What is Genre Study?

“The end goal is not to fill them with facts, but to teach them how to learn.”

Cathy Fleischer and Sarah Andrew-Vaughan, Writing Outside Your Comfort Zone

The authors of Writing Outside Your Comfort Zone are aiming their words at teachers, but their process of exploring a new genre is helpful. Fleischer and Andrew-Vaughan suggest a four-step approach, and I think in my own process this will lend some structure.

1. Immersion. I need to see photo essays, a variety of them, some from journalism and others in art. I should look at what I like or don’t like, what is common and varied, what the author tried to do and how he or she tried to do it. My immersion should also look at photography in general. What makes a good photograph? I need to start basically before I can build to composition. This process will likely take place over the internet and in the library. I might need the help of a librarian to find the materials I seek.
2. Inquiry. Here my questions start to emerge. All the things I noticed while being immersed should elicit further exploration. Why did this photographer choose such a perspective? What did the author do in the caption to enhance the photo? How can I focus on my subject with precision and tell a full, truthful story through images?
3. Instruction. This step gets trickier. I can ask Sr. Hilda some questions, and she will be a valuable and willing resource. But if I really want to learn in detail about photography and composition, I probably need to ask someone with deep expertise and experience in the field. My solution? Call my friend Charlie Beck, a professional photographer who sees the world through a camera lens, even when he doesn’t have one in hand (which isn’t very often). He is a friend who will take a few minutes to share some wisdom and provide instruction.
4. Integration. Some aspects of quality journalism will inevitably be present in elements of quality photography. I hope to spot those commonalities. In placing this genre within the context of journalism and the broader work of writing, it will be worth thinking about purpose of this project, audience, process, and characteristics of success in relation to other genres I know. Part of learning a new genre is the learning itself – it teaches me how to explore other avenues of expression in writing and photography for future adventures.

Source: Andrew-Vaughan, Sarah and Cathy Fleischer. Writing Outside Your Comfort Zone. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann, 2009. Print.