Genre Hopping Characters and Author led rewrites.

The exercise for us this week is to explore the possibility of switching genre with characters already fully formed, who have their setting (backdrop) and, plotted purpose in their very existance. Maybe we're thinking new trend in reader taste, maybe it's an old manuscript we've discovered languishing in a drawer or cupboard and written yonks ago and in need of revamp. So how can we move these characters from say one genre to another and maybe a different era? 

L-hand Image: Let’s imagine a young female agent sent to infiltrate a drug-smuggling gang, her assignment that of getting close to Mr Big. She’s attended a special training course in preparation for every eventuality in respect of things she might have to do in order to achieve her goal. She’s already accepted she may end up emotionally scarred post-assignment. She also knows she must never drop her guard, even in the unlikely event of finding herself seriously attracted to her target, that of Mr. Big’s side-kick. And, she’s well aware intimacies can play cruel tricks on the unwary. But, nothing is quite as it seems.

R-H Image: Now imagine the Island of Jersey under German occupation, and a secretary with remarkable skills beyond that of mere typist. Recruited by British Intelligence prior to invasion of the island - fluent in German – she sees it her duty to respond to a request to frequent a local bar-cum-café, which a specific German officer (second in command) is known to favour. She agrees she will try to ignite interest from him and endeavour to lure him into pleasurable liaisons. She knows it imperative to remain detached despite the officer’s handsome appearance. But, the intimacies that are likely to occur might prove unbearable. However, nothing is quite as it seems.               

There you have it: the same character in genre leap from Modern Romantic Thriller to that of Modern Historical Romance, or perhaps vice versa. It can be done, I should imagine, but I’ve never written the former so have no idea if rewriting it to latter would be worth the effort!  Maybe I’ll write both, now that I’ve seen both movies in consecutive dreams and know the outcomes . . .

See, it's easy! Images often inspire my imagination, and the subconscious goes to work while I sleep.  ;)