The Writers’ Workshop: Genre

Writing Different Genres

In this activity, you will be investigating the effect of writing in different genres.

1. You are to use the following information as the basis for all your writing:
 Opening line: ‘It was a dark and stormy night…’
 Situation: two teenagers seek shelter.
 Setting: the Australian bush.

2. Using the table below as a guide, develop a paragraph of about 150-200 words in four of
the following genres:

Genre Asks Plot driven by Techniques often used

Crime Fiction Who done it? Investigation Short sentences and

verbs to build tension.

Adventure What happens Action Unexpected events

next?
Thriller Who done it? What Action and Nightmare experiences
happens next? investigation

Romance Who loves whom? Love A difficulty stops the

lovers being united.
Coming of What does the main Self-discovery A self-reflection on the
Age/Young Adult character learn character’s personal
about themselves past.
growing up?
Magical realism How does the The flowing of the Poetic imagery to
spiritual intersect spiritual world in and render the spiritual.
with the ordinary out of the ordinary. A sense of the
world? extraordinary through
characters’
perceptions.
Fantasy What is fantastical? Wild imagination Strange beasts with
You may download and print onepowers; superhumans
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Comedy What makes us The funny Slapstick
reference. Further copying or printing must be reported to CAL as per the Copyright Act 1968.

laugh?
Satire What is ridiculous to Sense of the ridiculous Juxtaposition of
believe? opposites

3. Choose your two best pieces.

4. Notice how the narratives you have written have been influenced by the chosen genre.
Comment on different techniques you have used in each piece, such as setting to help
create mood, or short sentences to increase pace and create tension.

5. Where possible, swap or share your work with a partner. Compare the different stories you
have written from the same information.

1
15ENG05A© ClickView Pty Limited 2016. Reproducing these additional resources:
You may download and print one copy of these additional resources from ClickView for your
reference. Further copying or printing must be reported to CAL as per the Copyright Act 1968.