Genre Writing
Genre Meshing
Blending genres offers creative freedom and market opportunity. This certificate program explores how to combine conventions effectively while maintaining clarity, reader expectations, and cohesive narrative structure.
Courses
Breaking the Rules of Genre Fiction
Bharti Kirchner, Jill Yesko, Linda Rodriguez, Rabbi Ilene Schneider, and Stacy Allen explore writing fiction that refuses to fit neatly into one category. They discuss hybrid storytelling, unconventional structures, and how pushing past genre labels can lead to bold, original work that surprises readers.
Crossing Genres: Combining Without Getting Muddy
Cindy Dees, Elizabeth Crowens, J.B. Manning, John Carenen, Susan Jacobs, and Terrence McCauley talk about how to blend genres without confusing readers or publishers. They discuss understanding genre expectations, where boundaries matter, and how to keep a story cohesive while pulling elements from multiple traditions.
I Love You, But I’m Scared: How to Write Suspense and Romantic Suspense, Thrillers, and Mysteries
Carolyn McSparren, Claire Applewhite, Debra Gaskill, Karen McCullough, Kathryn Scarborough, and Kelly Oliver explore what happens when romance meets danger. They discuss how emotional stakes and physical threats work together, and how blending love and suspense can deepen both character and plot.
Is It a Thriller or a Mystery? Genre-Bending in a Changing Marketplace
Gay Yellen, J.S. Morrison, K. Scott Culpepper, Kelly Oliver, Lisa Malice, and T.G. Wolff examine how the line between thrillers and mysteries continues to blur. They discuss pacing, tension, and psychological depth, and how writers can navigate a marketplace that increasingly embraces genre blending.
When Crime Meets Horror: Blending Mystery With the Supernatural
What happens when crime fiction crosses into horror and the strange? In this session, authors explore how blending mystery with supernatural and unsettling elements can deepen suspense, create eerie atmospheres, and expand the possibilities of traditional crime storytelling.
Where Fantasy Meets High Stakes Suspense
Maggie Toussaint, Barbara Barnett, David Neilsen, James R. Hannibal, Jean Rabe, and John Hegenberger share how to combine fantasy worldbuilding with the drive and tension of thrillers and mysteries. They discuss pacing, structure, and how to keep suspense sharp while building imaginative worlds.
Writing Stories That Refuse to Stay in One Box
Alex Hughes, Chris F. Holm, Karen McCullah, and Kourtney Heintz explore the creative freedom and challenges of writing stories that cross genre lines. They discuss how to balance tone, pacing, and reader expectations so different genres can coexist naturally within a single novel.