Vive la différence…

What’s your favourite – historical or contemporary?

YA perhaps or fantasy? Maybe a little futuristic romance?

This weekend the London RNA chapter had a workshop on different romantic genres.

The speakers were all authors I have read in various genres – so it was really fabulous to hear what they had to say.

Alison Morton has invented an entire alternate universe in which to set her stories. Christina Courtenay writes many different genres – but was speaking about Young Adult and Monica Fairview writes in Jane Austen’s world.

And their words of wisdom – on the subject of genres….

Monica started by saying the Jane Austen inspired books are really all about Mr. Darcy because he is everyone’s favourite hero.  You can change the setting, do a modern adaptation, even write a vampire story, but the hero must be recognisable as Darcy. That’s more than just using his name. His flaws and character journey must also be recognisable. Some books, she pointed out, give minor Austen characters their own story. These are less popular, and work better if Elizabeth and Darcy appear in the book as well. And they need to be the couple we met in Pride and Prejudice – and still very much in love.

On the subject of Young Adult, Christina said her books are aimed at an audience aged from 13 to 18. She says they are often shorter – perhaps only 60,000 words. A lot of YA is written in the first person, but it doesn’t have to be. And the book needs to reflect teenagers feelings – yes, teenage angst. But, she warned, be careful of overdoing it, particularly in the first person, because your readers need to like the heroine.

Alison pointed out that alternate history is a different genre from fantasy, or paranormal or Sci Fi. You select a point in history, and then send history in a different direction. A war has a different winner. An empire doesn’t fall. The world changes, but those changes and the new world you build must fit into a logical historical route. It must be historically plausible. You can use real historical figures – but the book must not become a history lesson.

The discussion then turned to sex (what else?).

Monica said the readers of Jane Austen inspired romances like the courtship part of the relationship – after all, Pride and Prejudice was full of the courtship. But, she said, any level of sexuality will work – as long as it is appropriate to the story, and she drew our attention to some Darcy books which are pure erotica. Not everyone’s taste – but she said, there are readers who like it just as there are readers who like their regency romance pure.

Alison writes adult books – and she says anything goes… BUT – there must be a strong story/relationship. A story/relationship that could also work in any other setting. The sex needs to be appropriate for that story/relationship.

Christine admitted that sex was a little more of a problem for a YA writer. For her characters, it’s all about firsts – the first kiss, the first crush, the first real love. Sex, she said, is not out of the question. Different publishers may have different guidelines – but she would not write graphic sex. YA is more about awaking sexuality and emotion.

So – if this is inspiring you to change genre – a final tip from each panellist…

If you want to write alternate history – do your historical research – then build your new world. Map it out in great detail before you start writing the book. Most of that detail won’t go into the book, but it will make your world seem more real.

If YA is your thing – read a lot of YA books and then read some more. Watch YA movies and films. Then get together with someone you knew when you were both teenagers. Reminisce with them to recapture the teenage you.

And if you want to write in Jane Austen’s world. Get to know her books, particularly Pride and Prejudice really well. Then make contact with the online groups who are fans of this type of story. Get involved and understand why they love these books.

It was a fabulous workshop – with lively discussion and lots of questions from the audience.

After all that – my contemporary real world seems a bit – well – real. But I like it that way. However, if you’ve read some of my short stories here on the website, you’ll know I occasionally delve ever so gently into fantasy.

Maybe one of these days…..