When I wrote my very first novel in 2004 (I think), Trixie In a Box, about a woman stuck in an elevator in a deserted building over a long weekend, I had no idea what genre to place it in. Which is partially why I still haven’t published it. If it was a movie, it would be a drama. While Trixie is enclosed in her dark metal box, her family goes through a crisis and barely notices she’s missing. This conundrum has led me to much contemplation on the meaning of the word “drama.” Why it’s not recognized and hugely popular as a literary genre is beyond me.
If you think about it, drama in movies is really simply a slice of ordinary life. Sure, something significant happens within that hour and a half, but things happen in life all the time. Unless we’re in an extended rut, we tend to go from one drama to the next. The most popular recent use of “drama” is related to angst. Often teenage angst; a negative connotation that’s made the word almost cringe-worthy.
Here’s Merriam-Webster’s definition as it relates to life rather than theatre:
3 a : a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces
- the drama of the past week
- dealing with some family drama
b : dramatic state, effect, or quality
- the drama of the courtroom proceedings
So what to do with Trixie? It will take some major up-to-snuff editing to elevate (pun not intended) her to literary fiction. I do hope she’ll see the light of day (okay, that one was a little bit intended) eventually.
This post is brought to you by Just Jot it January, and in particular, prompted by the word, “drama,” provided by Ritu! Thanks so much, my dear! You can find Ritu’s own JusJoJan post by clicking right here. Please go and say hi! To participate in the prompt, please visit this post, where you’ll find the rules and you can leave your link in the comments.
January 2, 2018 at 1:26 pm
Here’s a new post from a familiar face! https://onetahayes.com/2018/01/02/weather-drama/
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January 2, 2018 at 1:31 am
I’d like to read your drama.
Here’s my take on the prompt:
https://darsword.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/just-jot-it-january-drama/
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January 2, 2018 at 12:36 pm
Thank you, Dar. 🙂
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January 1, 2018 at 9:57 pm
I am really not sure of the criteria for literary fiction. What counts as literary, really? Or more to the point, what doesn’t? Funny I should have so loose of a grasp of that, being as how I took a BA in English Language and Letters. I guess it’s true that the more we know, the more we know we don’t know.
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January 1, 2018 at 11:08 pm
According to Google, literary fiction relies more on theme, whereas genre fiction is all about the plot. Which seems accurate to me, considering how many literary fiction books I’ve read that seemed to just fade away rather than end. Make any sense?
In my case, the more I know, the more I rely on Google. 😉 😀
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January 1, 2018 at 8:18 pm
I think all genres have some drama in them, otherwise they’re just boring as hell!
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January 1, 2018 at 6:48 pm
I’m sure she will sit neatly in her box until one night, around 3am, you’ll have a brain-wave and she will see the light of day.
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January 1, 2018 at 10:56 pm
That actually sounds like something that could happen. 🙂
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January 1, 2018 at 10:57 pm
Happy new year Linda. Best wishes for the year ahead 😊
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January 1, 2018 at 11:09 pm
And to you, dear Michael. 😀
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January 1, 2018 at 5:56 pm
Good thing you know an up-to-snuffish editor 🙂
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January 1, 2018 at 10:55 pm
Haha! Thanks, Dan. 😀
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January 1, 2018 at 5:19 pm
What an interesting story line. Please find a way to get it out there! Stopping by from John Holton’s blog and going to attempt JusJoJan! Thanks.
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January 1, 2018 at 10:55 pm
Thanks very much, Janet. 🙂 I look forward to reading your JusJoJan posts! 😀
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January 1, 2018 at 5:05 pm
That’s a great point–hadn’t thought of that. There should be a drama genre, because as you say, not every drama would necessarily be literary fiction. We have action/adventure, thriller, mystery, romance, etc.–but no drama. Weird!
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January 1, 2018 at 10:54 pm
Right? There’s contemporary fiction, but that’s not very descriptive. 😛 We need drama!!
I never thought I’d ever say that. 😛 😉
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January 1, 2018 at 4:03 pm
I would definitely want to read this. Great start.
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January 1, 2018 at 10:52 pm
Thank you, Deby! 🙂
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January 1, 2018 at 2:48 pm
Your story needs to be published! Sounds very interesting!!
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January 1, 2018 at 2:50 pm
Thanks, Jill! 🙂
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January 1, 2018 at 2:32 pm
Basically, when I hear the words ‘family drama,’ I run in the opposite direction.
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January 1, 2018 at 2:35 pm
Haha! Me too, Mihran, Me too. Happy new year! 🙂
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January 1, 2018 at 2:23 pm
Our life is one long drama at the moment 🌹🌹💜. But what of Trixie. My interest has been piqued now. 🌹
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January 1, 2018 at 2:31 pm
Thanks, Willow. 🙂 I’ll seriously consider getting to work on it once my series is finished. 😀
Long dramas get tiresome, don’t they? I hope things settle down for you soon, my dear. ❤
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January 1, 2018 at 2:33 pm
Absolutely no chance of things getting any better any time soon…. But your book!!!
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January 1, 2018 at 2:36 pm
😉 ❤
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January 1, 2018 at 2:16 pm
I agree life is drama. Yep.
Interesting book sounds interesting. I want to READ it!
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January 1, 2018 at 2:29 pm
You shall be one of the first, my dear. 🙂 Thanks! 😀
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January 1, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Oh man… drama… life is total drama, you’re right!
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January 1, 2018 at 2:29 pm
It is! And yet when it isn’t, we complain it’s boring. Haha! 🙂
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January 1, 2018 at 3:08 pm
I’d kill for a little boring right now… but then I’d be done for murder… more drama! 😉
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January 1, 2018 at 3:26 pm
Haha! 😀
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January 1, 2018 at 3:44 pm
🙏🏽
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