Conversation

My 3rd story, LEAP, which is also chapter 1 of a stalled novel, I think has both ok technical quality and a genre-busting vector (time travel scifi and identity/consciousness metaphysics). I have the plot worked out. It's just beyond my execution rn
1
1
But back to the general point. My own example makes this yin-yang dynamic (genre busting versus technical perfection) painfully, embarrassingly obvious, but it is visible even at the most accomplished and mature levels of the work of people with way more talent and experience.
1
1
And the funny thing is, I have seen almost no good advice on solving or even acknowledging this problem. 70% of fiction writing advice focuses on tactical mechanics. The other 30% tries to finesse the genre-busting problem with color-by-numbers narrative templates.
4
4
I should add. Simply juxtaposing 2 genres is not a case of dissolving or creating a genre. You could mechanically combine (say) military and romance fiction. That doesn't mean you've mashed them up in a disruptive way. Much "fusion" cuisine fails the same way
5
5