Avatar photoSteven Savage

Way With Worlds: Genres Within Genres

by

Child Reading Magic Library

[Way With Worlds appears at Seventh Sanctum, MuseHack, and Ongoing Worlds]

(Compliments to my friend Scott, whose essay on adaptions and history inspired this)

Genres, as I have heard it said, are reading instructions. We have certain expectations and mental toolkits that, when we read something of a given genre, we use to make sense of them. Wether this is good or bad is perhaps up for debate, but I think the basic truth is there – if only a truth of human nature of needing expectations.

I think this is why “genre mashes” are so popular. They engage two sets of expectations and combine them together, giving us both recognizable elements as well as a rush of the unusual, of ideas colliding. It’s that sense of things being both recognizable and different, which can bring inspiration, horror, humor, and other intense reactions that we seek.

However, genres are influences in worldbuilding as well. Because we are aware of audience expectations when we build our worlds and settings, when we tell our stories and code our games, we adjust what we do. Genre is also a set of worldbuilding and writing instructions to meet expectations.

In a way this makes genre a bit insidious as it may limit us – and in some cases we just start regurgitating tropes which is not so much worldbuilding as quilting. However I’d like to address a different issue, having focused on trope-piles before.

Genres hide within genres. When you adapt a certain genre consciously or unconsciously, you might be actually adapting a genre inside it – or surrounding it. If you’re not aware of this you can quickly suffocate your own worldbuilding under the weight of the things you’ve dragged in.

Consider The Western

This concept of genres within genres came when I was contemplating the role of Westerns in the above column. As I write this in 2014 it seems Westerns are often failed or are darkly-re-envisioned but most examples I saw were a genre fusion – the Space Western.

The Space Western at this time is nearly it’s own genre. It has it’s roots in early pulp SF and is obvious in the “Wagon Train” elements of Star Trek TOS.  However in the last few decades it’s become it’s own thing.  Just a few examples that come to mind:

The fact we even have the term “Space Western” to throw around says that it is Indeed A Thing.

Now I’ve got nothing against that. In fact I’ve rather enjoyed many Space Westerns, especially self-aware ones. But what I want to discuss is why SF would be bonded so closely with the Western – as it reveals the dangers of genre-mapping in worldbuilding.

Westerns, simply, are about frontiers. As SF itself is essentially about frontiers in many formats (especially explorational/people on a spaceship stories) the fusion fits perfectly. In a way, Westerns and SF share a similar “inside genre” – that of “people on the edge of the known” – and thus Space Westerns make perfect sense.

However Space Western as a genre – and indeed a bit of an overused ones, and thus a good example – also shows the danger of overfocusing on genre.  Consider:

Maybe your SF story has a frontier element, but Western tropes don’t fit it – but if you drag those in unawares (or figure “this just must be a space western”) then you’re affecting your worldbuilding. Your world is getting buried under tropes and ideas that have nothing to do with your own ideas – that of the Space Western.  You may, in short, figure (perhaps unconciously) that “my setting is a fronteir” and then suddenly you’re using a genre (Space Western) inappropriately, and dumping in elements that really don’t fit your setting.

And this is the lesson. Sometimes you don’t want a genre – you want whats inside of it.  You just may get confused over certain genres.

Sometimes It’s What’s Inside That Counts

Many times we choose or are inspired by various genres and incoroprate them into our world – but what we may be looking at is a genre inside the other genre.  If we’re not aware of that, however, we might pile on parts of the “container” genre inappropriately:

  • Maybe you want to do a story of honor and revenge.  Thus you are inspired by Samurai stories – but the elements of such tales may not fit your world as it has few cultural equivalents.  You wanted honor and revenge, not the cultural complexities of Japanese culture.
  • Perhaps you want to do a dark mystery in your fantasy setting, and certainly film noir wizards sound cool – but grafting on classic detective elements may not work in a world where you can use necromancy and interrogate the murder suspect (and you may realize this too late into your worldbuilding). You wanted the mindbending puzzles and betrayal of mysteries, not the film noir elements.
  • Perhaps you like the Man Created Monster genre and want to work that into your realistic nanotechnology story – when you realize that when you have micromachines a giant stompy bad thing is inappropriate.  What you wanted is to give the threat a personality.

Thus when you choose your genre or genres of your world, you may want to ask what you’re doing and why. Is it the genre or genres that you want to write – or is there something inside it that you’re really aiming for.

Food For Thought

So when you’re deciding on your genre(s) ask yourself these questions.  What are you?

  • Trying to say. Do/does the genre(s) make sense to what you’re writing or are you trying to use what’s “inside” one to communicate something.
  • Really writing. What is at the core of your world? Why are you dressing it up in a given genre? Is it getting buried under the associated tropes??
  • Trying to communicate to the audience. Genres can provide shorthand to the audience, but is what you’re saying actually served by the genre in question?

Closing

Genres may be instructions, but they can be limits – and even traps.  But sometimes genres hide in genres, so you might not know just what you’re doing and why in your worldbuilding.  Self-awareness – and genre-awareness – can help you greatly.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.

Geek As Citizen: Talking Is OK

by

Discussion Communication

It’s been an eventful few weeks in geekery, with many a thing to make us discuss problems in geekdom and society in general – and what we can do to make things better.

Now a lot of my posts are often calls to action Indeed for all I write, I hope mostly it provides tools and resources for people to do things. I’m always leery of “calls to action” that just seem to keep making more calls to action without becoming anything.

I actually think this is a culture problem. In a culture where overpaid punditry blotivates endlessly, we’re used to not calls for action, but plenty of complaining and words. It discourages action and replaces it with talking.

However, there is a time to talk. When the “Game of Thrones” rape controversy came up, one of the people in the discussion at Geek Girl Diva noted that she’d seen highly productive talks about the controversy. These talks helped people think of what they do, decide on action, and question themselves.

This is where talking actually does make a difference. So though I’ve often decrited the talk-talk-talk of our culture that rarely results in action, I want to note talking has a point. Sometimes the goal literally should be “talk amongst yourselves.”

It’s just that it’s a specific kind of talking that’s important . . .

Read more

Geek Job Guru: Geek That Cover Letter

by

Letter Blank Writing

So I just spent about two months reviewing resumes. But there’s something I haven’t discussed as much that I’d like to talk about here – how to do a good cover letter. In fact, let’s talk about cover letters for we progeeks.

When people talk cover letters with me, I notice a lot of people just aren’t good at cover letters. Some people know it, some don’t, but in general they’re just not that able to create ones.

At least a lot of people know they’re bad.

Cover letters are extremely vital to your career search, but it seems that if people aren’t too hot at resumes (trust me, they’re not), cover letters are about equally abysmal. I think there’s actually less good advice on cover letters than there needs to be, frankly, so I’m amazed they’re not worse.

I think because cover letters are seen as kind of secondary, sleazy, deliberate lies, unnecessary, etc. It always seems that they’re a second thought to people.  They also seem frustrating when I talk to job seekers, which may be another factor in a lack of quality – people hate doing them.

Me I think they’re important. So let’s take a break from resumes (which, trust me, I am damn glad to do), and discuss cover letters – with our usual progeeky touch.

In fact, let’s talk about why they’re important – because that’s the key to doing them right.

They Establish Human Communication

Unless your resume is very engaging, unless your portfolio is very humanized, unless you have just the right media, a resume and such doesn’t always communicate in a human sense. It’s challenging because even if you love resumes, they’re still a summary. They’re like RPG character sheets in a way – pieces but not always the whole.

A cover letter, which is essentially a letter from you to the people reading your resume (albeit generic “people”) is a chance to establish that human touch. You’re not someone at a distance, not a pile stats – you’re a person reaching out to others.

It’s imperative a good cover letter sound like it comes from a person. Yes that person may be desperate for a job, yes there’s some salesmanship, but this is your chance to be a person to those who may interview you.

Progeek tips:

  • If you’re not always that social the cover letter, properly crafted, can actually help – it’s a chance to take time crafting how you want to be heard.
  • A good cover letter should give a sense of establishing communication. You’re reaching out.

They Show Personality

People hire people. You’d like to think it’s skills and abilities and experience, but personality, who you are, is a part of what people hire. In no small amount of cases it is a significant part because there are careers where a person suited for a job personality-wise with mediocre skills will succeed better than a more talented person that doesn’t fit.  Ever have a job you figured no one else would understand or tolerate?  That’s part of it right there.

People also have to know what not to hire. I still recall an interview where the interviewer and I realized at the same time I was just wrong for the contract. Not being hired when you don’t fit a job is a good thing.

Just as a resume doesn’t make a human connection as well as a letter, neither do they show your personality as well as a letter in most cases. Very creative and artistic and clever resumes can show personality, but we’re not all capable of those – nor are they always appropriate for our careers or for the audience we’re trying to reach with a cover letter.

But every job search needs a cover letter.

Your cover letter is a chance to show you. This helps establish a connection but this also shows who you are. It’s a chance for people to connect with you – wether you fit or not.

Progeek Tips:

  • Put your personality into your cover letter. If you’re worried that’s a bad thing, you may have to do some personal analysis there.
  • Expose the best side of your personality – your goal here is to get the job and so forth, and there’s nothing wrong wit casting yourself in an appropriately good light. People will learn your flaws in time.
  • Remember a cover letter can be crafted as well as a resume, so put in the time to make sure it’s “you.”
  • Even if your resume is bursting with personality, your cover letter is still going to be the first thing many people see.

Creates A Narrative

Resumes, as I often say, should create a coherent narrative, like any good work of media. Everything from your introduction to your publications should reflect each other. In reflecting each other it makes your career into a story that ends with the words “you’re hired.”

A cover letter is an indispensable part of a career narrative because it’s direct written communication.

The Cover Letter allows you to tell your story in miniature in a format outside the resume. You can explain:

  • Who you are.
  • Why you’re right for the job.
  • What you can do for your potential employer.

And all of this is done in writing, direct to people.  A great way to tell a story.

A good cover letter helps establish or enhance the resume you’ve created. Together they’re very powerful, because as the cover letter leads into the resume, each reflecting the other, your story is easier for people to grasp. When it’s easier to grasp, people then are more likely to understand you – and hire you.

(Or I suppose not hire you as noted, but at least for good reasons).

Progeek Tips:

  • A good resume helps explain things and tie it together. A good cover letter also explains you coherently and ties into the resume.
  • A cover letter is a chance to establish more open narrative that you can’t do in a resume. To an extent it is much more of a “regular story.”
  • Cleverly used, a cover letter can also head off any criticisms or gaps in your resume. Maybe you don’t have the industry experience but “you’re glad to have this chance to move into X industry” and so on.

Does Everyone Read Cover Letters?

In my experience, no – but it seems most employers do. I would definitely build a good cover letter just because there’s a chance they’ll read it. Might as well do it right.

Closing

So there you go – the reasons to perfect your cover letter and some advice to help you get going. I hope it helps.

And at least it’s not me looking at resumes . . .

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.