Understanding the difference between genre conventions and obligatory scenes

As a fiction writer, understanding the various elements that contribute to the success of your story within its specific genre is crucial. Two key elements are genre conventions and obligatory scenes. While they may appear similar at first glance, these components have distinct roles in shaping your narrative and meeting reader expectations. This article delves into the differences between genre conventions and obligatory scenes, providing a clear understanding of their roles and how to use them effectively in your fiction writing.

Genre conventions

Genre conventions are the recurring themes, tropes, and elements that readers expect to find in a specific genre. They establish the framework and atmosphere of your story, allowing readers to quickly identify its genre and understand its context. By fulfilling the expectations associated with a particular genre, genre conventions create a sense of familiarity and comfort for readers.

Conventions include:

1. Characters that we expect to meet – like a best friend, a sidekick, a detective, a super spy, a monster, or a murder victim.
2. Settings that we expect the story to play out in – like a gothic castle, a small picturesque country town, a space ship, an alien landscape, or an elven forest.
3. Particular, and expected, ways of moving the plot forward – like the presence of red herrings in a crime novel, a twist in a thriller, or an emotionally satisfying ending to a romance.

Obligatory scenes

Obligatory scenes are specific moments or events that must occur within a particular genre to meet reader expectations and deliver a satisfying narrative. These scenes are essential to the genre, and their absence or alteration may disappoint or confuse readers. Obligatory scenes often serve as turning points or climactic moments within the narrative, propelling the story forward and providing a sense of resolution.

Examples of obligatory scenes include:

1. Mystery: The discovery of the crime or mystery, the gathering of clues, and the final reveal where the detective or protagonist solves the case and confronts the murderer.
2. Romance: A declaration of love or commitment between the main characters, often accompanied by the resolution of obstacles or misunderstandings that previously prevented their union.
3. Hero's journey: The protagonist receiving a call to adventure, facing trials and challenges, and ultimately returning home transformed.

Distinguishing between genre conventions and obligatory scenes

While both genre conventions and obligatory scenes contribute to the success of a story within its genre, their roles and functions differ:

1. Role in the narrative: Genre conventions create the framework and atmosphere for a story, while obligatory scenes drive the plot and character development.
2. Flexibility: Genre conventions allow for more flexibility and creativity, as they can be adapted or subverted to suit the needs of your story. Obligatory scenes, on the other hand, are considered essential and must be included to satisfy reader expectations.
3. Frequency: Genre conventions are recurring elements that can be found throughout a story, while obligatory scenes are specific moments or events that typically occur once or at key points within the narrative.

Using genre conventions and obligatory scenes effectively

To create a successful and satisfying story within your chosen genre, consider the following strategies:

• Identify the genre conventions and obligatory scenes associated with your chosen genre. Conduct research by reading widely within the genre and studying successful examples of the genre.
• Incorporate genre conventions and obligatory scenes into your story outline or plan. Ensure that these elements are integrated organically and contribute to the overall narrative arc and character development.
• Be creative and innovative with genre conventions, finding ways to adapt or subvert them to suit your story and bring a fresh perspective to the genre.
• Maintain the integrity of obligatory scenes, ensuring that they deliver the expected emotional impact and narrative resolution for your readers.

Some common questions

Can you subvert genre conventions without alienating your audience?

To subvert genre conventions effectively without alienating the audience, try to deeply understand your genre's expectations before you start to play creatively with them.

Once you know the genre conventions, you can introduce innovative elements or unexpected twists while maintaining the core aspects that define the genre, ensuring the story remains relatable.

How can you identify and integrate obligatory scenes in genres that are less clearly defined?

Some genres, like literary fiction, for example, have less clearly defined obligatory scenes. For these genres, focusing on the emotional journey and thematic depth is key.

You can analyse similar works to understand their core emotional and thematic elements, and then craft your own scenes that challenge or highlight the characters' growth or the story's themes in unexpected ways.

If you're trying to blend or write across genres, how can you manage genre conventions and obligatory scenes to create a cohesive narrative?

When blending genres or writing across them, managing conventions and obligatory scenes for a cohesive narrative involves identifying core elements from each genre that can harmoniously intersect. This process includes focusing on the strengths of each genre and finding innovative ways to merge their conventions and scenes in a manner that enriches the story.

Strategic planning and creative experimentation are crucial, as is maintaining a clear thematic focus to ensure the narrative remains unified and compelling to readers from different genre preferences. Have a look at how you can use First Draft Pro to help you manage the outlining process.

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References

1. Coyne, Shawn. 2015. The Story Grid. New York, NY: Black Irish Entertainment.

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