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- 2. 6 Write Adult Fiction Welcome to the exciting world of Adult Fiction, and thank you for joining this course. You’ve embarked on the thrilling journey of becoming an Adult Fiction writer. In this first module we will be introducing the different types of genre that are offered in Adult Fiction. We’ll share the techniques bestselling authors use, and reveal insider secrets of what editors want. The key to success as an Adult Fiction writer lies in the reader’s psyche – and in your own. You need to understand the psychology behind writing, especially if you want to write fiction, and delve into the dark depths of human nature, question your values, and probe your fears. Are you ready for the ride? We will cover the most popular genres within Adult Fiction, including Thriller, Suspense, Horror, Fantasy, Romance, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Paranormal and Mystery – to name but a few. Horror fiction remains one of the all-time favourites within Adult Fiction. We’ll show you how to haunt your readers with powerful and chilling tales, so their spines tingle with anticipation and their skins crawl with delicious fear. Step by step, you’ll create a complete story that will wow your audience and readers. You may be surprised to learn that Horror is humankind’s most enduring type of story. Fashions for other genres come and go, but aspects of Horror always remain in our literature. The oldest works of literature contain Horror elements, which proves the human psyche’s deep-rooted need for scary tales. If you can tap into this vein and write successfully within this genre, you will be able to earn yourself money and gain recognition. Many writers earn a part-time income from writing Horror, while some – such as Stephen King and Dean Koontz – have achieved considerable wealth and fame. LEARNING OUTCOMES • Identify why Adult fiction is appealing to its readers. • Relate your own fears and use them in your own writing. • Review titles and understand why they’re successful. • Discover specific adult fiction genres. • Recognise different forms of fiction. DISCOVERING GENRES Professional Tip Connecting with readers on a psychological level is the key to success. Insider Intel Horror is always in demand – but as fashions change it gets called by different names.
- 3. 7 Write Adult Fiction Fear, worry, revulsion, terror – in real life, we seek to avoid them. Yet in book form, they grant delicious thrills. If you understand what attracts readers, you can tap into this need. Here are seven psychological reasons we’re attracted to Adult Fiction: 1. ESCAPISM Exciting stories distract us from the unpleasant aspects of real life. While reading, we become so absorbed that we forget about our everyday worries and looming threats. More than most other genres, Horror fiction offers that excitement. 2. PERSPECTIVE The suffering of fictional characters makes our own troubles seem less severe. Problems which normally drive us crazy, such as the arthritic twinge in a knee or a leaking roof, suddenly seem minor after we’ve spent time with characters who’ve had their legs ripped off or survived a snowstorm without shelter. 3. ADRENALINE RUSH In dangerous situations, the brain releases a cocktail of adrenaline and other chemicals into the bloodstream to give us the stamina and courage needed to face the threat. These chemicals induce a high – a mild one for some people, a powerful surge for others. Fiction provides the same thrill as real danger, but in complete safety. The pleasure is similar to that of bungee jumping, and it can be addictive. 4. EDUCATION Stories teach us valuable lessons about good and evil, about ethical conflicts and moral risks, and about unseen dangers and disguised threats. Sharing the fictional characters’ adventures, we readers learn from their experiences, without making their mistakes and taking their risks. This is especially useful in stories for children – it gives kids the chance to learn without getting into danger – and for teenagers who may not heed parental warnings but like a good story. 5. REASSURANCE Many stories – although not all – show that in the end, good triumphs over evil. Humans need that reassurance. In this respect, Adult Fiction is to adults what fairy tales are to children. 6. PERSONAL GROWTH Story events put the fictional character’s strengths, resolution, ethics and courage to the test. As the character grows through experience, so does the reader. Some stories invite readers to ask themselves what they would have done in the same situation, to compare the character’s courage with their own, to probe their consciences and explore their own ethics. 7. CONTROL By reading, we gain control over our fears, at least temporarily. Whatever scares us, we can face this A Master Speaks “We make up Horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” ~ Stephen King WHAT IS THE ALLURE OF ADULT FICTION?
- 4. 8 Write Adult Fiction danger in fiction, reading as much or as little as we like, and are able to close the book when we’ve had enough. This sense of control can be empowering, especially for people who suffer from phobias and irrational fears. Get ready to take a deep look into your own psyche and explore your personal terrors. What frightens you? Maybe it’s: • Fire. • Spiders. • Dentists. • Drills. Use your fears in your fiction and build your stories around them. Here are some ideas: • Does the thought of a certain dangerous location make you queasy? • Is there an abandoned building that makes you shudder each time you pass? • Does a house in your neighbourhood ooze malevolence? • Do you have to brace yourself each time you climb into your attic? • Are you terrified of walking a certain path? A Master Speaks “I think one of the appeals of suspense is to safely explore our innermost fears.” ~ Lisa Gardner Action Point To understand how your readers feel about a specific genre, analyse your own reasons for reading this specific genre. Think of the fiction you enjoyed – creepy ghost stories, shocking tales of violence, fantasy yarns, crime stories – and about the ways in which they gave you pleasure. • What draws you in personally? • How many of those seven reasons apply to you? • Can you think of others? Your insights are important: write them down. FEED YOUR FICTION WITH YOUR FEARS Professional Tip Cherish your fears! Cowards often make the best writers, because they know what fear feels like, and they never run out of new ideas. PLACES
- 5. 9 Write Adult Fiction Creepy places make atmospheric fiction settings. Many short stories start from descriptions of such locations. You can also use those places in your novels, especially for suspense-rich scenes or the book’s climax. The story ‘The Bridge Chamber’, written by author Rayne Hall, started with the uneasy memory of a railway bridge where she used to play as a child. The author recalls how the masonry was pierced with tunnels, just big enough for a child to squeeze through, and how they dared one another to explore those dank, dark spaces. Are you frightened of something that other people consider harmless? For example: • Does the sight of long fingernails, or the sound of nails scraping on a surface send you into a panic? • Do you have a fear of moths and butterflies, especially when they fly near your face? • Are you terrified of clothing zips and always wear buttoned garments, because you can’t breathe when encased in zippered clothes? • Perhaps you feel a chill at the thought of a certain texture; the rubbery skin on a balloon, or the hairs on a peach? You may have many things that give you the creeps – garden slugs, crowded rooms, telephones, the whine of a dentist’s drill – these can all provide you with many stories to write about. If you have such a fear – whether it’s a full-blown terror or just a shuddery feeling – consider writing a short story about it. Many people have phobias – fears about specific situations, so intense that they have a paralysing, crippling effect. Claustrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces, is a common example. Often, these fears are based on a sensible, instinctive response to a genuine danger such as heights, caves, fire or snakes. The only irrational thing about many of these fears is their intensity. Others are less easy to explain. Some people get paralysed when crossing a bridge, others freak out when they hear the hissing noise of a not-quite-closed thermos flask. If you have a phobia, we encourage you to write a story about it. Your story will have a level of authenticity that other writers can’t achieve. However, writing about your phobia can be scary, and if it causes you more distress than you can bear, set it aside for a while until you feel strong enough to continue. Try to gather the courage to address your fear, and use the phobia that torments you in life. Plotting the story may be a frightening ordeal to begin, but once you start putting your thoughts on paper and shaping them into fiction, you’ll gain more control over your fear. When the piece is complete, you may find two amazing things happen: your phobia subsides and you have a powerful story as an end result. An example of writing about your phobias can be seen in the novel ‘IT’ by Stephen King (Hodder & Stoughton). This novel is based on people’s phobias and fears. A shape-shifting being called ‘It’ wakes in a town called Derry. Initially, ‘It’ takes the form of a clown called Pennywise to lure young prey. As the story progresses, ‘It’ shape-shifts into different characters’ phobias or worst fears, as ‘It’ believes that frightened prey tastes better. WEIRD SHUDDERS PHOBIAS Insider Intel Stories inspired by weird fears often get published in anthologies.
- 6. 10 Write Adult Fiction What terrified you when you were a child? Whether the danger was real or imagined, your emotions were probably intense. What if there really was a monster living in your wardrobe or a dragon waiting behind the cellar door? Childhood fears can inspire brilliant paranormal and horror stories. For instance, if, as a child, you lived in a railway station where your father was stationmaster, and you were terrified of the giant black steam engines that stopped outside, puffing dark smoke and piercing the air with a shrill whistle, you could potentially use this as an idea for a ghost story, and you could place the characters in an old railway tunnel with a thundering steam train. Have you ever had a very vivid dream? Do you have a recurring nightmare? If you have the same dream night after night, consider adapting it as a fiction plot. Many successful short stories stem from dreams, including ‘The Painted Staircase’. The author dreamt she was viewing a painting in a gallery – and suddenly the painting came to life and pulled her into the scene! She asked herself, “What if this really happened to someone?” She penned a story, and it sold quickly. Please Note: You will find this story located within the download library. You may want to keep a notebook on your bedside table so you can write down your dreams immediately after waking, because dreams tend to fade from memory fast. The author Stephenie Meyer based her popular Young Adult Paranormal Fiction series ‘Twilight’, on a dream. As she states on her website (stepheniemeyer.com): “I woke up (on that June 2nd) from a very vivid dream. In my dream, two people were having an intense conversation in a meadow in the woods. One of these people was just your average girl. The other person was fantastically beautiful, sparkly, and a vampire.” What human behaviours and attitudes disturb or distress you? • Lies? • Cruelty? • Domestic Violence? • Greed? • Abuse of authority? • Bullying? • Unbending bureaucracy? • People who shut their eyes to the suffering of others? Use fiction to explore those issues previously listed. The resulting stories will have the depth and the power to make your readers think. In many adult stories, you will find a suggestion of prejudice, racism, religious fanaticism, injustice or hypocrisy, either in the main plot or in the subtext. ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett (Penguin) is a great and popular example of this. This novel has also been turned into a blockbuster movie. Set in 1963 in Jackson, Mississippi, it looks at racial issues that were very apparent at that time. CHILDHOOD FEARS DREAMS HUMAN ATTITUDES
- 7. 11 Write Adult Fiction Another example can be seen in Anthony Burgess’s novel ‘A Clockwork Orange’ (Penguin). This is a Dystopian novel set in a near future that has developed a subculture of extreme violence within the youth. It delves into many issues including freedom of choice, order in society and evil in human nature. What’s right before your eyes? Look at the ordinary objects on your desk, the landscape outside your window, the pets in your home. What if one of them is not as harmless as it seems, but really an instrument of an evil power, or it takes on a destructive entity? What could the printer, the coffee cup, the rag rug or the kitten develop into? An example of a story inspired by ordinary things is ‘Seagulls’ – a popular and regularly-reprinted short story. This story started with the seagulls that pecked at the author’s window every morning. Such pretty animals, white-feathered, silver-tipped, with eyes like yellow halos around death-dark cores. Surely they were harmless... but what if they were not? Please note: You can also view the ‘Seagulls’ short story within the download library. Another example of this can be seen in the novel ‘The Floating Staircase’ by Ronald Malfi (Medallion Press), where a bizarre set of wooden stairs rises out of the lake behind Travis and his wife’s new house. Travis becomes drawn to the stairs, but the more he probes, the more he discovers the house’s violent and tragic past. Professional Tip Keep an ‘Ideas File’ on your computer with fragments, fears, settings, snatches of overheard conversations, characters and anything else that inspires you. You will use it often. Action Point Having explored the previous list of fears, we now want you to try using those suggestions to make your own list. • What frightens you? • What used to frighten you? • What might frighten you? Try to come up with at least twenty items. We have a list of over two hundred. Can you top that? ORDINARY THINGS
- 8. 12 Write Adult Fiction As soon as you have a title that thrills you, the ideas will come. But it needs to be a title that resonates with you, not something that pleases only other people. It should make your stomach clench or your throat constrict, something that makes you nervous or eager to discover what the story is about. Where do you find such a title for your story? Some authors recommend you pick a title before you even start writing; however, others prefer to leave it to the end after they’ve written their story. Create a whole list of titles, save it, and whenever you want to write the story, select a title from your list. This was a method used by Ray Bradbury and it works particularly well for dark or scary yarns. Try it and see for yourself. Look at the list you’ve created from the Action Point – all the things that frighten or disturb you. Write each of them as a title, and then tweak it to create variations. The creative part of your psyche – otherwise known as ‘The Inner Muse’ or ‘Artist Brain’ – loves this approach. Once it’s in title-creating mode, it will come up with idea after idea. Let’s say you have a fear of dentists, and you find lies disturbing. Then your list might look like this: • The Dentist. • Dentists. • Dental Check-up. • The Dentist’s Revenge. • The Dentist’s Promise. • A Tale of Two Dentists. • The Third Dentist. • Dental Treatment. • In the Dentist’s Chair. • You Know The Drill. • Death and the Dentist. • The Tooth Must Come Out. • Dental Dangers. • Trust Me I’m A Dentist. • Liar. • The Liars. • Lies. • Three Lies. • Four Liars. • The Second Lie. • Lie To Me. • She Lied. • No Lies. • What Lie. • The Lying Dentist. • The Dentist’s Lie. • The Dentist Who Lied. You can come up with dozens of great titles, and each of them will be perfect for your writing in any genre. KICKSTART YOUR CREATIVITY WITH STORY TITLES GATHERING IDEAS
- 9. 13 Write Adult Fiction Let’s take a look at some novel and short story titles, and why they work well: • Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. • The Husband’s Secret. • Death of a Prankster. • Horns. Once your Artist Brain is in title-creating mode, it may not want to stop. Evocative titles will flash through your mind while you peel the potatoes or drive down the motorway. Keep a notebook at hand and jot them down as soon as it is safe. ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ (Sceptre) is a Thriller novel written by John le Carré. This title works well as it’s fun to say with the alliteration of the ‘T’ and the ‘S’. It is also clear what genre the book is going to be by the use of the word ‘Spy’. The title also links to the plot of the novel, with the spy characters’ code names being ‘Tinker’, ‘Tailor’ and ‘Soldier’, which is from an old English nursery rhyme. Another good example is the best selling Mystery/Romance novel by Liane Moriarty, titled ‘The Husband’s Secret’ (Penguin). This title works well as, again, it hints at what genre it’s going to be by using the word ‘secret’, which creates mystery. Also, by using the word ‘husband’ you know that it is going to feature a married couple as the main characters, which hints at a romantic element. This title instantly has the reader hooked; as they’ll want to find out what secret the husband is keeping. A murder mystery series written by M.C. Beaton (Constable), set in the Scottish Highlands, has a repetitive title (thirty-one books in total). Each title begins with ‘Death of a…’ A few example titles from the series are: • Death of a Gossip. • Death of a Prankster. • Death of a Travelling Man. These titles are great because readers will follow them and wonder what the next published title will be. Again, from the title the reader will be able to recognise the genre (murder mystery). The title also links with the novel, and the reader can guess who is going to be murdered from every title. The novel ‘Horns’ by Joe Hill (Gollancz) has recently been produced as a film and is a dark fiction novel, with added elements of Fantasy, Supernatural, Dark Comedy and Gothic Fiction. This is a short and snappy title, which links to the main ‘event’ of the story that affects the chief character. Again, the reader can guess the dark genre from the title, as generally horns are associated with the Devil, which links to the plot line of the story. Professional Tip Carry a notebook with you, and jot down all ideas – for titles and other material – immediately before they evaporate. This notebook should be small enough to fit into your handbag or pocket. Also take a pen – and a spare. TITLES
- 10. 14 Write Adult Fiction When writers and publishers discuss Adult Fiction, they break the field down into several categories. We are going to break down the list to help you label the kind of fiction you want to write, but please don’t get hung up on definitions, because genres overlap, are part of other genres, and evolve constantly. In this genre, suspense and anticipation are high. The story typically focuses on a highly intelligent, manipulative villain and the terrible deed they’re about to commit against a helpless victim. Often, the villain is a serial killer preying on specific victim types. Victims and villains are human rather than supernatural. Thrillers have strong elements of psychological fiction and may contain graphic violence. A definitive example of this is the best-selling novel ‘The Girl on the Train’ by Paula Hawkins (Doubleday). The main character, Rachel, takes the same train to commute every morning. Every day the train stops at a signal, which lets her watch the same couple eating breakfast on their deck. She calls them ‘Jess and Jason’ and it has begun to feel as if she knows them. Rachel thinks they lead a perfect life, so unlike her own. Action Point Compile a list of titles. Make it as long as you can, perhaps coming back to it after a break. Keep it on your computer in an ‘Ideas File’ where you can access it easily, because you will use it often. LOOKING AT GENRES Expert Jargon Fiction categories are called ‘genres’. Sometimes, these are divided into ‘sub-genres’. Insider Intel In the 20th century, a story had to fit one genre or sub-genre precisely in order to be publishable. The 21st century publishing industry is more flexible. Now stories can straddle several genres. Expert Jargon When a story straddles two or more genres – such as Historical Horror or Science Fiction Horror Romance – this is referred to as cross-genre. THRILLER
- 11. 15 Write Adult Fiction One day on the train she sees something alarming. It’s only for a split second but it was enough, and it has changed everything. In the newspaper Rachel sees that ‘Jess’ is missing and she turns to the police to tell them what she knows. She is then thrown in to a world of disorder, not knowing whether she’s done more harm than good. This is a page-turning Thriller, full of twists and turns. It looks at some deep issues and contains violent scenes. All of this leads to a dramatic end; a great example of a successful Thriller. These are stories that ask the question ‘Whodunit?’ or sometimes ‘Howdunit?’ or ‘Whydunit?’ They contain little or no violence and gore, but they may have elements of psychological fiction, and they lend themselves to probing the boundaries between good and evil in the style of dark fiction. A prime example of this is Emma Healey’s novel ‘Elizabeth is Missing’ (Penguin). This novel has been nominated for many awards and also won the Costa Book Awards in 2014. The main character is Maud, an elderly lady who is sadly suffering with dementia. She begins to forget things, which becomes frustrating and highly upsetting for her daughter Helen. One thing Maud cannot forget is that her dear friend, Elizabeth, is missing, and she tries to uncover this mystery. The novel has flash backs of Maud as a little girl and her family, including her older sister Sukey who she looks up to. But Sukey goes missing, and Maud and her family are distraught, but the mystery was never solved even though the family never gave up looking for Sukey. In present day, Maud eventually uncovers the truth about Elizabeth. And Sukey’s mystery disappearance is also uncovered, with the finger pointing to Sukey’s husband Frank, who is not what he seems. This is a classic ‘Whodunit?’ mystery, but told from an interesting point-of-view, Maud, who readers will fall in love with. It is an emotional and original novel, which readers will not forget easily. In this type of story, the danger comes from the human mind. It often explores questions of sanity, guilt, the nature of evil, the justification of violence, and the boundaries between right and wrong. In many Psychological stories, the protagonist is the one who commits the atrocity. This search inside the evil person’s mind can be disturbing for the reader, and it may leave a lasting impression. Psychological Fiction often contains little or no violence and gore. An example of Psychological Fiction is the novel ‘Shutter Island’ by Dennis Lehane (Bantam), which has now been released as a blockbuster film. US Marshal Teddy Daniels has arrived at Shutter Island, where Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane resides, to find a runaway murderer called Rachel Solando. As a horrific hurricane tears up the island, the enquiry deepens and the questions escalate. How has a barefooted woman escaped from a bolted room? Who is placing clues in the form of cryptic codes? And what actually goes on in Ward C? The nearer Teddy gets to the truth, the more obscure it becomes, and the more he begins to think that he may never leave Shutter Island. Someone is trying to drive him insane. The twist to the end of this novel sways it to the Psychological Fiction genre, as you learn the real truth about Teddy. This is a brilliant example of Psychological Fiction. MYSTERY PSYCHOLOGICAL
- 12. 16 Write Adult Fiction This is a term that can encompass other types of fiction, including Horror, Thriller, Romance and Mystery. This is a definite page-turner, where the reader is desperate to see what happens to the protagonist. Some people use this term as a justification when they’re embarrassed to say that they enjoy reading or writing Horror. The novel ‘The Book of You’ written by Claire Kendal (Harper) is a good example of a suspense novel. Clarissa is beginning to become more and more afraid of her co-worker, Rafe. He will not leave her alone, and he doesn’t take no for an answer. He is always around. When she’s selected for jury duty Clarissa is relieved. The courtroom becomes a safe haven, and a place where Rafe can’t find her. As a vicious tale of kidnap and abuse develops in the courtroom, Clarissa begins to see similarities between her own situation and that of the woman on the witness stand. Realising that she carries the burden of proof, Clarissa unties the twisted, grisly fairy-tale that Rafe has spun around them, and discovers that the ending he has in mind is more horrifying than she could have ever thought. This is a fast-paced novel that will have readers turning page after page. It is full of suspense and the reader will feel emotionally attached to the main character, which can be important for a Suspense novel, as readers will not carry on reading if they do not care about the characters. This is the broad term for the fiction of fear. Horror comes in many different forms and flavours, but it always seeks to rouse one or several facets of fear in the reader: apprehension, unease, revulsion, tension, horror, dread, panic, suspense or terror. A novel classed as ‘Horror’ is ‘Pet Sematary’ by Stephen King (Hodder & Stoughton). Louis Creed moves with his family to a large house in the town of Ludlow, Maine. Louis and his new neighbour Jud soon become friends and Jud takes the family for a walk where they stumble upon a pet cemetery (misspelt sematary), where children from the town bury their deceased pets. Later within the story, the Creed family’s cat, Church, gets run over by a car. Jud takes Louis to a pet cemetery, which was once used by the Micmac Indians. Jud tells Louis that Church will be resurrected if he is buried here. Louis doesn’t believe him, but buries Church there anyway. The next day, Church returns home but acts strangely. Unfortunately, Louis’s two year-old son is run over by a truck. In despair, Louis decides to bury him in the Indian burial ground and he is resurrected as an evil, demonic character. He goes on a horrific murdering spree. This has a lot of elements written to scare and provoke fear within the reader and is a great example of the Horror genre. This type of fiction relies on extreme violence and graphic gore. There may be detailed descriptions of dismemberments, chainsaw massacres and disembowelling. Splatterpunk aims to shock, revolt and terrify. It seeks to create an immediate, intense experience, rather SUSPENSE HORROR SPLATTERPUNK
- 13. 17 Write Adult Fiction than a lasting impression. The author Richard Laymon is a well-known writer in this genre. His novel ‘The Woods are Dark’ (Laymusings) is a clear example of Splatterpunk. Neala and Sherri have stopped in Barlow for dinner on their way to camp out in the woods for a couple of days. The Dills family thought the motel in town would be an OK stopping point on their way on holiday. They had no idea that they would all end up tied to a tree, facing a gruesome death. In the woods are six dead trees – the killing trees. That’s where our characters find themselves, stripped of their valuables and bound, awaiting the arrival of the sickening Krulls, a yokel family who enjoy a taste for human flesh and other animalistic activities... This novel contains the classic hallmarks of Splatterpunk – extreme violence and sexual deviancy. Death for most characters is sadly inevitable. These stories seek to create the utmost terror in the reader. They turn up the Horror to the highest possible volume, until the reader can’t bear any more, and then they turn it up higher still. They are usually violent and often contain graphic descriptions of gory scenes. Extreme Horror and Splatterpunk overlap to a large extent. A well-known author of Extreme Horror is Wrath James White, who co-wrote the novel ‘Poisoning Eros’ (Deadite Press) with Monica J. O’Rourke. Life is Hell for Gloria, who is an aging adult actress, unsuccessful wife, bad mother, and drug- addict. She gets the chance to do another demeaning gig, but it goes horribly wrong and she finds herself in Hell, where the real troubles for Gloria are about to start. Plagued to an eternity of torment and pain, she will do anything to get out. Even if it means taking Hell over… This novel is full of gore and violence. This style of reading and writing is certainly not for the faint-hearted. This is the opposite of Extreme Horror and Splatterpunk. Stories don’t gross out the readers or terrify them out of their wits, but create an unsettling, disturbing, lingering unease in the reader’s mind. Often, they pose questions that the reader can’t shake off. An example of Quiet Horror is the best-seller ‘The Woman in Black’ by Susan Hill (Profile Books). It has also been turned into a Hollywood film, and is one of Britain’s longest-running stage plays. Arthur Kipps is a young lawyer who travels to an isolated village to put the dealings of a recently deceased client, Alice Drablow, in order. As he works alone in her remote house, Arthur starts to reveal unnerving secrets – and his concerns grow when he glimpses a mystifying woman dressed in black. The locals are strangely reluctant to talk about the unsettling incident, and Arthur is forced to uncover the true identity of the Woman in Black on his own, leading to a frantic race against time when he discovers her true intention. The story quietly builds up tension and has no gore or disturbing graphic imagery. The quiet darkness holds a message for the reader that leaves them thinking even once the novel is finished. EXTREME HORROR QUIET HORROR
- 14. 18 Write Adult Fiction Ghost Stories can be found in most cultures and most historical periods. They belong to the Supernatural genre, and often also to Horror, Psychological, Gothic, Steampunk, Horror Comedy or Slipstream Fiction. These stories show the interaction between a supernatural entity and a living human. The mood is often creepy, but there is little violence and no gore. A classic and influential Ghost Story is ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, written by Shirley Jackson (Penguin Classics). The eighty year-old Hill House was built by Hugh Crain and is eventually rented out by Dr. Montague in the hope of finding scientific evidence of the supernatural. He invites several guests over due to their past experiences of the supernatural. The people who accept are Eleanor and Theodora, as well as Luke (the young heir to the house). The four form a close bond during their stay in the house. All begin to experience weird occurrences while in the house: unseen noises, ghost sightings and strange writing on the wall being just a few. This story is regarded, by many, as the best haunted-house story out there and has influenced many novels. It has also been adapted in film twice, in 1963 and again in 1999, with both film being titled ‘The Haunting’. It’s a must-read if you are interested in pursuing this genre. This is an old fiction genre, dating back to the 18th and 19th century, and is the forerunner of most modern fiction. It involves mysteries, dangerous secrets, melodrama, abuse of religious powers, fallen aristocracies, moral decay, bigamy, madness, hereditary curses, gloomy old buildings, death, ghosts, helpless innocent young victims and forbidden loves. As a literary genre, Gothic is experiencing a revival. ‘The Turn Of The Screw’ (Penguin) by Henry James is a Gothic novella written in 1898 and is also classed as a Ghost Story. The story is presented as a manuscript written by a governess and being read aloud to Douglas, who claims to have known her. The governess tells the story of being employed by a man who has become responsible for his niece (Flora) and nephew (Miles) and needs someone to take over the responsibility for them at his country house. Miles is currently in boarding school but returns in summer with a letter stating he has been expelled, and he will not speak of the matter. Soon after, the governess begins to see a man and woman she doesn’t recognise around the grounds. They seem to appear and disappear without anyone else at the household noticing. The governess suspects that they are supernatural. She finds out from Mrs Grose the housekeeper that the ghosts could be Miss Jessel and Peter Quint, who the children were close to. She now suspects the children can see them too. She eventually confronts Flora about this, and Flora refuses to talk to her again. Miles tell the governess he can see Quint. He appears at Miles’s window one night; the governess tries to save Miles, but he dies in her arms with no explanation as to why or how. GHOST STORIES GOTHIC
- 15. 19 Write Adult Fiction The descriptions of the country house and the topic of the supernatural are tell-tale conventions of Gothic Fiction, and this is a must-read if you wish to pursue this genre. Historical Fiction is anything that is written in the present day, but set in a past era or period of time. This genre can be mixed with other genres such as romance, ghost stories or fantasy. It can either be based on fact mixed with fictional prose, or it can be completely fabricated. An outstanding Historical Fiction author is Ken Follett, who has written many historical novels and trilogies. His published novels include ‘The Pillars of The Earth’ (Pan) which is hugely successful and has been adapted for a television series. Set in 12th-century England and spanning over five decades, this novel focuses on the building of a Gothic cathedral, the greatest the world has ever known, and the battle between good and evil that will turn church against government, and brother against brother. It tells the story of Philip, who is prior of Kingsbridge, an earnest and practical monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral; of Tom, the mason who becomes Philip’s architect, and the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret disgrace. Follett doesn’t just focus on one time period and has written a trilogy called ‘The Century Trilogy’ that almost spans one hundred years. If you are interested in this genre, it may be worth reading some of Ken Follett’s Historical novels. Fantasy novels have a huge following and are currently increasing in popularity. They are imagined stories and are set in fabricated worlds. They can contain magic, witches, wizards, mystical beasts and magical creatures. These novels are usually very long and don’t tend to work as short stories, because it takes a while to ‘set the scene’ in a fabricated world; however, it is not impossible. An extremely popular Fantasy series, which has also been adapted for television, is ‘Game of Thrones’ Written by George R. R. Martin (Harper Voyage). Game of Thrones is set in a fantasy world that has three continents: Westeros, Essos and Sothoryos. The seasons last for years rather than months, and as the story begins it is currently coming to the end of summer. Situated on the three continents are powerful dynasties, which are named by a family name. These consist of House Lannister, House Stark, House Targaryen and House Baratheon, to name a few. The novels contain mythical creatures such as dragons, imagined creatures like the white walkers and characters that are capable of magic. This is an example of a classic Fantasy series, and has arguably been the most popular fantasy world created in literature since ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of The Rings’, written by J. R. R. Tolkien (HarperCollins). This kind of story contains Fantasy elements combined with paranormal creatures, supernatural happenings, and scary or disturbing themes. Most Dark Fantasy straddles the Fantasy and Horror genres. HISTORICAL FANTASY DARK FANTASY
- 16. 20 Write Adult Fiction A famous example of this genre is ‘Interview With the Vampire’ by Anne Rice (Sphere), which has also been turned into a popular film. A two-hundred year-old vampire, Louis, tells his life story to an interviewer who the reader only knows as ‘the boy’. He tells the interviewer how in 1791 he was a plantation owner south of New Orleans. He was depressed and seeking to end his life due to his brother’s untimely death. A vampire called Lestat turned Louis in to a vampire, but Louis couldn’t bring himself to feed on humans and stuck to animals instead. But eventually Louis succumbed to Lestat’s ways and began to feed on humans. He feeds on a plague-ridden girl of five, and turns her into a vampire and names her Claudia. Claudia and Louis murder Lestat as they begin to tire of him and travel to Paris. Lestat reappears in Paris, and, thanks to Lestat’s accusations, vampires capture them both and Claudia is killed. Louis never truly gets over Claudia’s death and tells the interviewer he is sick of the immortal life. The interviewer asks to be turned into a vampire, Louis gets angry, saying he has learnt nothing and attacks him and disappears. The interviewer then goes looking for Lestat, so he can turn the boy into a vampire. The Fantasy element in this story comes from using the paranormal creature the vampire. The Dark elements are the concepts of depression, death and murder examined within the novel. This is a great example of the Dark Fantasy genre. Typically set in a run-down part of a modern (but fictional) city, these stories often feature human characters with magical or psychic abilities, as well as human-like characters such as zombies, werewolves and vampires. Urban Fantasy usually has both dark and scary elements, and often overlaps with the Paranormal Romance and Thriller genres. The novel ‘Moon Called’ by Patricia Briggs (Orbit) is the first novel in an urban fantasy series called ‘Mercedes Thompson’. Mercedes Thompson runs a garage in the Tri-Cities. She is a good mechanic, whose hobbies are karate training and repairing a VW bus that actually belongs to a vampire. Mercedes’s neighbour is an alpha werewolf – the leader of the pack. And Mercy herself is a shape-shifter, sister to the coyotes. She’s accepted by the wolves, but definitely lower down the ranks. As long as she keeps her eyes down and remembers her place, the pack will leave her in peace. This series offers a host of human-like creatures set in the Tri-Cities, and is the perfect example of what Urban Fantasy is. This genre is named after the author H.P. Lovecraft, whose fiction inspired it. These stories are based on the concept that alien creatures once ruled our world, and that these monsters still exist out of sight, usually in the bowels of the earth, waiting to take over the world again. Some stories are spin-offs of Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; others use original worlds with similar elements. Lovecraftian fiction straddles the Fantasy and Horror genres. It often features ancient secrets, slimy substances and main characters that are scholarly loners. It does not contain much gore. One of H.P. Lovecraft’s more famous short stories is ‘The Call of Cthulhu’ (Penguin). URBAN FANTASY LOVECRAFTIAN
- 17. 21 Write Adult Fiction The story is presented as a manuscript written by Francis Wayland Thurston, and in the first chapter he writes about a sculpture he has found of ‘an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature’. Francis finds out that a man called Henry Anthony Wilcox created it. Henry had seen the creature, as well as hearing the word ‘Cthulhu’, repeatedly in his dreams. The story then goes on to follow another character, Inspector Legrasse. Legrasse is investigating the disappearance of several woman and children; he leads a party of policeman in search of them. They eventually stumble upon their badly mutilated remains, which have been placed around a statue similar to the one Thurston had found. With men chanting and bellowing around the statue, it appears to be sacrificial killings and the work of a cult. Legrasse and the police manage to capture and arrest around half of the men. During the interrogation in custody, Legrasse discovers the men are part of a cult that worships ‘the old ones’. The prisoners go on to tell him the statue is of the ‘great Cthulhu’. The third chapter goes back to Thurston, who has discovered an article from a newspaper that links the cult to two sailors currently aboard a boat called the Alert. They open a portal on an unchartered island, which then unleashes the monstrous Cthulhu. This is one of Lovecraft’s most famous short stories, which features a terrifying alien creature threatening to take over the world. The main meaning of this term is fiction that disturbs the reader by probing the boundaries between good and evil. In this sense, it often overlaps with Psychological Fiction. It can also overlap with Paranormal Fiction containing dark or disturbing elements. The word ‘dark’ added to any other genre, e.g. ‘Dark Science Fiction’ or ‘Dark Romance’, suggests that the story has scary or disturbing elements. A good example of this is the novel ‘Dark Places’, written by Gillian Flynn (W&N). It was nominated for the Dark Scribe Magazine’s Black Quill Award, in the category of Dark Genre Novel in 2009. Libby Day is the novel’s protagonist, and is the sole survivor of the massacre of her family in Kansas, committed by her brother when she was just seven years old. After witnessing the murders, committed apparently as part of a satanic ritual, she manages to escape out of a window and then later testifies in court against her brother. Twenty-five years after this horrific massacre, Libby is in need of money. She meets with a group of amateur investigators, who all believe that her brother is actually innocent of the murders. With the group’s help, Libby begins an examination of the events surrounding her family’s massacre, tracing down other witnesses and possible suspects. Sinister events start to arise that take Libby into the dark, secret world of her family’s past. This novel has a disturbing and gut-wrenching twist and is certainly not for the fearful. Putting aside the violence, the ideas behind this novel are dark and that is what this genre creates. The dark ideas and concepts may disturb readers long after they put the book down. Supernatural Fiction is about people who face manifestations outside normal human experience, such as hauntings, demonic possession or mind control. The mood is eerie, creepy and scary. It is a subgenre of Fantasy and often includes elements of Horror and Psychological Fiction. DARK FICTION SUPERNATURAL
- 18. 22 Write Adult Fiction An example of an iconic Supernatural novel is ‘The Exorcist’, written by William Peter Blatty; it was also turned into an incredibly successful film. The novel is set in Georgetown, where a young girl called Regan McNeil starts to show signs of extremely disturbing behaviour. Her mother is very concerned and, after all medical advice has been exhausted, she turns to a priest named Damien Karras. Karras meets the girl a couple of times, and he then refers her to the local bishop to perform an exorcism, as he believes Regan is possessed by a demon. The bishop sends the priest Merrin to conduct the exorcism and Karras assists him. The exorcism is a violent and horrific event that ends with the death of Merrin. Karras takes over and pleads with the demon, asking it to possess him instead of Regan. The demon then takes possession of Karras, who jumps out of an open window to his death. This is an intense and scary example of a supernatural plot line. This novel is based on demonic possession, which is outside the normal human experience and is clearly a supernatural event. This genre overlaps largely with Supernatural, but it differs in that it typically features characters who are ‘almost human’ or ‘formerly human’, such as vampires, werewolves and zombies. ‘The Wolf Man’, written by Nicholas Pekearo (Tor Books), is a paranormal novel about a male werewolf. Marlowe Higgins has had a tough life. Since being dishonourably discharged after a tour in Vietnam, he’s been in and out of jail, moving from town to town, going wherever the wind takes him. Plus, he can’t stay in one place too long, because every full moon he kills someone. Marlowe is a werewolf. For years he struggled with his affliction, until he found a way to use this unfortunate curse for good; he only kills bad people. Settling at last in the small town of Evelyn, Higgins starts to work at a local restaurant and has even made a friend, Daniel Pearce, one of Evelyn’s two police detectives. One evening everything changes. It turns out he isn’t the only monster prowling in the area. A villainous serial killer, known as the Rose Killer, is viciously murdering young girls all around the county. Marlowe targets the killer as his next victim, but on the night of the full moon, things go severely wrong. Having a werewolf protagonist within this novel makes it Paranormal Fiction, as this is a creature that is almost human. Stories in this genre typically feature a love relationship between a human and a paranormal person, such as a vampire or werewolf. They often have strong Horror elements with scary scenes, and may probe the boundaries between good and evil. But not every Paranormal Romance story is classed as Horror. The novel ‘Undead and Unwed’ by Mary Janice Davidson (Piatkus) is the first in a paranormal romance series. Betsy Taylor is a former model and a newly unemployed secretary, who is 30 and still single. She wakes up in a coffin after being run over by a Pontiac Aztek. Her mother is glad she is back, albeit as a vampire, but her stepmother is furious that Betsy has returned to retrieve her designer shoe collection. PARANORMAL PARANORMAL ROMANCE
- 19. 23 Write Adult Fiction With a wealthy best friend and a recently obtained doctor companion, who is not vulnerable to her formidable allure, she sets out to right wrongs but is abducted by Nostro, a 500 year-old vampire who leads the undead. It seems that Betsy is an anomaly: she doesn’t burn in sunlight, can fight the urge to feed, and is not repulsed by religious articles, all of which make her the prophesied Queen of the Vampires. Teaming up with gorgeous vampire Eric Sinclair, she takes on Nostro and his followers. This is a great example of an original Paranormal Romance, with the protagonist Betsy adding glamour to the undead. This genre focuses on love and relationships developing or sustaining. Stories may also contain elements of Thriller, Horror, Comedy, Supernatural and Paranormal as well. Typically, it features a female character in jeopardy who doesn’t know whom she can trust, or has a dilemma. The setting plays a big role, whether it’s a big city or a rural village. ‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’ by Audrey Niffenegger (Vintage) is an extraordinary, powerful and tragic love story, told from the points of view of Clare and Henry at different points in their lives as they become entwined. Clare and Henry meet when Clare is six and Henry is thirty-six; they marry when Clare is twenty-two and Henry thirty – impossible but true. Henry suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. In the face of this force they can neither prevent nor control, Henry and Clare’s struggle to lead normal lives is both intensely moving and entirely unforgettable. This is a moving love story, portraying love under difficult circumstances. It is hard not to become absorbed and travel in time with Clare and Henry along their journey. The fact that this book is intriguing, engaging and moving, evoking so many different emotions along the way, is what leads to its huge success within Romance. This type of fiction seeks to arouse the reader’s passions. The plot is often based on lust driving characters to overstep moral boundaries and take risks they would not normally take. Erotic Fiction can contain elements of Psychological Fiction as well as Supernatural, Paranormal and Horror – or anything in between. An example of an erotic series that has been extremely popular is the ‘Fifty Shades’ series by E.L. James, containing the titles ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, ‘Fifty Shades Darker’, ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ and ‘Grey’. The story is about twenty-one year-old college student Ana, who is extremely insecure. She meets Christen Grey, who is a wealthy businessman and they seem instantly attracted to each other. Christen Grey enjoys a dominant/submissive relationship and wants Ana to sign a contract to become his submissive in all things. Ana is unsure, but eventually falls in love and succumbs to his charms. This novel is predominantly a psychological love story, but it is also focused on arousing the reader, with lustful characters and plotlines. Some scenes can be seen as ‘risqué’ and ‘controversial’, but this is what readers of this genre like to read and will be looking for; as it’s about tapping into the fantasies of the reader as well as providing a form of escapism. ROMANCE EROTIC
- 20. 24 Write Adult Fiction This genre uses scientific theories of the future or present to provide its setting and context. Instead of having magical explanations like fantasy, this genre uses science theories to explain strange plants, creatures, objects etc. Aliens are a big feature, as well as exploring different planets and space. This genre is often based on extrapolation from realistic science facts and needs to be believable for readers, so it may require a lot of research to get it accurate. However, your novel doesn’t need to be set in outer space to be science fiction, and many popular science fiction stories are set on earth with no mention of space. For example, the best-selling novel ‘Jurassic Park’, written by Michael Crichton, (Arrow) focuses on scientific theories that bring dinosaurs back from extinction using DNA and genetics. This novel was a huge success and was the first book within a series. The series was adapted into a blockbuster movie franchise, which is still very popular today. This is a curious blend of several genres, usually Science Fiction, Fantasy and Historical, and often – but not always – Horror. Other genres – such as Western, Erotica or Romance – may be added into the mix. The setting created in Steampunk are based on the idea that steam technology developed further than it did in reality. It often features mad scientists, obsessed inventors, monsters, ghosts, vampires, governesses, ladies and gentlemen, laboratories, clockwork mechanisms, airships, fog and corsets. The setting is usually urban and inspired by the 19th or early 20th century. Steampunk lends itself to scary scenes and also to an exploration of good and evil, especially regarding moral attitudes, class differences, racism, greed and abuse of power. The international best selling author Scott Westernfeld wrote the novel ‘Leviathan’ (Simon & Schuster), which is a perfect example of Steampunk. Two conflicting forces are on the verge of war. The Clankers – who put their faith in machinery – and the Darwinists – who have begun transforming living creatures into tools. Prince Aleksandar, the would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, comes from a family of Clankers, and travels the country in a walker, a heavily hardened tank on legs. Meanwhile Deryn Sharp, a girl disguised as a boy, works for the British Empire, crewing the ultimate flying machine: an airship made of living animals. Now, as Alek flees from his own people, and Deryn crash-lands in an enemy zone, their lives are about to clash... As you can see from the plot line, this novel is full of technology, airships and other creatures rather than just humans. It is a great story and an essential read if you want to pursue this genre. These stories push the boundaries between Mainstream Fiction and Fantasy Fiction. The blend of real and fantastic gives the reader a surreal experience. This genre is increasing in popularity with readers. ‘Cloud Atlas’ by David Mitchell (Sceptre) falls into this genre, and is not Mitchell’s only published foray into Slipstream. The book is complex and consists of six stories that intertwine with each other; each story is told by a main character and the stories range from the nineteenth century to a post-apocalyptic future. SCIENCE FICTION STEAMPUNK SLIPSTREAM
- 21. 25 Write Adult Fiction The story starts with Adam Ewing, set in 1850, and then moves on to Robert Frobisher in 1931. The third narrative begins in 1970 and shadows Luisa Rey. It then jumps to Britain in the present day and follows author Timothy Cavendish. The fifth part is set in a future dystopian Korea and trails Sonmi-451, and the sixth narrative follows Zachry and Meronym in a post- apocalyptic future in Hawaii. All stories are linked to each other and as the story moves onward into the future it comes away from the realistic and moves more into Science Fiction and Fantasy. This makes it a good example of the Slipstream genre. This is a broad term encompassing the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres, as well as Horror Fiction with Supernatural or Paranormal elements. The stories are based on the world being not quite as we know it. It is a useful term when your story doesn’t fit into any specific pigeonholes. The novel ‘Oryx and Crake’ by Margaret Atwood (Virago) is defined as a Speculative Fiction. The novel follows a character called Snowman in a post-apocalyptic setting. He lives near alien- like humanoid creatures called Crakers, who ask him questions and give him food. Snowman has flashbacks of how the world was. His name was Jimmy, and multination corporations dominated the world. His father was a geneticist and worked for a company called OrganInc. He remembers his friend Glenn, nicknamed Crake, who created the BlyssPluss pill, a medicine to help prolong youth. He then showed Jimmy the Paradice Project. Glenn had created a humanoid creature that embodied many of the best qualities of humans and various animals from around the world; he wanted to create an immortal species and remove any unwanted human traits from creation. The humanoids are later called ‘Crakers’. When the BlyssPluss pill is released, a pandemic virus is created and Jimmy realises Glenn has done this on purpose to rid the world of humans and leave only the ‘Crakers’ alive, who are less destructive than human beings. This is a good example of Speculative Fiction, as it doesn’t really fit into any other genre neatly. It also shows a world that the reader doesn’t know. Speculative Fiction is thought-provoking and tends to ask the reader ‘what if?’ Dystopian Fiction is set in a stark, nightmarish kind of world, often in the near future. As humans fight for survival and cling to their precarious existence, compassion, kindness and loyalty have become almost non- existent. The plot often revolves around someone giving love or loyalty and in return getting betrayed. An award-winning example of this genre is ‘The Road’ by Cormac McCarthy (Picador). This novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 and was also adapted as a film. An unnamed disaster has demolished society and most of life on Earth. A father and son, who are never named, travel across a post-apocalyptic terrain covered in ash, barren from animals and vegetation. Many of the remaining human survivors have turned to cannibalism and scavenge the remnants of cities. With winter coming, the father and son decide to travel south, towards the ocean. They face many dangers and misfortunes on the way. SPECULATIVE FICTION DYSTOPIAN
- 22. 26 Write Adult Fiction This is an intense dystopian example full of emotion and agony. It’s extremely thought-provoking and will have you reflecting for a long time after you finish it. This can also be called Humorous Fiction. While you can have a stand-alone comedy novel, a lot of other genres will often have comedy as an additional element added in to them. Romance and Dark Fiction can change to Romance Comedy or Dark Comedy Fiction. Often, Comedy contains an element of parody, poking fun at popular films, books, situations or events. Why not try and combine Horror and Comedy? This seems to be a rare combination. An example of a hilarious comedy novel is ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy’, written by Douglas Adams (Pan). It’s been made into a TV series, a film and was also originally a radio show. It’s just a regular Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent, that is until his house gets destroyed. The planet Earth shortly follows to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and his best friend has also just revealed that he’s an alien. At this moment, they’re currently tearing through space with nothing but their towels on and a harmless-looking book inscribed with the big, pleasant words: DON’T PANIC. It contains humorous characters, such as a manically-depressed robot. Do not let the Science Fiction element put you off this novel, as overall it is more comedic than anything, and is a definite must-read within the comedy genre. Only when you’re passionate about what you write can you create great fiction. You can write in different forms of fiction in any genre you wish. Here are the different literary forms: A novel is generally a fictional story between 50,000 and 100,000 words long. However, this does depend on genre, as science fiction and fantasy novels can be around 115,000 words or more. However, for your first novel publishers will usually be looking for nothing less than 80,000 words. COMEDY Insider Intel Many editors of Horror magazines and anthologies say they don’t get enough funny stories. If you have a talent for making people laugh but want to scare too, this may be your path to success. What Not To Do Don’t force yourself to write stories in a genre you don’t like, for the sake of trends or commercial considerations. The results would be mediocre at best. FORMS OF FICTION NOVEL
- 23. 27 Write Adult Fiction This is generally a story between 20,000 and 50,000 words. Most publishers will grumble at printing a novel this short, unless you are an established writer. However, there is always the self-publish route. A novelette is usually between 7,500 and 20,000 words long. Again, publishers will be dubious about printing something so short, and a magazine will consider the piece too long. However, you can use three or four novelettes to create a compilation novel. A short story is 1,000 to 7,500 words long, and can be used in anthologies and also magazine articles. This is a modern term for very short stories. It’s about the length rather than the content. Flash Fiction has a word count of 100 to 1,000. Because of its brevity, it doesn’t allow much world-building or character development, but it lends itself to Slice Of Life stories (stories that have no obvious plot, but show a snapshot from people’s ordinary lives), and flash-length Horror Comedy is popular. Often, Flash Fiction has only a single scene and ends with a twist. A book containing several short stories or novelettes – usually of the same genre or about the same theme. When a book combines stories by several authors – usually of the same genre or about the same theme – it’s an Anthology. Anthologies are Collections, but not all Collections are Anthologies. A book with stories written by the same author is a Collection. NOVELLA NOVELETTE SHORT STORY FLASH FICTION COLLECTION ANTHOLOGY Professional Tip Many publishers have ‘Guidelines for Submissions’ in which they say what kind of stories they’re currently looking for, and they use these genre labels. For example, an anthology may invite submissions for ‘Dark Steampunk’ or ‘Dystopian Urban Fantasy’. You need to understand what this means. The labels are also useful shorthand when talking with professionals in the publishing industry. The most successful writers specialise in a few different categories. Don’t feel that you need to limit yourself to just one, but also don’t try to cover everything.
- 24. 28 Write Adult Fiction Use the genres when they’re helpful, and ignore them when they’re not. Don’t let them restrict what you write. When chatting with writers, the genre labels make it easy to talk shop. You may tell someone that you’ve started a Splatterpunk story, they share that they’re working on a Psychological novel, and then you discuss the best way to introduce Gothic themes into your writing. Action Point Which of the genres appeal to you personally? This is most likely to become the genre that you will be interested in writing further down the line (you can select more than one). If you still aren’t sure, read back over the genres described within this module and make some notes for yourself. As you progress through the course your vision will become clearer and you will naturally feel more drawn towards a specific genre. Well done, you have now completed the first module, so it’s time to take the test! You should now have a clearer understanding of the different genre(s) and an idea of what form of fiction you will be interested in writing. See you in module two, where we will be discussing how to take your ideas and turn them into fantastic plot ideas.