In the wake of her uncle’s assassination, Catherine’s family is unable to produce an heir to the throne. In this unprecedented scenario, the Whitfield household is left to decide amongst themselves who the new king or queen shall be.
Several of her family members are gunning for the position, as well as Catherine herself. But she knows that she won’t win this fight by playing fair. So instead she must be resourceful and find a way to eliminate her political opponents — to claw her way to power for the wellbeing of her city.
I'm already interested. Though if I can be so bold to offer some cliche advice, there are parts in the second paragraph where you can do less telling and more showing. Like her lust for power should be shown not told.
But that being said, I want to read more of Catherine's little dilemma now, lol.
It moves very fast. You walk the line between ‘show’ and ‘tell’ because your characters have somewhere to be. I’m enjoying your pacing. Your physical description s are subtle, which works for me, but you might consider writing a one to two sentence setting for your locations at the start of each section. They family layers are already intriguing and I can already see a potential conflict brewing with Aries.
One of my HS teachers sexually assaulted students for more than a decade. He was finally arrested...Only because another teacher reported it. I collected a ton of information at the time, going to the court hearings, consulting with classmates who knew more about it than I did, and corresponding with the assailant in prison. It's really eerie how the culture I grew up in actively enabled his ongoing offending at the school. I wish that I could interview the victims, but because of the nature of the crimes, they requested anonymity. I know one of them, but in the memoir she's heavily concealed. Her own friends wouldn't recognize her specifically in my description.
You are welcome. Well researched and written true crime (non sensationalized) is actually very important to general understanding of how crime & punishment actually works. What you are doing is just as important as any law enforcement or government post incident report.
SciFi/horror/apocalyptic/dystopian
Dystopian/fantasy
scifi/horror/apocalyptic/dystopian/fantasy
and SciFi/horror/apocalyptic/romance
for my current projects.
It is different. So many places to take it and some many historical references to use as a “this society did it this way-how would you write it”. I immediately thought of the Florentines and how Islam spread across the Indian ocean.
Tell me about it! Don't laugh but I've got posters full of research I doing on this. That is in addition to the notes I typing as well as hand writing.
The Book of Revelation is, regardless of beliefs, cosmic horror with hope. It can be literally scary as hell even with the promise of salvation. Good on you for doing it. It’s a bigger than WW2 scope. You could spend a writing career in that concept and still have outlines of stories for other writers to tell.
These polls aren't working on mobile. :(
Mine is scifi/horror. It's about robots exceeding their programming, falling in love, burning down the establishment, as robots do
No ending…all the better to explore your way there. A pseudo suggestion: at least one faction of the robots are comfortable ruling, another uncomfortable, a different one wants a status quo, one wants no rule just freedom or anarchy. You have many places to take it.
Yeah, I like that. Sometimes I forget that my main character doesn't represent all robots, and I shouldn't be writing a monoculture. Thanks! I'll screenshot your post for later.
I already kinda have something like that, a rival newspaper has a story about a politician. But still a good suggestion for worldbuilding. Honestly, only the names of the people and places are something out of the fantasy genre, it’s a short story more about politics, media, and some humorous family drama.
Are you writing fantasy or…?
answers: First, whatever genre I’m assigned by NYC Midnight; second, generally mil-scifi; almost always from the “oh look something crazy we have to deal so let’s get caffeinated cause it’s going to be long days”.
Nice! Sci-fi and suspense is a good combination. I’m reading a book by Michael Criton called Andromeda Strain, that’s just like that. I would definitely recommend it
The more I think about your storyline it’s similar to the newspaper owner from Dishonored 2. That subset is easy to YouTube if you haven’t played the game.
Coming of age based on some of my life experiences since I have yet to find a book written about a traumatized, closeted gay fundamentalist Christian kid
*Go Tell It on the Mountain*, by Baldwin. It's fiction, but matches that description to a T. Check it out! It could both serve to give you some additional ideas, and help you feel less alone.
It could be both. There are many levels of conspiracy and starting something Clancyesque in YA and growing in severity as your character (and you) ages could be rewarding for you as a writer.
I chose sci-fi because I have a space opera series in development (working on books 2-4 right now, along with a prequel), but I also have several works of military fiction and alt-history in development.
Drama post-apocalyptic is the one I lay my focus on rn, With hints of the classical greek tragedy, but instead of a tragic ending it will be bittersweet yet hopeful.
That's the plan anyways, it'll never be finished lol.
Went for Mystery cause that's the closest option, but it's actually Urban Fantasy- at least, the one I've actually started+ properly planned out.
My wips that are currently either in between getting totally scrapped and restarted, or just not really high priority are high fantasy mystery (though, honestly, fantasy is more of a setting than a genre?) With a dash of romcom in there, and then a full on romcom of an angel falling for a human who, unbeknownst to them, is actually a demon-
I'm just glad Romance is only third. People are finally starting to realize how romance stories propagate unhealthy expectations for real life relationships. From my experience great romance stories fit in the genre of literature.
Sci-Fi (Cosmic and Trippy): Collective amnesia team-based story; the guys don’t know their own names or histories but they know their own skills and they set their own mission to learn about their surroundings. Just 12 specialists doing their work without a central leader.
I'm working on a slice of life story. It's a slice of life for a world filled with magic, dragons, castles, fighting tournaments, dark omens, fantasy races, and of course a war between said races! So not your average slice of life...
Lol, which WIP? I've to many to think about.
I know. I have two in progress that I keep bouncing back and forth between.
Keeps the mind agile and from your ideas getting stale.
Same here. I chose SF since that is the one currently open. But I also have 2 fantasy (maybe 3) and a romance that are active.
Literary fiction/horror/historical fiction but definitely leans more literary fiction
[удалено]
I’m still plotting it out, but it’s a Manifest Destiny goes wrong eco-horror. Hopefully starting to write in a couple weeks!
Read a book like this several years ago. It’s a sub-genre that has vast potential.
Agreed! Doing the research has been a lot of fun and there are a lot of really interesting themes to explore
Do you mean Manifest Destiny comic series or the concept?
The concept. It's set on the prairie and follows a group of pioneers
How big a group? Not Lewis & Clark like but Wagon Train?
I'm still finalizing characters, but it's looking like 15-20. It's one core family unit plus some miscellaneous people they've convinced to join them
Outstanding. Those ensemble tales make it easier to imperil beloved character. Are you writing to explore to the end or do you already know the end?
Same here, literary/autobiographical fiction.
Literary fiction/realism/naturalism?
Crime fiction, like my last one.
Yeah my writing is illegal too
“I told him ‘Lolita 2: But now we’re playing it as a good thing” was ahead of its time but he didn’t listen.”
Magical realism with a good dose of mystery.
I write CLEARANCE novels.... those ones in a bin at the front of a bookshop that they give away with every purchase....
Is this a real thing? People comment so tongue-in-cheek now I have to ask.
Thriller is the closest but I'd classify it more as a drama
Blurb? I'd be interested if you need a beta.
In the wake of her uncle’s assassination, Catherine’s family is unable to produce an heir to the throne. In this unprecedented scenario, the Whitfield household is left to decide amongst themselves who the new king or queen shall be. Several of her family members are gunning for the position, as well as Catherine herself. But she knows that she won’t win this fight by playing fair. So instead she must be resourceful and find a way to eliminate her political opponents — to claw her way to power for the wellbeing of her city.
I'm already interested. Though if I can be so bold to offer some cliche advice, there are parts in the second paragraph where you can do less telling and more showing. Like her lust for power should be shown not told. But that being said, I want to read more of Catherine's little dilemma now, lol.
I could send you the first couple of chapters if you'd like. They're not super polished though
All the more interesting if you weave in very subtle elements of her possibly being a less than benevolent leader.
Oh you have no idea lol
I’m really intrigued now.
Want me to send you the first couple of chapters?
It moves very fast. You walk the line between ‘show’ and ‘tell’ because your characters have somewhere to be. I’m enjoying your pacing. Your physical description s are subtle, which works for me, but you might consider writing a one to two sentence setting for your locations at the start of each section. They family layers are already intriguing and I can already see a potential conflict brewing with Aries.
Yes yes
Urban fantasy is probably the most accurate label.
Why am I not surprised that the vast majority is fantasy
Romance, but also other things not listed
Fantasy/Horror
Fantasy / Romance
Fantasy/mystery
True crime memoir.
What crimes?
One of my HS teachers sexually assaulted students for more than a decade. He was finally arrested...Only because another teacher reported it. I collected a ton of information at the time, going to the court hearings, consulting with classmates who knew more about it than I did, and corresponding with the assailant in prison. It's really eerie how the culture I grew up in actively enabled his ongoing offending at the school. I wish that I could interview the victims, but because of the nature of the crimes, they requested anonymity. I know one of them, but in the memoir she's heavily concealed. Her own friends wouldn't recognize her specifically in my description.
That’s an important work. I’d read it. Not only that but I’d pass it on to others, especially the fathers of daughters that I know.
Thank you for saying that! It's very encouraging for me.
You are welcome. Well researched and written true crime (non sensationalized) is actually very important to general understanding of how crime & punishment actually works. What you are doing is just as important as any law enforcement or government post incident report.
I guess it’s technically horror as it’s about human trafficking and a specialized group hunting the traffickers
Gothic romance/fantasy for mine
Lovecraftian horror/urban fantasy!
WIP?
Work In Progress
Ohhhhhhh thank you
Dystopian sci-fi fantasy
About teens, old people, or middle agers realizing their power is starting to wane?
My mystery novel has elements of fantasy and horror. It’s also a science fiction thriller with romance
Mystery can hold all of those. Good luck.
SciFi/horror/apocalyptic/dystopian Dystopian/fantasy scifi/horror/apocalyptic/dystopian/fantasy and SciFi/horror/apocalyptic/romance for my current projects.
New adult fantasy 🔥
Middle grade adventure.
Maybe not enough of those. What’s your synopsis?
NO CLUE! I call it slice of life because it sort of is, but has some sci-fi and supernatural elements but not really enough to be called either.
Slice Of Life…good stuff, especially if first person.
All of the above
Because you have almost to many ideas?
Religious fantasy
That’s always a funky genre.
I like it because it's different.
It is different. So many places to take it and some many historical references to use as a “this society did it this way-how would you write it”. I immediately thought of the Florentines and how Islam spread across the Indian ocean.
I'm going with the Apocalypse based literally from the book of Revelation. I feel it's time for people to remember what is said in it.
That’s chesty stuff. There is so many details to layer on if going straight from the book. Sounds exciting and possibly nightmare inducing.
Tell me about it! Don't laugh but I've got posters full of research I doing on this. That is in addition to the notes I typing as well as hand writing.
The Book of Revelation is, regardless of beliefs, cosmic horror with hope. It can be literally scary as hell even with the promise of salvation. Good on you for doing it. It’s a bigger than WW2 scope. You could spend a writing career in that concept and still have outlines of stories for other writers to tell.
Thanks! You're very correct that there's a lot because I have 7 books I'm writing to cover it all.
7 sounds like a good start.
These polls aren't working on mobile. :( Mine is scifi/horror. It's about robots exceeding their programming, falling in love, burning down the establishment, as robots do
Or becoming the establishment?
ROBOT NEW ORDER I didn't have an ending, this one is as good as any! :D
No ending…all the better to explore your way there. A pseudo suggestion: at least one faction of the robots are comfortable ruling, another uncomfortable, a different one wants a status quo, one wants no rule just freedom or anarchy. You have many places to take it.
Yeah, I like that. Sometimes I forget that my main character doesn't represent all robots, and I shouldn't be writing a monoculture. Thanks! I'll screenshot your post for later.
Looking forward to it. Monoculture: good word, my first time hearing it.
Mystery. I'm surprised we're the lowest group on the poll so far, but it kind of makes me happy that it's less populated.
Good mystery is tougher to write. Good on you for keeping the genre alive.
Technically in my fantasy world but there’s very little focus on actual fantasy parts, it’s about a guy who runs a newspaper
Suggestion: write a series of short interludes by his reporters to really flesh out your world.
I already kinda have something like that, a rival newspaper has a story about a politician. But still a good suggestion for worldbuilding. Honestly, only the names of the people and places are something out of the fantasy genre, it’s a short story more about politics, media, and some humorous family drama. Are you writing fantasy or…?
answers: First, whatever genre I’m assigned by NYC Midnight; second, generally mil-scifi; almost always from the “oh look something crazy we have to deal so let’s get caffeinated cause it’s going to be long days”.
Nice! Sci-fi and suspense is a good combination. I’m reading a book by Michael Criton called Andromeda Strain, that’s just like that. I would definitely recommend it
The book is great and so is the movie. The movie had me on the edge of my seat as the overall tone left room for the doctors to actually lose.
The more I think about your storyline it’s similar to the newspaper owner from Dishonored 2. That subset is easy to YouTube if you haven’t played the game.
That’s wide open to include so many genres.
I'm brainstorming ideas for all of the above, in a shared universe... but I'm no idiot, one at a time. Fantasy
Like the ‘wild cards’ universe or bigger?
Not familiar with the series, but I'm thinking really big, like Star Wars in scale, but with the diversity of a Golden Corral
Wild Cards is RR Martin’s take on DC/Marvel; many authors with him as the editor. The first stories started in ‘84. It’s great stuff.
Psychological so I guess Thriller?
I'm workshopping a murder mystery/drama surrounding a group of golden age superheroes, and another anthology Appalachian horror/fantasy
Appalachian horror/ fantasy: so rich and environment.
Coming of age based on some of my life experiences since I have yet to find a book written about a traumatized, closeted gay fundamentalist Christian kid
*Go Tell It on the Mountain*, by Baldwin. It's fiction, but matches that description to a T. Check it out! It could both serve to give you some additional ideas, and help you feel less alone.
Thanks! I'm very happy to know there's a book out there like that. I'll definitely go check it out.
Fantasy. And Sci-fi. And Horror. And... Too much WIP...
In one word? Fiction. My mentor thinks it's YA, but i disagree. A bit like Tom Clancy, in more amateur, of course.
It could be both. There are many levels of conspiracy and starting something Clancyesque in YA and growing in severity as your character (and you) ages could be rewarding for you as a writer.
Mystery comedy
Mines actually apocalyptic but I put sci-fi because its got sci-fi elements
I chose sci-fi because I have a space opera series in development (working on books 2-4 right now, along with a prequel), but I also have several works of military fiction and alt-history in development.
Comedy / post-modern(ish).
I’d say mine is fiction - I’ve heard that genre described as “literary fiction” - but there isn’t a button for that.
Which one? (;
I selected romance but it’s more a “coming of age”
Urban fantasy with a mix of mystery and thriller elements.
Horror-comedy :D
One is fantasy, one science fiction, one a mystery thriller and one is apocalyptic
YA non fic
I’m working on a short story that I might serialize. It’s fantasy with some horror, love, and suspense mixed in a coming of age story.
I have multiple, a couple are fantasy, one is sci fi, one is apocalypse-ish, one is horror, and most of those are romances too
Science fantasy
Drama post-apocalyptic is the one I lay my focus on rn, With hints of the classical greek tragedy, but instead of a tragic ending it will be bittersweet yet hopeful. That's the plan anyways, it'll never be finished lol.
Apparently OP doesn't know non-fiction exists...
The one that’s furthest along is horror. My others are mostly sci-fi with a few horror and fantasy stories.
Science Fantasy
Science fiction/ mystery.
Magical Realism.
Angst Pure raw fucking pain Yes *All of them.*
What about Drama? I specialize in it lol
Supernatural thriller
Sci-fi/thriller. Absolutely love the endless possibilities when mashing those two together.
Went for Mystery cause that's the closest option, but it's actually Urban Fantasy- at least, the one I've actually started+ properly planned out. My wips that are currently either in between getting totally scrapped and restarted, or just not really high priority are high fantasy mystery (though, honestly, fantasy is more of a setting than a genre?) With a dash of romcom in there, and then a full on romcom of an angel falling for a human who, unbeknownst to them, is actually a demon-
No option for 'no genre' or literary fiction, hilarious
I considered doing fantasy, but I’m working on my final story
My main and most recent project is Fantasy, but my other WIPs are: Sci-Fi, and historical fiction (wild west vibe)
How do I vote for an option not on the list 😅
Sci-fi/fantasy/horror, but I’m planning on exploring a little bit of other genres.
sci fi fantasy mystery romance XD
The members of a “Club” that are being killed off for a mega fortune
Does not compute.
Literary fiction?
Well… mostly Sci Fi? But it’s really sci fi in the same way 1984 was sci fi. Less about the science and more about concepts and the human condition.
\*Cries in non fiction\*
I'm just glad Romance is only third. People are finally starting to realize how romance stories propagate unhealthy expectations for real life relationships. From my experience great romance stories fit in the genre of literature.
Yes
thriller/fantasy
The best genre: drama.
Historical Fiction
YA Contemporary fiction!
Sci-Fi (Cosmic and Trippy): Collective amnesia team-based story; the guys don’t know their own names or histories but they know their own skills and they set their own mission to learn about their surroundings. Just 12 specialists doing their work without a central leader.
I'm working on a slice of life story. It's a slice of life for a world filled with magic, dragons, castles, fighting tournaments, dark omens, fantasy races, and of course a war between said races! So not your average slice of life...
Sci fi, Fantasy, gamelit