, ‘writers’ initially, civilians possibly at their universities? + scum on Facebook.

[indianroads]

Aha...yes, I see what you mean. It reminds me of once when I was in the Louvre in Paris. Way down in the basement is a special Michelangelo section. There they have many of his unfinished sculptures. I guess most people don't see a value in them. Perhaps they are the ones he abandoned because they weren't working out, or maybe he was like most artists always attracted to a new shiny object. But it is a pleasure to see the raw energy as you say. You can imagine the artist at work.

Sometimes I think the artists first work is perfection...and then the conjures of completion slowly destroy it. I can see a genre as you speak of, but likely only for other authors to appreciate.

I visited Michelangelo's museum in Florence - saw the statue of David obviously, but there was also an exhibition of his uncompleted works. I was told that he believed the sculpture already existed in perfect form within the stone, and his job was to reveal it. Some of those works looked as if the figure were struggling to free themselves from the stone.

A lot of great museums in that city.

I worked for Olivetti in the USA at the time and went to Italy for several weeks every year.

[Taylor]

Some of those works looked as if the figure were struggling to free themselves from the stone.

Yes! That was exactly what I thought too!!

I worked for Olivetti in the USA at the time and went to Italy for several weeks every year.

Funny, I also spent several weeks every year doing business in Florence. Firenze -- such a beautiful city. Aren't we lucky!

A typical business meeting would be conducted on a massive antique table, over a persian carpet covering a worn terracotta tile floor. Antipasto would be served with a large glass of red wine. Louvered french doors would open from a Tuscan style room with excessively high ceilings to an ornate iron balcony -- sun shining in.

What did a typical business setting look like for you?

[indianroads]

Yes! That was exactly what I thought too!!

Funny, I also spent several weeks every year doing business in Florence. Firenze -- such a beautiful city. Aren't we lucky!

A typical business meeting would be conducted on a massive antique table, over a persian carpet covering a worn terracotta tile floor. Antipasto would be served with a large glass of red wine. Louvered french doors would open from a Tuscan style room with excessively high ceilings to an ornate iron balcony -- sun shining in.

I got to work with Italians that did the same sort of work I did - they had a very different process. I visited their homes, met their families. Was taken out to trattorias for dinner and drank too much grappa. I even trained at a local Karate school while there and competed in a tournament.

My wife came over with me a few times. I was on a company expense account, so her trip only cost us airfare.

[Taylor]

I got to work with Italians that did the same sort of work I did - they had a very different process. I visited their homes, met their families. Was taken out to trattorias for dinner and drank too much grappa. I even trained at a local Karate school while there and competed in a tournament.

All of these wonderful experiences filter into our writing.