Last year, the first time I attempted this theme before dropping out after 6 posts, I talked about how I believe fantasy is the best genre for Adventure.
This year I want to talk about how in fantasy Anything Goes. (Who has the song in their heads now? And who thought of the version from the Monty Python sketch?)
Anyway!
The more fantasy novels and stories I read the more I realize how utterly limitless the genre is. Most genres seem to have limited subject matter and often come with guidelines about how that subject matter should be explored. (Example: Romance needs to be about the romantic relationship between two people and generally needs to have a happy ending.) But fantasy can be about anything and in fantasy anything can happen. Sure, maybe some things are predictable. Good always triumphs over evil. But there are infinite ways it can happen and the joy of the genre is that sense that you never know what's going to occur on the next page.
As a writer, I love the freedom that fantasy grants me. Literally anything I can imagine I can write about. There's no idea so crazy or so outlandish that fantasy can't accommodate it. There's no idea so mundane that fantasy can't spice it up.
And just for kicks, here's Anything Goes (the song) Indiana Jones style:
Hi Sarah!
ReplyDeleteWithout even clicking the link, I can sing the refrain to Anything Goes... LOL! I saw Spamalot on Saturday night here in Colorado. :D It's true that Fantasy as a genre is limitless. I love writing in that realm, too. Looking forward to more in the A to Z!
BTW - Happy Birthday and welcome to your little one!
Thank you. :) I'd like to see Spamalot. I think it's one musical I could actually get my husband to go to with me. ;)
DeleteThat is exactly why I love reading and writing fantasy. Anything can happen.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I enjoy reading fantasy. And science fiction. Both are limited only by our imaginations.
ReplyDeleteI'll actually be talking later in the month about why I think Science Fiction is really a subgenre of Fantasy. :)
DeleteSo true! I think I love fantasy because I can make up whatever I want and create the rules to govern it.
ReplyDeleteAtoZchallenge #531
That's the reason why I write fantasy and not historical fiction.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned Anything Goes in my post today too, and I had no idea about the Indiana Jones thing. I was thinking all Broadway. But either way, it's been stuck in my head for hours now.
Gasp! You didn't know about the awesome intro to Temple of Doom? Probably the best part of the movie. ;)
DeleteThat's one of the reasons that I love fantasy so much anything can and often does happen.
ReplyDeleteGreat start to the challenge!
So true, and yet so much fantasy seems little more than a nod to Tolkein (medieval-style world, dwarves and elves etc.) that that has almost begun to define the genre. Which is sad when, as you say, it is only limited by your imagination. A timely reminder!
ReplyDeleteActually, compared to the large body of fantasy out there, I've found that relatively little of it is the Tolkien imitating kind. Though I find that most of the time what people think of as Tolkien imitation really has very little in common with anything Tolkien wrote.
DeleteOoh love your theme, should be interesting since I love fantasy :)
ReplyDeleteTheme sounds great, and congratulations on your birthday AND your new son! Thanks for stopping by earlier.
ReplyDeleteI love that about Fantasy too, only my imagination holds me back :)
ReplyDeleteHey! You have Indy today, too!
ReplyDeleteActually, I've been meaning to do a series of posts for a long time, now, about how fantasy is more related to the Arthur legends than to Tolkien, despite what most people think. I'd kind of forgotten about it, so thank for the reminder.
I'm not sure I'd agree that sci-fi is a sub to fantasy, not sci-fi in its purest for, at any rate. I do think there is a lot of crossover, though, and, then, it certainly could be a sub.
Fantasy is a fun read but for me, a hard write. Can't wait to see what you do with this. Good luck this year. You can do it!
ReplyDeleteJenn @Scribbles From Jenn
Hmmm... and I'm not sure I agree that fantasy is more related to Arthur than Tolkien. I guess I'll have to read your arguments and you'll have to read mine. :)
ReplyDeleteOkay... I'm going to make a note to do that series in May.
ReplyDeleteOoh I loved tat scene. My husband hates this IJ but I liked it. Hey, any attempt at A-Z is positive in my book. :)
ReplyDeletePersonally, I love any and all Indiana Jones. :)
DeleteEven Bad Indy is Great Indy! In fantasy there are rules to follow but the beauty of it is, you get to make up the rules. You can't talk fantasy without talking Tolkien, but the Shannara series is worth mentioning as well. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts.
ReplyDeleteThere are a ton of books worth talking about other than Tolkien. I love me my Tolkien, but I don't think he would like to see the shadow he inadvertently cast over the genre either.
DeleteAnything goes ought to be the theme for all genres -- I'm pretty tired of writing to formulas and traditional guidelines, which is why I shifted from cozy mysteries to standalone suspense. Lots more freedom there.
ReplyDeleteI think that restrictions that exist because of reader expectation are good. We are doing this for the readers after all. Restrictions that exist because publishers are afraid doing anything different will affect marketability are stupid and wrong. But that's just my opinion. :)
DeleteHang in there this time :)! How wonderful to see new work! I love that you are being so original. This is my first visit to your blog. Please visit ours at http://citymusecountrymuse2012.blogspot.com/ and please sign up to join our site if you like what you see!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I could write anything other than fantasy. I need to be able to twist the laws of science in order to make my story work. Trying to stay within the bounds of the known world would leave me with a boring story that didn't make any sense.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't think I could write anything other than fantasy either. :)
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