Why do you write what you write?

Maze Runner · Mar 20, 2015

Beachgirl said:
I'll admit, it's addictive. My ninth book will be released next month and it never seems to get old.

ap123 said:
For a long while I tried with romance, because it seemed like a more practical choice (market), but didn't get anywhere with it, and honestly my heart wasn't in it, so now I write what I love, trite as that sounds.

See, I guess what I'm wondering, is how to reconcile these seemingly opposing but equally valid approaches to writing. Would I be wrong in assuming that what most of us want is a readership? For those of us who've yet to build a readership, would we agree that there's a decision to be made? The decision between (a) studying the markets, choosing a vibrant market that you have some talent for, and writing to that market and (b) letting your interests and preferences, write whatever book you want to write, regardless of what genre label someone else will slap on it after the fact.

For me, it's all about readership. With that should come some money. A lot would be nice, some would be acceptable, but I really don't know how you get a readership without selling a lot of books. At the risk of repeating myself, do we believe that the best way to get a readership is to write to a healthy market, or to write what some have suggested on this thread, what you love, and therefore, you would think, where you will be most effective? I'm obviously torn between which direction I should go in. Maybe there's no universal answer, and I will say that I've noticed that when you have restrictions, limitations, (genre rules) it forces you to find creativity within that structure.

(I hope some of this makes a little sense - I'm grappling with ideas)

Maze Runner · Mar 20, 2015

Beachgirl said:
...I currently only write Erotic Romance. I didn't set out to write in this genre, but that's where my first book went. I sold that book, wrote another one and then sold it. Rinse and repeat.

Just want to make it clear, if it wasn't clear already, that I'm mindful that Beachgirl did not set out to write to a genre, and that I for one, if I were lucky enough to be in the same position, would do the same exact thing.

djwv · Mar 20, 2015

I write what I write because inside me is a story that only I can put into words. To express the unexpected. To create new worlds and characters. To connect with people by offering a form of escapism (including myself).

Roxxsmom · Mar 20, 2015

A great thing about fantasy is that it's so broad as a genre too. So many people think it's just tales of un-reflective high adventure, set in some quasi middle ages Europe. But that hasn't ever been true, really, and it's definitely not true now.

I just read an essay about genre distinctions on the web somewhere, and the author tossed out an example about expectations, and he said that "readers of fantasy, for instance, don't want intensely emotional stories that dive deeply into a character's psyche. They want event-driven stories with heroes who act without reflecting too much on consequences."

I felt like shit for about ten seconds, because I'm trying to write fantasy with very deep characterization and psychological elements (and so, I worried, maybe that's why I haven't gotten an agent yet). But then I think of the agents I've run across who say they want character-driven fantasy, and I think of all the deeply psychological fantasy I've run across, not only recently, but decades ago, and I realized this person was talking out of his ass.

So I'm guessing there's not just one reason why people choose to write in their preferred genres.

Varthikes · Mar 21, 2015

I write science fiction because I grew up around Star Trek.

The stories I write today grew out of the stories I developed when I was a child while playing with my Star Trek and Star Wars Micro Machines.

Helix · Mar 21, 2015

I write a subset of what I read, but I could not, for the life of me, tell you why I like particular genres.

I read crime that's not set in major cities in the UK, US and Australia; literary fiction; non-epic fantasy; and historical, biographical and scientific non-fiction.

I write police procedurals set in rural Australia, and natural history non-fiction. I've got projects lined up that include historical fiction and off-kilter crime. (I'm not quite sure what 'off-kilter crime' is, but I expect I'll find out when I'm writing it.)

That doesn't really answer the question, does it?

ap123 · Mar 21, 2015

Maze Runner said:
See, I guess what I'm wondering, is how to reconcile these seemingly opposing but equally valid approaches to writing. Would I be wrong in assuming that what most of us want is a readership? For those of us who've yet to build a readership, would we agree that there's a decision to be made?

I agree--they are both valid approaches-- and spent much time asking those same questions. My one overriding thought when asked about my writing is that I write to be read. I don't think it's a decision everyone has to make, there are many who love the genre they write in, and that genre happens to be a popular one.

Maze Runner · Mar 21, 2015

Helix said:
I write a subset of what I read, but I could not, for the life of me, tell you why I like particular genres.

I read crime that's not set in major cities in the UK, US and Australia; literary fiction; non-epic fantasy; and historical, biographical and scientific non-fiction.

I write police procedurals set in rural Australia, and natural history non-fiction. I've got projects lined up that include historical fiction and off-kilter crime. (I'm not quite sure what 'off-kilter crime' is, but I expect I'll find out when I'm writing it.)

That doesn't really answer the question, does it?

I guess what I'm really asking, in my clumsy way, is do we think it's wiser to write to a market (I do believe that parameters can inspire even more creativity because they give us something to bounce off of) or do we write with no regard to genre and hope it finds a home?

auzerais · Mar 21, 2015

Maze Runner said:
I guess what I'm really asking, in my clumsy way, is do we think it's wiser to write to a market (I do believe that parameters can inspire even more creativity because they give us something to bounce off of) or do we write with no regard to genre and hope it finds a home?

The wise thing to do is be realistic; if you write to a market, you may have more readers and therefore more publicity and profit. If you do not write to a market, then you may end up writing the story you really want to write, regardless of readership. Both ways are valid, both ways can produce wonderful, lively, well-written material. And certainly if a piece is wonderfully written, it may find a home regardless. But if you write a piece that is not written to the market, then you need to realize that it may not sell.

Personally, I really want a readership. I write to an audience. As it happens, what I write is usually mainstream fiction, so I end up writing towards a very large market anyway. But my first major project (since stuck in a drawer and probably for the best) was about a lesbian romance, which I started about ten years ago, when lesbians were a little more scandalous than they are now. I'm glad I wrote it and it was a life changing project for me, even though the readership was about two people strong (and one of those readers was me.)

Maze Runner · Mar 21, 2015

auzerais said:
The wise thing to do is be realistic; if you write to a market, you may have more readers and therefore more publicity and profit. If you do not write to a market, then you may end up writing the story you really want to write, regardless of readership. Both ways are valid, both ways can produce wonderful, lively, well-written material. And certainly if a piece is wonderfully written, it may find a home regardless. But if you write a piece that is not written to the market, then you need to realize that it may not sell.

Personally, I really want a readership. I write to an audience. As it happens, what I write is usually mainstream fiction, so I end up writing towards a very large market anyway. But my first major project (since stuck in a drawer and probably for the best) was about a lesbian romance, which I started about ten years ago, when lesbians were a little more scandalous than they are now. I'm glad I wrote it and it was a life changing project for me, even though the readership was about two people strong (and one of those readers was me.)

Yes, I've said in this thread, probably more than once, that I want a readership. Otherwise, you're singing in the shower and the rewards aren't very sustaining. The first book I wrote was very much a labor of love. It was the book I always knew I would write; was even given a directive at one time by the MC of this roman a' clef (meaning I was told that I would do it). And I'm happy with the results, artistically, but it's just not enough.

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but when you say mainstream fiction does that include anything that's not genre fiction? Does that include literary fiction? Are there subgenres within Mainstream Fiction? Sorry, that was more than one stupid question, wasn't it? (Oh, and there's another one!)

auzerais · Mar 21, 2015

Not a stupid question, because I think it's an umbrella term.

Technically, mainstream fiction is just fiction that's not genre fiction. What I mean when I say it is that I write about things that could conceivably happen to real people in the real world. Sometimes this involves elements from other genres (like romance, since real people fall in love all the time, or crime, since real people seem to kill each other left and right.) But I do not follow the genre conventions of romance or crime novels.

Maze Runner · Mar 21, 2015

Got it, thanks. So is there a distinction between Mainstream and Literary fiction?

auzerais · Mar 21, 2015

I think of literary fiction as being more about the ideas and mainstream fiction as more about the story. Lit fic is often about controversial topics, philosophical topics. The writing style is usually different too. In mainstream fiction, the writing must be designed to draw the reader into a story, into the lives of characters, into the action, and therefore is often more transparent than in lit fic.

Maze Runner · Mar 21, 2015

Very helpful. Thank you.

neandermagnon · Mar 21, 2015

Maze Runner said:
I guess what I'm really asking, in my clumsy way, is do we think it's wiser to write to a market (I do believe that parameters can inspire even more creativity because they give us something to bounce off of) or do we write with no regard to genre and hope it finds a home?

It doesn't have to be one extreme or another. It's easy to get polarised and think that we're faced with to extreme opposites that can't be reconciled.

In this case, ask yourself what you really want to write, then ask yourself how much of a market what it potentially has. If there's very little market for it, then ask yourself how much that really matters to you. If it matters a lot, then look for something that you'd enjoy writing, but is a bit different has has more of a market. You don't have to go to the polar opposite of what you want to write (or write something you'd hate to write) to find a market.

Taylor Harbin · Mar 21, 2015

Why? Because I can't stand not to! Right now there's a person who's having a hard time in life and needs an escape. I want to provide that, because I gobbled up stories (via comics and TV instead of real books...big regret) and wanted to hug the people who wrote them. Something to take me out of a life that was being cruel and painful, or boring and dull.

As a writer, I also want to ponder deep social questions that are ignored and unanswered. It's not my primary objective, but I think every writer wants to try. Other than that, my main job is to dazzle people because, dang it, that means something!

LilyJade · Mar 21, 2015

I am a fantasy writer (or at least, I aim to be). Urban fantasy to be a bit more exact. As for why I write it it's because that is what I enjoy reading and always have. I have been writing in this current world in some way since around 2001/2002, though it has gone through a few changes in that time.

The only downside to doing urban fantasy right now is that it has been SO popular. So when people ask what I write and I tell them, they act like I decided to write it just because of the popularity. Then I feel a bit hipster when I explain I have been doing so since before everyone else did LMAO.

I do also want to try and write something horror based, but will have to see what happens!

Axl Prose · Mar 21, 2015

I write what I would want to read. If I have two or three ideas hopping around in my head, which one would I grab off the bookshelf first, that's the one I go after.

Kakko · Mar 21, 2015

I write what I write because I am inspired by the things I've gained knowledge from. I want to use this knowledge to express ideas that other people can learn from.

Maze Runner · Mar 22, 2015

neandermagnon said:
It doesn't have to be one extreme or another. It's easy to get polarised and think that we're faced with to extreme opposites that can't be reconciled.

In this case, ask yourself what you really want to write, then ask yourself how much of a market what it potentially has. If there's very little market for it, then ask yourself how much that really matters to you. If it matters a lot, then look for something that you'd enjoy writing, but is a bit different has has more of a market. You don't have to go to the polar opposite of what you want to write (or write something you'd hate to write) to find a market.

This is excellent advice. Thank you.

rwm4768 · Mar 22, 2015

Roxxsmom said:
I just read an essay about genre distinctions on the web somewhere, and the author tossed out an example about expectations, and he said that "readers of fantasy, for instance, don't want intensely emotional stories that dive deeply into a character's psyche. They want event-driven stories with heroes who act without reflecting too much on consequences."

I'd like to know what fantasy this person has been reading. Sure, if you read the popcorn D&D stuff (which can be enjoyable if you're in that kind of mood), this is true. But most of the fantasy that's out today is intensely emotional. In fact, I've found fantasy has a greater ability to affect me emotionally than any other genre.

And why can't you have an event-driven story in which the character reflects on the consequences of their actions? I believe that's a typical part of the scene/sequel structure. Jim Butcher, one of the most action-driven writers in fantasy, heavily uses such scenes (and advises other writers to do the same).

In fact, I highly recommend reading Butcher's post on this.

http://jimbutcher.livejournal.com/2880.html

JTShadow56 · Mar 22, 2015

I write fantasy, contemporary fantasy to be exact and i write it i'm a fantasy addict. Plus when i write fantasy, i can do things in my novel that i would love to do in the real world

KellyAssauer · Mar 22, 2015

Maze Runner said:
Got it, thanks. So is there a distinction between Mainstream and Literary fiction?

For a mostly complete(?) description of writing classifications and defining the word genre, please see this list.

I write what I write because so few do and it's the sort of thing I hunger to read. For me, character driven fiction in scenes of modern reality hold infinite variables in why people do what they do. The choices that 'everyday' characters might make fascinate me as much as sentences I've never read before attract my attention. Combine the two, and I can't turn away. I become the voyeur of my own private auto accident: a mix of metal, flesh, and purposeful design crumpled across fate.

BethS · Mar 22, 2015

Roxxsmom said:
I just read an essay about genre distinctions on the web somewhere, and the author tossed out an example about expectations, and he said that "readers of fantasy, for instance, don't want intensely emotional stories that dive deeply into a character's psyche. They want event-driven stories with heroes who act without reflecting too much on consequences."

Some readers may want exactly that, but plenty of others want more depth. There's room for both kinds.

Got a link to the essay?

blacbird · Mar 22, 2015

I've decided not to write what i write any longer, because writing what I write means nobody wants to read it. So I'm going to start writing what I can't write.

Which means I can't write no more.

caw

Why do you write what you write?

Maze Runner

Maze Runner

djwv

Lucid Storyteller (Self-proclaimed)

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido

Varthikes

Dragon Writer

Helix

socially distancing

ap123

Twitching

Maze Runner

auzerais

I like puppies.

Maze Runner

auzerais

I like puppies.

Maze Runner

auzerais

I like puppies.

Maze Runner

neandermagnon

Nolite timere, consilium callidum habeo!

Taylor Harbin

Power to the pen!

LilyJade

Axl Prose

Kakko

Maze Runner

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

JTShadow56

The Sith Lord of Darkness

KellyAssauer

The Anti-Magdalene

BethS

blacbird