In
Nancy Gideon’s post a few days ago, she talked about what to write after her 15-book
series was done. She’s written contemporary romance, suspense, horror, historicals, but mostly
paranormal romance—vampires and shifters. So, she asked our advice on what to tackle next.
Each
time I finish a book, I wonder which genre should I write next. When I started writing
twenty-plus years ago, I wrote contemporary romance. I’d read a lot and (arrogantly)
thought I could do that. Hah! I tried writing a romantic suspense. And then, for fun, I
wrote a science fiction romance. The last was my first published story. I then
wrote four more sci-fi romances.
My family has always been supportive, but neither
of my sisters like science fiction. I had an idea for a contemporary
mystery series featuring a female detective. I knew they'd like that. I loved writing Alex O’Hara’s
adventurous mysteries, with a little bit of romance to keep things interesting.
I’ve written three cozy mysteries, two romantic suspense, and in between two more science fiction
stories—one a romance, the other a middle grade adventure.
My
writing reflects my reading tastes, a hodge-podge of genres—romantic comedy,
mysteries, suspense, and, of course, science fiction. I love reading MG and YA stories.
Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games), Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson), J.K. Rowling
(Harry Potter), and others fascinate me with their stories for younger readers.
(Where were these books when I was growing up?)
Looking
back on my writing career since 2011 (when I re-released my first published
book, Switched), I wonder if I made the right decision changing genres. From a
creative aspect, I’ve enjoyed writing mysteries, suspense, and sci-fi. Career-wise, maybe I should have stayed with what I started—science
fiction romances.
That’s
the dilemma—writing what I enjoy as opposed to sticking with one genre.
What
do you think?
8 comments:
I have different genres I'd like to try as well- including horror.
I write all across the genres. Maybe that's a mistake, but I write what occurs to me next. Part of the reason I write is because it's fun for me and forcing myself into one genre would take some of that away. I write what I love.
When I started out in the typewriter age of writing, publishers 'frowned' one their author writing the same genre for another house. I wasn't working outside the home back then and was uber prolific so my way around this was writing in different genres under different name - in one year writing 7 out of 11 contracted books in three different genres under three different years. I couldn't write simultaneous books in the same genre but was able to develop in one while actively writing in another and editing in yet a different one because they all had different focus and tone (ambidextrous thinker!). Ah those younger years . . . Variety kept it fresh, kept me going and kept my books out there. And once readers found I wrote in other lines, the majority followed me into them . . . even those who didn't like vampire romance - right, Di?!
Maureen, go for it. You never know what might happen.
Linda, you nailed it with "it's fun." That's why I write in different genres, too.
I vaguely remember the rule that publishers had. It's easy to see why you wrote in those different genres. You sure were prolific. Yep, I was a vampire virgin when I read yours. Fun. I never thought I'd read shifter books, either. Ah, friendship.
This is a great topic, Diane! I love, love, love writing SFR! The freedom to create new worlds, new societies, new rules, is such a liberating feeling. As long as I don't write myself into a corner. Lol!
LOL, Lea. I've done that. You are so right about the fun (& freedom) of creating new worlds. I like the world of my Outer Rim stories, so when I wrote my MG adventure, I set it in that broad world--only on different planets.
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