I Will Make An Effort To Change The Genre Novel

Hey there! So, I’ve been thinking. Like, *really* thinking. And I've come to a rather…ambitious…conclusion. You ready for this? Hold onto your latte.

I’m going to change the genre novel. Yes, the genre novel. All of them. Every single one. I know, I know, sounds crazy, right? Maybe I need more coffee. Or maybe…just maybe…the world needs a little genre shake-up.

Think about it. How many times have you picked up a fantasy novel and thought, "Ugh, another chosen one?" Or a sci-fi book with the same old dystopian tropes? Or a romance novel where you can predict the ending from chapter one? (Don't lie, we've all been there!)

It's not that these tropes are *bad*, per se. They’re comfortable. They’re familiar. They’re like that old, comfy armchair you can’t bear to throw away, even though it’s got a suspicious stain on the cushion. But comfy can also mean…stale. And stale? Well, stale is boring!

My Grand, Perhaps Slightly Delusional, Plan

Okay, so “change the genre novel” sounds a bit... grandiose. Let's dial it back a notch. Maybe "make a concerted effort to nudge the genre novel in a slightly different direction"? Yeah, that sounds a little less like I'm planning a literary coup. A literary nudge, if you will.

But how, you ask? Well, that’s the fun part! I'm thinking…subversion! Expectation-breaking! Characters who defy stereotypes! Plots that zig when you expect them to zag! Basically, everything you think you know about a genre, I want to gently (or maybe not so gently) dismantle. Brick by brick. With witty banter and maybe a talking animal sidekick. Because why not?

The Chosen One…Who Doesn't Want To Be

Let’s start with the Chosen One trope, shall we? We’ve all seen it. Naive farm boy (or girl) discovers they have a destiny to save the world. Cue training montage, unlikely allies, and a final showdown with the Big Bad. Snore. I mean, it works, but it's predictable.

What if, instead, our Chosen One *actively* avoids their destiny? What if they’re incredibly lazy? What if they'd rather be baking cookies than battling dragons? Imagine the sheer comedic potential! The internal conflict! The existential dread of being saddled with saving the world when all you really want to do is perfect your sourdough starter!

And what if the prophecies are just…wrong? Like, hilariously, catastrophically wrong? Maybe the Chosen One is actually supposed to *destroy* the world, and everyone has just misunderstood the ancient texts? Now we’re talking! Chaos! Intrigue! A protagonist who’s genuinely confused! That's the good stuff.

Dystopia With a Sense of Humor

Ah, dystopias. Grim, gritty, and always featuring a totalitarian regime suppressing the masses. It’s a classic for a reason, but… yawn. Can we inject a little levity into the apocalypse, please? Can we have a dystopia where the oppressive government is also incredibly bureaucratic and inefficient? Where filing the correct paperwork is more important than quashing dissent?

Picture this: Citizens are forced to wear identical grey jumpsuits, but the government can’t decide on the exact shade of grey, leading to constant infighting and arguments over Pantone colors. Rebellious teenagers graffiti slogans of defiance, but they accidentally use Comic Sans font, undermining their own message. The oppressive overlord is constantly tripping over his own cape and has a secret obsession with reality TV.

See? Dystopia doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. It can be…funny. Darkly funny, sure, but still funny. It's all about finding the absurdity in the face of oppression. And maybe, just maybe, using that absurdity to make a point about the dangers of unchecked power. But mostly, it's about the Comic Sans.

Romance That Isn't Cliched

Okay, romance novels. I love them, I truly do. But let’s be honest, they can be…predictable. Girl meets boy (or girl meets girl, or boy meets boy, or whatever combination floats your boat). They hate each other at first, then they slowly realize they’re attracted to each other, then there’s some kind of obstacle, then they overcome the obstacle and live happily ever after. The End.

What if we threw a wrench into that well-oiled machine? What if the two love interests genuinely *dislike* each other? Like, truly, deeply, passionately dislike each other. What if their bickering is so constant and so vitriolic that everyone around them assumes they’re mortal enemies? But underneath all that animosity, there’s a spark? A tiny, flickering flame of something…else? And the reader is not sure if they’re going to end up in love or committing a violent crime against each other. (Preferably the former. But hey, no promises.)

Or what if the obstacle isn’t some external force, but rather…themselves? What if one of them has a crippling fear of commitment? What if the other one has a habit of sabotaging every relationship they’ve ever been in? Real issues! Real baggage! Real reasons why these two shouldn’t be together! And then, maybe, just maybe, they find a way to work through it. Because love isn’t always easy. Sometimes, it’s downright messy.

Fantasy Worldbuilding That Makes Sense (Sort Of)

Fantasy worldbuilding! My absolute favorite! But let’s be honest, some fantasy worlds are… a little bit nonsensical. Why does every medieval-inspired kingdom have a single, obvious weakness that could be exploited by any competent invading army? Why are the forests always filled with conveniently placed magical artifacts? Why is there always a tavern where the hero can conveniently find information and a quest?

I want to create a fantasy world that feels…plausible. (Well, as plausible as a world with dragons and magic can be.) A world where the economy makes sense. Where the politics are messy and complicated. Where the food is actually edible (and not just described as "hearty stew"). A world with its own, unique, internal logic.

And maybe, just maybe, a world where the magic system has…drawbacks. Every spell has a price. Every act of power comes with a consequence. Maybe using magic causes the user to slowly lose their memory. Maybe it pollutes the environment. Maybe it attracts unwanted attention from…other things. Magic shouldn't be a convenient plot device; it should be a force to be reckoned with.

It's All About the Characters

Ultimately, for me, it all comes down to the characters. I want to write characters who are flawed, complex, and relatable. Characters who make mistakes. Characters who have their own agendas. Characters who aren’t always sure what they’re doing. Characters who feel like…real people. (Even if they’re elves or cyborgs or talking cats.)

I want to give them compelling motivations and interesting backstories. I want to explore their inner thoughts and their hidden desires. I want to challenge them, test them, and push them to their limits. And I want to see how they react. Because that, my friends, is where the magic truly happens.

Why Bother?

So, why am I doing all this? Why am I trying to “change the genre novel”? Well, for a few reasons.

First, because I’m bored. I’m tired of reading the same old stories, with the same old tropes, and the same old predictable endings. I want something new. Something fresh. Something that surprises me.

Second, because I believe that genre fiction has the potential to be so much more than just escapism. It can be thought-provoking. It can be insightful. It can be even…dare I say it…literary. (Gasp!)

And third, because I’m a writer. And writers are, by nature, rebellious. We question the status quo. We challenge conventions. We strive to create something that’s unique and meaningful. (Or, at the very least, entertaining.)

So, Join Me!

So, there you have it. My grand, perhaps slightly delusional, plan to change the genre novel. I know it’s a lofty goal. I know it’s probably impossible. But hey, a girl can dream, right? And maybe, just maybe, if enough of us try to push the boundaries, we can make a real difference.

So, what do you say? Will you join me? Will you help me nudge the genre novel in a slightly different direction? Will you embrace the weird, the unexpected, and the downright bizarre? Will you…bake cookies with the reluctant Chosen One?

Let me know your thoughts! What are your favorite genre tropes? What tropes are you tired of seeing? What kind of stories do you want to read? Let’s start a conversation! Because together, we can make the genre novel… well, maybe not *changed*, but definitely… interesting.