Thinking (Open to subverting other genres, too!)

[kol]

How does one subvert a historical (read: Regency) novel without making it unreadable to fans of the genre? What are the annoying tropes in 90s-00s romances that can be toyed with, without infringing on a reader's enjoyment?

In falling into notes on Lovell project from last year, I found my (regrettably, only half) notes on the 12 point script current romances have, and how misunderstandings drive the conflict in the majority of the novels. And on the continual woobiefication of modern heroes and the prevalence in fiction of Rakes vs Virgins. The location of the Ton and Marriage Mart, obligatory breathless dance (and another of impassioned anger), hint of fashion, and only brief remarks to the Clubs .

But what really makes me enjoy the Regency setting is the fashion and the politics. I would love to see a regency romance where the two characters are COMPLETELY on opposite political views, and have to come together and figure out how to interact with someone so the reverse of how you think, and come to love a person and just accept their stupidity in politics.

Plus, loving detail of the gowns. Because Project Runway:Regency would probably be my favorite show EVER.

Comments

[fly-evil.livejournal.com]

Wait... what?!?!

[lainiekins.livejournal.com]

Genre writing, especially in romance, tends to pigeon hole people into abiding by certain conventions; Regency novels almost exclusively focus on the higher class, almost always have a Rake for a hero, and almost always have a Virgin for a heroine. The central conflict in many books is usually a misunderstanding between the Hero and Heroine, and in modern (90s-00s) Regency novels, there tends to be a very formulaic plot.

Instead of following the 'rules,' some authors decide to subvert (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/subvert) the genre conventions, by taking the common tropes and twisting them on their head. I think the easiest way is to use the example of Cinderella.

Say, a writer decides they want to write a Cinderella tale, but they don't identify much with a passive heroine who gets her man only by the grace of others and by pretending to be someone else, So they retain the basic story elements-- poor girl, bad family, Prince needs a wife, ball, and pretty much pushes the rest of the story into opposite land.

Starting by turn Cinderella into an active, assertive heroine who doesn't sit around, but actively DOES STUFF. Maybe she goes on a 'quest' to save her family, romance the last thing on her mind, trying to raise funds so she can start up a small shop to support her family (and herself). Figures best place to go to raise funds is the nation-wide ball, and has the guts to ask the Prince to support her fund. The Prince is taken back, charmingly so, by this girl who is so unlike any others in his Court-- they do nothing but lie and put others down, and she's trying to save people, people she doesn't even LIKE!

So she wins the Prince by being herself, not because of the shine a Fairy Godmother rubbed in, but because she was DIFFERENT and AWESOME.

Now, REALLY subverting the genre is having Cinderella decide the strict rules of nobility and what it does to people is not for her, so she turns the Prince down, opens up a shop, and becomes a successful businesswoman. And since the Prince *really* loves her and hates the nobility too and knows he'd be an idiot at ruling a nation, he'd renounce his throne and learn the business, and they'd live, mostly, happily ever after, except for the times he spends too much money and she blows up that they aren't living in the castle anymore.

The point is changing the conventions, playing with people's perception, and writing a more challenging story than relying on the played out tropes. Keep the readers interested, because if you aren't following the common script, who knows what craziness is going to be on the next page?