Genre conventions are the defining aspects of a genre, including archetypal characters and plot points. Artists use these conventions to satisfy audience expectations, but they can become clichéd. Conventions evolve over time through repetition and experimentation, and new works can introduce new elements that change the genre. Examples include Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and Robert E. Howard’s Conan.
Genre conventions are all the little elements, from archetypal characters to repeating plot points, that separate one genre of fiction from another. Most genres have a very specific set of elements that readers or viewers have come to expect, and artists often try to make sure their works include enough of them to satisfy audiences. Genre conventions tend to evolve over time as artists work to break out of the typical molds and create new content. Sometimes people eventually get tired of certain genre conventions, at which point these conventions might even be labeled clichéd.
Essentially, genre conventions are the defining aspects of any genre or sub-genre. There are tons of these conventions for every genre, and any given job needn’t include more than a handful; if there are none at all, the work may ultimately fall outside the intended genre. For example, a horror film without some recognizable elements – things like monsters, eerie settings, isolation, or darkness – would no longer necessarily be considered a “horror” film by most fans and critics.
In many cases, genre conventions begin through repetition. A writer, director or playwright will create a famous work that the audience loves, and other artists will try to create something similar. Over time, all artists who borrow from the original writer will use certain elements again and again, to the point where they spread throughout the genre and become conventions. For example, Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula” created a number of genre conventions about how vampire fiction should work, and many of these have persisted to this day in works such as Anne Rice’s “Interview with a Vampire” and Stephen Re’s “Salem’s Lot.” These conventions have also continued in many popular vampire films over the years, and by this point, nearly every vampire story will include at least some ideas that go back to Stoker’s original novel.
Genre conventions also tend to evolve over time. As new artists contribute to the genre, they will often experiment with new things, and their most popular works will lead to the creation of new conventions. Sometimes a work is created that drastically changes a genre in one fell swoop by introducing many new elements. For example, fantasy author Robert E. Howard’s character Conan was not the first fantasy hero ever created, and fantasy fiction was already popular when the Conan stories were written, but the character’s popularity and success had a huge impact on the genre. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy had a similar impact on the fantasy genre later, and more recently, works by writers like George RR Martin may have the potential to change the genre by bringing a new style and focus.
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