TELL THE DAMN STORY, ep 421: Heist, Horror, and Humor - How Genre Can Shape Your Storytelling
What if your plot doesn’t work because of the world you chose? What if it's in the wrong genre?
A heist. A mystery. A romance. A horror story. A superhero adventure.
The core idea might stay exactly the same—but everything else changes.
In this episode of Tell The Damn Story, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan explore how genre influences character, setting, pacing, dialogue, tone, conflict, and even the way readers experience your story.
From Sherlock Holmes to House, from Ocean's Eleven to Avengers: Endgame, from Frankenstein to fantasy, they examine how classic story structures can be reinvented simply by changing the lens through which they're told.
Whether you're writing novels, comics, screenplays, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy, horror, or science fiction, this conversation will help you see new possibilities hiding inside your own work.
*What's one story you love that could work in an entirely different genre?
Tell us in the comments—we'd love to see your imagination at work.
🎬 To grab a Genre Guide 0ne-sheet CLICK ON THE LINK:
https://bit.ly/ttdsgenres
Have questions or comments for us? Post in the comments section below or ... Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.com
And follow us on ...
@Tell The Damn Story
www.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story
00:00 Recommending John Truby's book
04:13 Discussing heist movies and books
09:27 Impact of Heist Genre on Stories
11:50 Writing a children's mystery book
14:46 Sherlock Holmes' detective skills
16:47 Comparing Sherlock and House
23:11 Personal perspective in storytelling
26:12 Encouragement for emerging writers
29:56 Value of Creative Thinking
31:01 Alex and I dressed alike
Comments & Upvotes