Do you have a preferred genre that you stick to? Strictly Thriller, Mystery, Science Fiction, or do you jump around a bit and test new waters?
What's your genre?
Live2Write
What's your genre?
Live2Write
What's your genre?
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I switch genres. I used to read romance, then I switched to science fiction/fantasy, and now I read a lot of mysteries. All of these genres are present in my current WIP, but I'd have to classify it as a fantasy.
I write fantasy because that is where I'm the most well-read.
I write fantasy because that is where I'm the most well-read.
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I'm working on fantasy right now, but I will do any story that there is an immense ammount of power behind. In this sense I write whatever I want, and my genre is determined by what I find to be the most faithful way of rendering a powerful story.
Whatever genre, though, I plan to, for future works, embrace whatever genre I go into with my own style and ideas and so forth. Imagination manifests itself in each and every genre, after all. Also, audience differs depending on genre, so that's also a consideration.
And of course genres aren't exclusive. If anything Harry Potter can teach us that, as it's fantasy and mystery at its core, with different genres poking in at different times in different novels.
So yeah- my plan is to never be genre exclusive, but not forcibly so.
EDIT- as far as genres I READ, I enjoy fantasy novels most. However any good, engaging writing is my favorite, so usually fiction and usually fantasy.
Whatever genre, though, I plan to, for future works, embrace whatever genre I go into with my own style and ideas and so forth. Imagination manifests itself in each and every genre, after all. Also, audience differs depending on genre, so that's also a consideration.
And of course genres aren't exclusive. If anything Harry Potter can teach us that, as it's fantasy and mystery at its core, with different genres poking in at different times in different novels.
So yeah- my plan is to never be genre exclusive, but not forcibly so.
EDIT- as far as genres I READ, I enjoy fantasy novels most. However any good, engaging writing is my favorite, so usually fiction and usually fantasy.
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My agent told me this weekend that she could see me hitting a niche as "the guy who plays with people's heads."
So whatever that genre is, I want to be in it.
But my bookstore genre will be Mystery/Thriller.
So whatever that genre is, I want to be in it.
But my bookstore genre will be Mystery/Thriller.
Fantasy. But I can't fit it into any subgenre of fantasy, and I sometimes mesh some sci-fi elements into it a bit.
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I write YA paranormal romantic suspense, and soon I hope to branch into thrillers with a romantic suspense angle.
I like Fantasy right now. It used to be I liked SF and before that, Humor. If I find I like something else down the road, I'll most likely try my hand at it.
But for the time being, I'm into Fantasy ... or more specifically, a combination of Fantasy and SF. I think it's referred to as 'Science Fantasy'.
But for the time being, I'm into Fantasy ... or more specifically, a combination of Fantasy and SF. I think it's referred to as 'Science Fantasy'.
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I write science fiction with humour (unless I'm stuck, at which time I write it with bad grace).
My first three books were straight romps, but this one's going to have some mystery elements. Before now, my antagonists have been given a fair slice of the books as POV characters, so the reader could see all the dastardly things they were cooking up for the hero. This one won't have that, which will make it quite a challenge to write.
My first three books were straight romps, but this one's going to have some mystery elements. Before now, my antagonists have been given a fair slice of the books as POV characters, so the reader could see all the dastardly things they were cooking up for the hero. This one won't have that, which will make it quite a challenge to write.
I jump around, but always circle back to fantasy. I've done some good things with science fiction, but I have a bad habit of throwing it all off by sticking in a random elf or wizard.
I confess, much to my eternal shame, that my favorite kind of book to read is non-fiction. I can't help it. Especially ones with essays about grammar and linguistics. With some authors, I wonder if they actually know what they're writing their bit about, or if they grabbed a cup of coffee at 4am and scribbled down their train of thought before they could disturb the rest of the family by turning on any lights. I get a terribly sarcastic kick out of those essays. However, if there is no non-fiction to be had, I'll take a fantasy novel any day. Especially classics that they force you to read in college English classes.
I confess, much to my eternal shame, that my favorite kind of book to read is non-fiction. I can't help it. Especially ones with essays about grammar and linguistics. With some authors, I wonder if they actually know what they're writing their bit about, or if they grabbed a cup of coffee at 4am and scribbled down their train of thought before they could disturb the rest of the family by turning on any lights. I get a terribly sarcastic kick out of those essays. However, if there is no non-fiction to be had, I'll take a fantasy novel any day. Especially classics that they force you to read in college English classes.
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I've read almost exclusively science fiction (with a dash of fantasy here and there) since I was 12 years old. As I "matured," however, I developed a taste first for "the classics" and recently have begun to delve into histories and biographies. I'll deal with bad sci fi if it's entertaining, but I've discovered that I have no tolerance for bad nonfiction. It's gotta be top notch or I toss it.
Oddly enough, apparently I write primarily romance. I do delve into sci fi and fantasy, however, as well as historical fiction.
Oddly enough, apparently I write primarily romance. I do delve into sci fi and fantasy, however, as well as historical fiction.
Officially, I just write stories. Unofficially, those stories tend to be more fantasy than anything. But I do have a science fiction ms and a literary fiction ms I am toying around with and an interesting historical fiction idea I've been tossing around for a couple of years.
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Lately, my stories and my novel (I'm almost done with the rough draft; I've written almost every scene up to the end except for the big climax one where certain people die) have all been dark fantasy of some sort. Not quite horrific, heeby-jeebies enough to be horror, in my opinion. The novel is dark urban fantasy (for lack of a more in-depth explanation). Some of the stories take place in a similar type of urban-fantasy world as the novel. There's also this one fairytale-gone-wild story that is still unfinished, but is so deeply ironic and weird that I'm relieved to have something not completely depressing.
I generally call myself just SF/F/H (speculative fiction) because I read all three and inevitably take elements from all of them in some of my stories. I must admit, though, I'm not quite as much of a fan or writer in the science fiction division. Soft SF, maybe, but not anything that makes my brain hurt too much.
I generally call myself just SF/F/H (speculative fiction) because I read all three and inevitably take elements from all of them in some of my stories. I must admit, though, I'm not quite as much of a fan or writer in the science fiction division. Soft SF, maybe, but not anything that makes my brain hurt too much.
My current work is a young adult paranormal thriller. My first novel, which is trunked for a while, is kind of a combination of Southern fiction and mainstream. I think I like writing YA paranormal better. It was really hard to hang onto that Southern voice (even though I'm Southern) throughout the whole work.
I love to read horror, paranormal, and some fantasy. Occassionally, I like a good romance, although I haven't bought one or checked one out of the library in ages. Honestly, I'll read just about anything I get my hands; the genre doesn't really matter so much as I just love to read.
I love to read horror, paranormal, and some fantasy. Occassionally, I like a good romance, although I haven't bought one or checked one out of the library in ages. Honestly, I'll read just about anything I get my hands; the genre doesn't really matter so much as I just love to read.
so far adult short fiction, and YA and juvenile (MG) novels- all contemporary. i tried a picture book too-- but no success on that front yet.
I am currently writing in a form that I call: Terminatoresque.
That is: One or two people being chased by a hard to kill enemy across a large and varied landscape while throwing a lot of homemade bombs around and with lots of explosions, snappy dialouge and true love.
But because the main character's girlfreind is a Elf, I'd say it's fantasy. But because Elf means Electronic Life Form, and should be printed E.L.F, I'd have to say that it's Sci-fi. And because she's his girlfreind, I'll say romance.
She also has an internet connection via two antennas sticking out of her head, right above the ears. They look kind of like the bunny ears on old T.Vs and periodically spark electicity between them.
Neat, huh? I wish my girlfreind had an internet connection in her head.
While I'm at it, I wish I had a girlfreind.
That is: One or two people being chased by a hard to kill enemy across a large and varied landscape while throwing a lot of homemade bombs around and with lots of explosions, snappy dialouge and true love.
But because the main character's girlfreind is a Elf, I'd say it's fantasy. But because Elf means Electronic Life Form, and should be printed E.L.F, I'd have to say that it's Sci-fi. And because she's his girlfreind, I'll say romance.
She also has an internet connection via two antennas sticking out of her head, right above the ears. They look kind of like the bunny ears on old T.Vs and periodically spark electicity between them.
Neat, huh? I wish my girlfreind had an internet connection in her head.
While I'm at it, I wish I had a girlfreind.
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Seems to be a lot of Fantasy writers here. Count me for the urban fantasy crowd with a dash of horror thrown in for a cheap laugh.
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I write literary and mainstream contemporary. In my short stories, I venture more widely into some mystery and crime. I'll read anything good, but mostly read what I write (stated above).
Writing: I'm hooked into fantasy; right now, it's urban fantasy. But I also have a time travel draft that I put aside for a while.
Reading: Has to have a fantasy hook of some sort, so I'll go for paranormals, urban fantasy, some high fantasy. I'll also read the occasional SF book. The only exception so far are the Stephanie Plum books, which I've devoured and laughed through. But maybe that's because they sort of hit close to home? I don't know. Although I'll admit that my first love were mysteries; it's just that now I prefer them to have a nice vein of humor running through them.
~Nancy
Reading: Has to have a fantasy hook of some sort, so I'll go for paranormals, urban fantasy, some high fantasy. I'll also read the occasional SF book. The only exception so far are the Stephanie Plum books, which I've devoured and laughed through. But maybe that's because they sort of hit close to home?
I don't know. Although I'll admit that my first love were mysteries; it's just that now I prefer them to have a nice vein of humor running through them.~Nancy
I aimed for paranormal romance, since that's what I read. I ended up with epic fantasy romance, my editor patiently explained. I argued, stating that only geniuses can write fantasy. She crossed her arms, tapped her foot, "fantasy', she replied.
So I contacted my one and only expert buddy on the subject of Fantasy--Todd Lockwood.
He read a few sample pages. Folded his arms. Tapped his foot. And patiently explained in my kind of terms (simple):
vampires, werewolves=paranormal.
Elves, druids, parallel universes, cities leagues below land-dwellers, oh yeah..definitely fantasy.
So, apparently, I'm a boob and accidentally write fantasy romance....and have never looked back.
So I contacted my one and only expert buddy on the subject of Fantasy--Todd Lockwood.
He read a few sample pages. Folded his arms. Tapped his foot. And patiently explained in my kind of terms (simple):
vampires, werewolves=paranormal.
Elves, druids, parallel universes, cities leagues below land-dwellers, oh yeah..definitely fantasy.
So, apparently, I'm a boob and accidentally write fantasy romance....and have never looked back.
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