Dear World

Please Kill Me,

Greetings and happy Friday, my torrid wave of storytellers. How are you? Whether you see the metaphorical glass as half empty, or half full, YOU’RE RIGHT!!!!, (given the caveat that it’s half full/empty with vodka. #AllWinners #Moh-Loh-Dyetz! #I Don’tKnowRussian).

Well, team, it’s Friday, which means that many of us will soon be getting a much-needed break from work, school, (reality?), and an abundance of other trivial nuisances. But, before you take off on your inebriated adventure – how about a little chit-chat, with Sir-Tips-A-Lot?

Great! (Ha, that’s what he said in Russian).

Genre-Bending, (otherwise known as – a surging topic of discussion in North America, about bathrooms. #OhWait #That’sTheOtherThing #SimilarConcept).

I assume that most of my readers are writers, or creators, of some caliber. Because of that assumption, some of my posts come off as very niche in their nature. And rightfully so, but I do not believe that this is one of those times. (So, if you’re a painter or graphic artist – stick around….At the very least, hang out for the poop jokes).

Genre is an interesting thing. In essence, it’s a way to categorize the works that we produce, to best market to the people most likely to buy and enjoy it. That’s awesome and all, but in the age of perpetual information, (where most people have the answer to literally EVERYTHING in their hand #CELLPhone #PrisonTech), the presentation of creativity has changed the playing field, (as the battle for originality wages on).

No one is surprised by the “guy getting the girl”, or the “underdog winning”, or the “{Insert standard dramatic ending here}. Even if people didn’t have access to the plethora of stories like that at the click of a button, some of these genre-specific story arcs may have become worn simply due to time, repetition, and overexposure.

Now, don’t get me wrong. These standards are ever-present for a reason. People love them, and sometimes it’s cool to just chill and read a safe story, (as you await your partner to return with the Netflix password to “NetflixNChill” #Translation #BabyMakingPractice), but – for many of us trying to push the medium forward, the way to go has been to bend these genre’s as opposed to sticking to one and falling victim to the subsequently accepted format.

*Genre-bending, is taking elements from various genres, and using them to tell an effective and coherent story.*

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that this is “the lazy man’s“,(or “woman’s” #Equality), work. As a matter of fact -when done well- it can be a supremely daunting project. What we get a result, is a story that is unique, not only in its’ sequence of events but also in the voice developed to deliver those events properly, (#ThatWasACompliment). This is in EVERYWAY evolution of the craft.

*So whatever your field of expertise, don’t shy away from breaking the mold, by bending the conceptually accepted.*

Art is a fluid thing. It’s only natural for us to explore the creative terrain and attempt improvement upon it, once we exhaust our varying levels of interest in exploring it. It’s not the only way, but it is A way.

Try it, don’t try. Just don’t say I didn’t tell you.

Alright rebels, that’s about all I’ve got to scream from the mountaintops, (of #Wordpress?) today. I’ll see you all on Monday for another week of caffeine-fueled rage.

Enjoy Your Weekend,

-Antwan Crump.

 

Tourmaline: (A Collection of Things) – is currently available exclusively on Amazon Kindle.

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