WHICH IS HARDER

eurodan49 · Apr 3, 2010

Are there some genres harder to write than others?
I know, the writing process is hard, regardless of what you write about.
I’m not talking just about smiting words together, I’m talking about the whole process, from preparatory research to final editing

ChristineR · Apr 3, 2010

I don't think so. It varies from person to person.

Birol · Apr 3, 2010

What's more difficult for me to write won't necessarily be what's more difficult for you to write.

Spring Gem · Apr 3, 2010

eurodan49 said:
Are there some genres harder to write than others?

The genres you don't love and read will be harder for you to write. Write what you want to read, not what you think is easier to write.

backslashbaby · Apr 3, 2010

I disagree

What I write is naturally the hardest, and I'm the coolest because of it.

That wasn't so hard to figure out, huh?

This is one of those questions where I have to ask, "Why do you want to know?"

cbenoi1 · Apr 3, 2010

> Are there some genres harder to write than others?

Define 'harder'. Some people might find the science and the amount of research involved in crime novels daunting. Others will avoid erotica because they can't wrap their brains around writing (in)decent sex scenes. I, for one, have no muse for poems.

-cb

Chris P · Apr 3, 2010

Depends on the person. It's easier for me to write the genres that I enjoy (for me, contemporary). I recently wrote a supernatural-ish short story and it was a challenge (and great practice!)

timewaster · Apr 3, 2010

Anything which involves a lot of research theoretically takes longer, but everyone writes and thinks at their own pace and some people find historical/sf/? novels easier than other kinds. Nothing is hard if you can do it. I find some books harder to write than others but that is not about genre but often about me and how I'm feeling.

RJK · Apr 3, 2010

If you do what comes naturally to you, what would be extremely difficult to someone else should be relatively easy for you.

I wouldn't take on a historical romance because
a) Romantic scenes are hard for me to write, and
b) all the historic research would take more time that the story was worth to me.

I do write crime suspense because I investigated crimes for over 20 years.

eurodan49 · Apr 3, 2010

Rectification. By “harder” I really intended “more time consuming”.

bglashbrooks · Apr 3, 2010

eurodan49 said:
Rectification. By “harder” I really intended “more time consuming”.

IMO, all my writing is 'time consuming' or difficult. I've written a literary historical novel, 2 romantic suspense novels, a collection of non-fiction essays, and a collection of literary short stories...each and every piece I wrote totally 'consumed' my time until I got it finished.

Writing the best possible story/piece that I could made it the most difficult story/piece I had ever attempted--up to that point. Each piece I write from now until the day I stop writing will be 'the most time consuming' or 'most difficult piece'. At least until they are finished.

I second the question...why do you ask?

Linda Adams · Apr 3, 2010

What's harder is writing a novel when you don't read novels or don't read the genre you're trying to write in. When I was in a critique group, we'd get people who'd write the genre because they thought they would be able to sell something, not because they liked the genre and read it. We'd also get people who wanted to write a novel but didn't read novels or other types of fiction. Those people had a very hard time grasping how to tell a story.

eurodan49 · Apr 3, 2010

I’ve written historical spy stories. Figured that, with my background, it would be easier. The first (unedited), is loosely based on Putin. Knowing what and where to look for info, it still took me a year to accomplish the research. The second work uses Gaddafi and the last one (not quite finished), Saddam.
I’m toying with this crazy idea to switch to something less demanding (research wise)…. like a futuristic Sci-Fi (where I can make things up as I go).

Greeble · Apr 3, 2010

I think comic historical suspense romance thrillers with science fiction and fantasy elements are pretty hard.

triceretops · Apr 3, 2010

Anything I'm not skilled at writing, gives me headaches. It used to be YA, because I found myself lost when trying to reenter the teenage years again. I had to simplify my writing somewhat, tone down the huge words and descriptive passages.

I've never written, nor could I ever write erotica. That would be a difficult attempt for me. If I did try it, it would be the most difficult project I've ever attempted.

Tri

AlishaS · Apr 3, 2010

Like everyone else has said it really varies from person to person. My first completed WIP was about ghosts, so really I already had a high interest for the Paranormal subject so I found writing it very easy.
My current WIP has taken a turn into the Fantasy genre, (I don't write outlines, so I let my finger's do the talking so to speak) and although, I love reading Fantasy for me there is just so much more to research because I am not as familiar with some aspects. So for me Fantasy is harder.

Sage · Apr 3, 2010

Birol said:
What's more difficult for me to write won't necessarily be what's more difficult for you to write.

Exactly this

kaitlin008 · Apr 3, 2010

eurodan49 said:
I’m toying with this crazy idea to switch to something less demanding (research wise)…. like a futuristic Sci-Fi (where I can make things up as I go).

I think you'd be surprised how much research you have to do even writing a fantasy/sci-fi. Might not be the same as researching for a historical, but if people are going to read a sci-fi, they want to be able to believe your world, and sometimes that means research.

Otherwise, echoing what everyone else said: what's hardest and what's most time-consuming is going to vary from person to person.

Birol · Apr 3, 2010

eurodan49 said:
I’m toying with this crazy idea to switch to something less demanding (research wise)…. like a futuristic Sci-Fi (where I can make things up as I go).

That science fiction and fantasy don't require research because it's "all made up," is a common misconception held by those who don't write it.

Jamesaritchie · Apr 3, 2010

eurodan49 said:
Rectification. By “harder” I really intended “more time consuming”.

It depends on how much you already know about teh subject you're writing. I can write a western with little to no research. Someone else might have to do months of research.

But research is for information. A story is a story, whatever genre it's in. Research time aside, it should take no longer to tell one type of story than another.

Lady Ice · Apr 3, 2010

It doesn't require research per se but you have to get the logic perfect because the people who read sci-fi pick up on detail. If you do not do the details, they will go mad.

Books on real-life events which people can still remember are hard to write if you have no experience of them.

timewaster · Apr 3, 2010

Birol said:
That science fiction and fantasy don't require research because it's "all made up," is a common misconception held by those who don't write it.

Sometimes it takes more work, but often in unexpected areas. In historical fiction you usually know what you don't know in fantasy you often don't.

eurodan49 · Apr 3, 2010

Granted, even Sci-Fi requires research but, I think it’s of a different nature.
Historical 1919. End of WW I a person travels through Germany. The Autobahn came twenty years later, you need old 1919 maps to see what roads were available.
Sci-Fi 2875 Tohma travels from Zana to Raha… I can make up the itinerary.
Historical 1996: Ivan walks into a store in Leningrad (hold on, by then it changed names), If he picks a pack of smokes he better pick what was available there and then, same if he wants a bottle of wine.
Sci-Fi 2875: Same Tohma grabs a pack of Zuzu and a bottle of Cacare.
Historical 1975: A Sturgeon class attack sub travels at 40 mile/hour (wrong, the S5W2 nuclear reactor propelled sub could do a max 25).
Sci-Fi: Tohma gets into his shuttle, fires the S5W3 plasma engine and takes off at nano5 speed.

backslashbaby · Apr 3, 2010

Yeah, I think historical is very hard. I love reading it. I've only written one historical piece, for a college class where our final project was to be historical fiction, only about 20 pages. I got very into it, and my professor said I should write it for real. But even one whole novel would be so much research!

Maybe some day

Rubicon · Apr 3, 2010

Spring Gem said:
The genres you don't love and read will be harder for you to write. Write what you want to read, not what you think is easier to write.

Well said.

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