For the first time in a long time, a friend read one of my drafts. It was rough and I haven’t even read through the whole thing in its latest form, but she trusted me with hers, so I thought I’d do the same.
It got me to thinking about what I’m aiming for with my work. As I’ve said before, genre alone doesn’t say much. There’s so much nuance within a genre. So many things that change how it’s delivered and enjoyed.
So, for my clarification and any future beta readers, I think this is what I’m going for…
Genre blending & bending
Dark academia, dark fantasy, almost horror leaning, literary blended mashup!
I kind of want to achieve something fresh. Avantgarde. Something that may put readers out of their comfort zone at first, but it makes them feel something deeper. Makes them pay attention. It’s not just another copy-paste fantasy with a villain and a romance subplot (no disrespect to those, as they clearly sell for a pretty penny!). I’ve made my peace with the fact that I may make less money, but I will put something out into the world that feels new. Different. Important, almost.
This is genre-blending. Mixes styles and techniques and expectations.
My work is dark lately. Very different from the cozy fantasy I was writing a few years ago, or the middle-grade fantasy a few years before that. I’ve found my voice in the world of darkness, saying things people are scared to say, letting my characters be unhinged.
Those who don’t read a lot of what I’m aiming for (like my friend) may not get it. And that’s fine. That’s expected. But I need to know what I’m doing and why. So that I understand the difference between valid constructive criticism and someone who doesn’t understand the context of the story.
Let me explain. Dark academia novels tend to be:
- Literary
- Character driven
- Reflective and contemplative in tone (thoughts and feelings, academia and learning over plot heavy)
- All vibes little plot
- Atmospheric
- Critique something
- Thematic
This is not mainstream. This is not epic fantasy or romantasy (the new popular kid on the block) or fast-paced action-packed fantasy. This takes its time. It has a lot to say, rather than a lot happening.
Epistolary & Breaking Convention
I’ve found that I get bored writing from one person’s perspective or in one timeline. I also get bored if it’s all linear; a simple, formulaic narrative of this happens then this then that.
Of course, this is the norm for a reason: it’s effective. It’s pleasing and enjoyable because it’s predictable and comfortable. Readers like to know what to expect. The stories of our lives are like this, so that’s makes sense.
But I need to enjoy my writing first.
I don’t want to force myself to write something a certain way just because it sells well, is expected, or fits some popular or effective story structure. I’m not being rude or dramatic or “I’m so cool and better than you”! I just don’t find it as fun! It doesn’t make me want to write. And a year or two ago, I finally gave myself permission to lean into that. To just write the story my way and worry about finding an audience or a market later.
This is why I like to write in journal entries, letters, newspaper articles, essay snippets, footnotes, epitaphs, and multiple POV and multiple timelines. I like to give myself room to tell a story in a varied way. Allow myself and my readers to piece it together.
This style will not work for some. Many people won’t like reading this kind of book. But I like it, so I have to keep going with it.
Writing as exploration
I’m trying to worry less about plot and more about exploration. What am I trying to say? What are the characters trying to say? What do they want and why? What’s their psychology? Their emotional state? Their need and drive to do something.
I love characters who make choices. Who are morally grey. Who aren’t just plot points. I like to think about what pushes them. What brings out the worst in people and the consequences of that.
I also want to critique our society. To shine a light on the contradictions of our world. The ugliness of our world. The injustice and power imbalances. How people use and manipulate one another. A lot of fantasy novels do that, naturally, even though some people online like to pretend books aren’t political (eye roll), but I want the space to go deeper. To really sink my teeth in and meditate on an idea and let people sit in the discomfort of it.
Examples that achieve this
- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
- Babel by R F Kuang
- House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
- Bunny by Mona Awad
- Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake
- Real Life by Brandon Taylor
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- Normal People by Sally Rooney
- If We Were Villains by M L Rio
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Am I achieving this?
Not yet. I’m still not there. But I’m getting closer. I think part of me is still fighting a mental block of trying to fit convention. To do what I’m “supposed to do”. And so, my novels aren’t quite hitting their mark. They may start off there but then I lasso them and try force them into something else and lose my way.
My tarot card reading this week said I’m probably not writing something true. Something that’s emotionally me. Something that resonates and feels like what I truly want. And that hit me. That feels true. So that’s my focus now. Go back into the drafts and tear them apart. See what feels true, me, and fits the criteria above, and scrap what doesn’t. Scary stuff, but needed.
I’ll keep you posted.
Sincerely,
S. xx
S. R. Crawford 