Richard Botelho's Blog - Posts Tagged "war"
The Genre Bender
Perhaps it is indicative of society or something in the human condition, but people tend to be categorized or prefer the use of categories. With the tremendous amount of information in our society, categories certainly help sort and organize our world. In the publishing world, this tendency has resulted in strict categories for all kinds of books. This has been useful because it allows readers to more easily find what they are looking to read, but it also comes with a cost.
Unfortunately, categories encourage sameness. In fiction, for example, both new and established authors seek to emulate the category with tried and true styles and plots because that has worked in the past and readers expect more of the same. Soon, the works in the category become formulaic, representing the same old formula and the category becomes stale.
Often, writers try to introduce novelty into the category through deeper plots, different settings, unique writing styles, and more in depth characters and the competition becomes one where authors are judged on how creative they were within that sameness. This often works for most readers because they get improved versions within the category of their choice.
Still, over time, the category grows more formulaic and staleness creeps in. So what can be done to break through this sameness to produce works that are truly novel and inspiring?
The answer is called a genre bender. These are novels that combine many different genres such as fantasy, romance, spirituality, adventure, etc., into one work that is very different from other works in its primary genre. Now these works should be praised because they are fighting a strong uphill battle against traditionalism, inertia, the publishing industry preference for rigid categories, conditioned readerships, and history itself. In some sense, genre bending novels are pioneers trying to take fiction into new arenas and new markets.
Non-fiction works could also use a dose of answers outside their category. Most breakthrough scientific discoveries, management philosophies, social commentaries, technological advancements, and even political theories come from an interdisciplinary approach that uses different fields of knowledge. The future will be dominated by those writers and thinkers who give us new ways of looking at things and who help us break out of strict categories which tend to confine us and limit our possibilities for discovery.
My forthcoming novel Reason for Existence is a science fiction and philosophy novel with elements of romance and geopolitical thriller thrown in as well. It is definitely original and a genre bender. The publication date is 2/1/16 and the website is www.wpcbooks.com. Sample chapters and advance reviews are available on the website. There will also be a book giveaway in the future.
Thanks for reading my blog.
Unfortunately, categories encourage sameness. In fiction, for example, both new and established authors seek to emulate the category with tried and true styles and plots because that has worked in the past and readers expect more of the same. Soon, the works in the category become formulaic, representing the same old formula and the category becomes stale.
Often, writers try to introduce novelty into the category through deeper plots, different settings, unique writing styles, and more in depth characters and the competition becomes one where authors are judged on how creative they were within that sameness. This often works for most readers because they get improved versions within the category of their choice.
Still, over time, the category grows more formulaic and staleness creeps in. So what can be done to break through this sameness to produce works that are truly novel and inspiring?
The answer is called a genre bender. These are novels that combine many different genres such as fantasy, romance, spirituality, adventure, etc., into one work that is very different from other works in its primary genre. Now these works should be praised because they are fighting a strong uphill battle against traditionalism, inertia, the publishing industry preference for rigid categories, conditioned readerships, and history itself. In some sense, genre bending novels are pioneers trying to take fiction into new arenas and new markets.
Non-fiction works could also use a dose of answers outside their category. Most breakthrough scientific discoveries, management philosophies, social commentaries, technological advancements, and even political theories come from an interdisciplinary approach that uses different fields of knowledge. The future will be dominated by those writers and thinkers who give us new ways of looking at things and who help us break out of strict categories which tend to confine us and limit our possibilities for discovery.
My forthcoming novel Reason for Existence is a science fiction and philosophy novel with elements of romance and geopolitical thriller thrown in as well. It is definitely original and a genre bender. The publication date is 2/1/16 and the website is www.wpcbooks.com. Sample chapters and advance reviews are available on the website. There will also be a book giveaway in the future.
Thanks for reading my blog.
Novel Concepts
My forthcoming science fiction/philosophy novel Reason for Existence has some interesting concepts, even "novel" ones, no pun intended, discussed throughout the book. In future blog posts, I will discuss each in further detail. All are based either on scientific fact or a high probability of eventually being proven. The following list is not complete, but is a good starting point for discussion. The list is as follows:
1. Probability of extraterrestrial life. My earlier post on The Drake Equation is a foundation for the subject.
2. Consciousness is preeminent. Quantum Mechanics, recent animal and plant studies, religious traditions, and even communication methodologies all point to consciousness being separate from the brain and indeed a distinct, individual and indispensable part of nature.
3. The possibility of supra organizations existing as a potential ruling elite.
4. Emerging technologies that will be critical to building a lasting civilization that not only survives, but survives long enough to explore the galaxy.
5. Geopolitical instability and the prospects for nuclear and biological warfare.
Further information regarding the novel can be found at www.wpcbooks.com
1. Probability of extraterrestrial life. My earlier post on The Drake Equation is a foundation for the subject.
2. Consciousness is preeminent. Quantum Mechanics, recent animal and plant studies, religious traditions, and even communication methodologies all point to consciousness being separate from the brain and indeed a distinct, individual and indispensable part of nature.
3. The possibility of supra organizations existing as a potential ruling elite.
4. Emerging technologies that will be critical to building a lasting civilization that not only survives, but survives long enough to explore the galaxy.
5. Geopolitical instability and the prospects for nuclear and biological warfare.
Further information regarding the novel can be found at www.wpcbooks.com
