One of the best books I’ve read on Genres is The Anatomy of Genres by John Truby. Actually, it’s the only book I’ve read on Genres. But as we are concerned at the Art of Writing creative writing retreats about your genre choice, I thought I’d give a book on Genres a go. And there is no better book to give a go than this one.
For me, the Anatomy of Genres is essential reading for every writer. That said, I don’t read a lot of books on writing. I buy writing books on whims. Then they sit on my bookshelf, or bedside table mostly unread. That said, every now and then I do need a bit of a kick-a-long, an uplift, motivation, or writerly validation. So, I will on occasion dip in and out of a writing book.
Goodness knows Amazon is packed with writing self-help books. Every tiny, weeny niche in self-help and self-tutor writing books has been explored. Yet, before John Truby’s book I had not seen a great and true examination and revelation of the mystery surrounding Genres. John sold a gazillion copies of The Anatomy of Story (which I did not read) and has made a business out of consulting on storytelling. That’s how he found his way into Genre. Because Genre is important:
Most people think genres are simply categories on Netflix or Amazon that provide a helpful guide to making entertainment choices. Most people are wrong. Genre stories aren’t just a small subset of the films, video games, TV shows, and books that people consume. They are the all-stars of the entertainment world, comprising the vast majority of popular stories worldwide. That’s why businesses—movie studios, production companies, video game studios, and publishing houses—buy and sell them. Writers who want to succeed professionally must write the stories these businesses want to buy. Simply put, the storytelling game is won by mastering the structure of genres.
In The Anatomy of Genres, John Truby outlines and explains each genre’s philosophy. How each genre is based on a fundamental concern. The below list may not make sense to you. But if you read the book, the pennies will drop like bricks:
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HORROR: Confront death and face your ghosts from the past.
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ACTION: 90% of success is taking action
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MYTH: Seek immortality by finding your destiny in life.
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MEMOIR and COMING OF AGE: Examine your life to create your true self.
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SCIENCE FICTION: Make the right choices now to ensure a better future for all.
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CRIME: Protect the weak and bring the guilty to justice.
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COMEDY: Success comes when you strip away all facades and show others who you really are.
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WESTERN: When you help others make a home, you create a civilisation where everyone is free to live their best life.
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GANGSTER: Don’t be enslaved by absolute power and money or you will pay the ultimate price.
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FANTASY: Discover the magic in yourself that makes life itself an art form.
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DETECTIVE AND THRILLER: Look for the truth and assign guilt in spite of the danger.
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LOVE: Learning how to love is the key to happiness.
Please check out previously published blogs on Genre Part 1 and Part 2 that lead up to John’s thoughts, listed below:
The Anatomy of Genres: How Story Forms Explain the Way the World Works. John Truby details three ironclad rules of successful genre writing, and analyzes more than a dozen major genres and the essential plot events, or “beats,” that define each of them. As he shows, the ability to combine these beats in the right way is what separates stories that sell from those that don’t. Truby also reveals how a single story can combine elements of different genres, and how the best writers use this technique to craft unforgettable stories that stand out from the crowd.
You can’t go wrong buying and reading a book like this. Why not? You don’t have anything to lose. Improving your writing and your knowledge base on writing is a never-ending process.
That’s why we are here!
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If you’d like to share any comments or thoughts, I’d be happy to hear from you. Email me directly at lisacliffordwriter@gmail.com.