There’s A Weird Snobbery Around Genre …
Bangers we need to talk: some writers seem to think that being “genre-defying” is something to aspire to. That if you’re working within genre conventions, somehow your story’s less intelligent, less original, less… special.
Let me be clear: that attitude is killing your script or novel. I’m not kidding.
Let’s unpack the biggest myths I hear (daily!) from writers about genre — and why sticking your nose up at it is a mistake.
1) “My story defies genre!”
Oh dear. Where do I even start? When a writer says this, what they usually mean is:
- They don’t know what their story is really about
- They’re trying to do everything at once, hoping something sticks
- They’re terrified of being seen as “formulaic”
- They think “genre” means “cheap, cliché, or commercial”
But here’s the truth: all stories exist within genre. Even if you mash up a few — thriller with sci-fi, horror with romance, etc. — you’re still playing with genre expectations. You’re still part of a conversation with the audience.
And if you try to “defy” that conversation completely? The audience just gets confused. Or worse — bored.
2) “I don’t want to be boxed in.”
Genre isn’t a cardboard box. It’s a toolbox.
It gives you conventions, audience expectations, and a shared language. When you know what the beats are — and how readers/viewers anticipate them — then you can decide how to twist or subvert them.
But if you ignore the rules before you understand them? You’re not breaking new ground. You’re just writing a mess.
3) “I’m writing it intuitively, I don’t want to follow a formula.”
This one really grinds my gears. You can absolutely write with instinct after you’ve absorbed the craft. Just like musicians improvise after they’ve learned scales, writers “intuit” after they’ve read, watched, and studied genre.
Here’s the kicker: genre is a formula … but that’s NOT a bad thing. (If you don’t like the word ‘formula’, then think of genre as having CONVENTIONS).
Genre is comforting. It’s familiar. It is why audiences show up. Think about it: you wouldn’t want a murder mystery where there is no Big Reveal. Or a Rom-Com where no one falls in love. So why pretend your audience doesn’t have expectations of genre conventions?
4) “But my story has something to say!”
Fantastic. It should. Genre is not the enemy of theme.
In fact, genre amplifies theme. A dystopian setting can say something about surveillance or state control. A ghost story can explore grief. A revenge thriller can interrogate justice.
Just don’t mistake vagueness for depth. If you want to be meaningful, you need to be specific … and genre helps you do exactly that.
5) “It’s horror… kind of. And a romance. But it’s got coming-of-age vibes. Also a heist.”
Right. So what’s the spine?
When I ask this question, I often get silence. If you can’t name the primary genre — the one that holds the emotional arc, the structure, the engine of the story — you’re not ready to pitch it.
Yes, stories can blend genres. But one needs to take the lead. The rest are there to support and flavour, not fight for dominance.
MORE: Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays
Stop Saying ‘Genre-Defying’!
Genre isn’t a dirty word. It’s the structure that lets your audience connect. It’s the container that holds your wild, personal, original idea and makes it watchable, sellable, shareable.
So if you’re avoiding genre because you think it’s beneath you? It’s not. It’s beneath your feet, holding your story up.
Stop saying ‘genre-defying’. Learn genre instead. Use it. Then bend the rules when you know exactly what you’re doing.
And for God’s sake — stop saying your script is “genre-defying” in your pitch. It’s not a flex. It’s a big fat red flag!
