As promised, here’s a few examples of cross-genre speculative fiction—novels that have found the sweet spot of honoring genre tropes while finding creative ways to mix things up.
Fonda Lee’s Jade City was nominated for a “Best Novel” Nebula, and won the World Fantasy award in 2018. The sequel, Jade War, was released in 2019.
Dissident Flash Fiction #3
Personality — erased.
Mind Control — absolute.
Free Will — non-existent.
Surveillance — constant.
Consequence of Failure — extermination.
At times, it feels like someone has a gun pointed at your head.
“Choose a genre. Sci-fi. Dystopia. Supernatural thriller—it doesn’t matter. Just pick one. But then don’t you ever step outside the prescribed tropes. Or your writing career’s gonna be in the toilet, capisce?”
As an author working on a couple of future releases which I’d describe as “supernatural thrillers set on another world,” I chafe at the implied genre constraints.
…Dissident Flash Fiction #1
“Dystopian … Ah yes, the dark side of science fiction.” (anonymous comment)
I like writing dystopian stories. As they say, “a candle shines brightest in the darkness.” In a dark, daunting, and dystopian setting, the actions of the few who refuse to be cowed into submission become truly heroic.
For example, there’s no super-powers involved. No special abilities. In a dystopian world, heroes are ordinary people, called upon to accomplish extraordinary things.
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One of the best decisions an aspiring author can make is to join a local writers’ group. Camaraderie and encouragement are nourishment for the soul.
Writing groups also provide a golden opportunity for skill-sharpening. Constructive critique — giving and receiving — is crucial to becoming a better writer.
Here are some “best practices.”
This shows that you take the group’s time seriously. You came prepared. You’re not scrolling through your device, hoping a passage will catch your eye.
Feel free to preface your reading with what you’d like critiqued: dialogue, pacing, world-building, character development, or all of the above.
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There’s been a surprising amount of discussion—accompanied by a certain level of angst—about book promotion during the current pandemic.
The concern seems to be about the optics of promoting a new book you’ve written while readers may be struggling financially due to layoffs and stay-at-home sheltering orders.
Writers are understandably concerned about appearing heartless, callous, or tone-deaf about the real struggles faced by an overwhelmingly large swath of the population. Nobody wants to be lumped in with the selfish profiteers who bought up all the hand sanitizer for resale. Or those hoarding enough toilet paper to supply a Martian colony for a year.
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If you know a writer, ask about being an ARC reader.
You’ll make their day. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy a free ebook!
True story. Today, in fact.
Extroverts and Introverts. We’re all in this together.
“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning, and if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” (Mark Twain)
It was a (briefly) pleasant discovery to find it was a writer—Mark Twain, at that—who came up with the “eat the frog” catchphrase. (Until I learned that Twain, like Lincoln, is credited online with things he never said.)
Social distancing in the COVID-19 era, in turn, provided me with a choice opportunity to whip up my own Amphibious Barbeque Cookout (ABC).
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I’m not alone in this, right?