Welcome to the Write, Publish, and Shine podcast. I’m your host, Rachel Thompson, and today we’re diving into episode 108: The Art of Genre Immersion. This episode is part of our series on getting published in literary magazines, drawing from my extensive experience on Room’s editorial collective.

Let’s start with a fundamental yet crucial piece of advice: immersing yourself in your genre is not just beneficial—it’s essential. Reading widely within your chosen genre helps you understand what resonates with readers and editors alike. It’s like learning a new language; the more you expose yourself to it, the more fluent you become.

So, how do you effectively immerse yourself in your genre? Here are some practical steps:

• Read extensively: Make a habit of reading literary magazines, anthologies, and books in your genre. Pay attention to both classic works and contemporary pieces.
• Analyze the craft: As you read, take note of the techniques authors use. How do they structure their stories? What kind of language do they employ? How do they develop characters or convey themes?
• Stay current: Follow literary journals, attend readings, and participate in writing workshops. This will help you stay abreast of current trends and emerging voices in your genre.
• Experiment with form: Try writing in different styles within your genre. If you’re a fiction writer, experiment with flash fiction, short stories, and novellas.

However, immersion doesn’t mean imitation. While it’s important to understand the conventions of your genre, don’t be afraid to push boundaries. The most memorable pieces often break away from traditional forms and expectations, capturing editors’ attention.

Tip: Use what you learn about your genre and its current conventions as a springboard to innovate and create something uniquely yours.

Let me share a personal experience that illustrates this point. The first piece I selected for publication as a lead editor with Room was a segmented lyric essay. Although lyric essays weren’t new in 2011, we rarely published such works, and I sensed some skepticism in the literary magazine world about lyrical narrative forms. Despite initial pushback from my mentor, I stood firm in my decision to publish “Death the Canyon” by Elizabeth Berlin. This piece remains one I’m proud to have championed, and I often reference it when teaching the lyric essay form.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson: while it’s crucial to understand genre conventions, it’s equally important to recognize and support innovative work that pushes these boundaries. By immersing yourself in your genre, you’ll develop the discernment to know when and how to break the rules effectively.

Right now, I’m seeing a lot of hybrid forms popping up in literary magazines—works that combine poetry with essay, or short stories that blend realism with surrealism. Staying current on these trends can help you get a sense of where the genre is heading and how you might fit into that movement.

Here’s your challenge for this week: choose a piece of writing from your genre—whether a short story, essay, or poem—and break it down sentence by sentence or line by line. Look at how the writer or poet builds tension, reveals character, or layers in themes. Then, try writing a piece in the style of that author, but with your own spin.

Remember, the goal of genre immersion isn’t to conform, but to inform. Use your knowledge to create something fresh and exciting. Your unique voice, combined with a deep understanding of your genre, can lead to truly remarkable work.

Thank you for tuning in to the Write, Publish, and Shine podcast. If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe and leave a review. Until next time, keep reading, keep writing, and let your immersion in your genre fuel your creativity!

The Write, Publish, and Shine podcast is hosted by me, Rachel Thompson, with sound editing by Adam Linder.

To learn more about my work supporting writers, visit rachelthompson.co and sign up for my weekly Writerly Love Letters, packed with encouragement for your writing journey.

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I acknowledge the El Muzina Bedouin lands in South Sinai, Egypt, where I record, and I stand in solidarity with those condemning the ongoing violence against Palestinian people and the invasion of Lebanon. Let’s call for a ceasefire and support the movement against apartheid, genocide, and the flagrant disregard for international law.