A question for those who write one genre

Right now, I write in just one genre, but I am looking to expand. I need to do some experimenting. WF just comes kind of naturally. It's what I read, so it's what I write. But that's just so limiting. I don't plan on going too far, though. I don't feel I can touch the audience in, say, sci-fi. I read it occasionally, but don't know it intimately.

I did write in one genre - women's fiction. It came naturally to me, I think. Plus, until I got more practice writing and researching, it was something I could write without really thinking about, ya know? I get an idea usually based on something from my own life and run with it.

Then I met my SO who challenged me to spread my wings a little bit. My current WIP is a crime novel. My SO gave me the idea and helped me flesh out the plot and the characters, and I am so excited about it!

I'm not sure if I'm interested in writing in too many other genres, but then again, I never thought I'd try to write about crime either, and here I am, slightly more than half way through. I'm sure it needs a lot of work, but I don't think it's too bad.

Then again, I didn't think my other stuff was all that bad either, but I don't have an agent yet, so maybe I just suck.

I write what I read. I have a narrow focus. I don't read westerns. I don't read science fiction. I don't read romance. I don't read fantasy. I don't read mystery. I don't read historical. Etc, etc. I don't feel qualified to write in these genres for obvious reasons. My options narrowed by the field of my reading focus.

I'll read anything that grabs me and won't let go. I think I could write in any genre if I put my mind to it and did the necessary research. However, I prefer to write SFF and the occasional mainstream/literary short -- ideas pertinent to those genres are what come to me of their own accord, sweet little plot bunnies hopping into the hutch without even a carrot to tempt them, muhahahaha. So those are the bunnies I have to nurture.

I started in Fantasy, mostly Epic, played with SF and Mystery, moved to Romance and dabbled in Historical, Paranormal & Erotic Romance and am now back with Fantasy with a focus in Historical/Dark Fantasy. It's where I'm happiest.

November 2008. My first published book is my NaNo novel from that year. My laptop blew up, I didn't know what to write on my new one (or even if I'd get a new one) and Lori said, "Just get a bunch of characters drunk and have them fuck a lot."

Et voila. I discover I'm an erotica writer. (And I use that umbrella term to cover erotic romance, erotic UF, M/M and so on...)

I've piddled around with women's fiction, chick lit, YA, UF...but this is where I belong. I absolutely know this for sure.

I didn't really know what genre I was writing in until I finished my first novel and said...oh, okay, so this is what I write. Women's fiction feels natural for me but, I'd be willing to try something else. For now, I enjoy writing in this genre too much to leave it

I've tried to write other things, but they always turn into fantasy, so I guess that's what I'm meant to write.

If anyone asks, I say I write fantasy but to me, it's more fantastical*. So I can go from angels and demons to the walking dead to ghosts to time travel. It's whatever seems like a good idea at the time.

*ETA: I suppose that means I should say I write fantasically.

I started out writing mysteries, because that was the genre I most loved to read, but when I couldn't get the attention of an agent, I switched to middle grade. Right now that's where I'll stay for a time. Maybe someday I'll go back to mysteries.

When I was 16 I attempted to write a high fantasy novel, I then realised I was writing a crime novel so I then switched.

I've tried writing other genres and for some reason they've never worked.

I read mainly crime/gothic. They tend to be the ones I enjoy the most too.

Fantasy is my first love and what I always wanted to write, though I've sold an historical erotic romance and I've got a couple of mainstream ideas too.

But fantasy is where I'll be if you want me. My only problem is my characters always want to bonk...

I've tried most genres, but I always come back to fantasy or humour (often both in the same story).

DeleyanLee said:

I started in Fantasy, mostly Epic, played with SF and Mystery, moved to Romance and dabbled in Historical, Paranormal & Erotic Romance and am now back with Fantasy with a focus in Historical/Dark Fantasy. It's where I'm happiest.

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Like DeleyanLee, I have dabbled in a variety of genre's. But Fantasy Fiction of the Epic type is where I started and where I feel the most comfortable. I think that goes the old saying...Write what you know and know what you write...

Currently, I am working on something new, and I don't even know what genre this experiment fits into, yet. Lolita's Redemption, which the first three chapters of are posted in my blog. For me, I needed to take a break from fantasy fiction, just to refresh my creative juices. Right now, this experiment is fun, different, and challenging. For the reader who have sent me comments, they say its too slow compared to my normal stuff. There is more dialogue, internal thoughts, and day to day scene stuff than my normal work. You know, more literary than commercial. Its also going to be a lot shorter than my normal 100,000 word novels.

I think it does no harm for a writer to experiment in other genre's, since we learn writing on the fly, so to speak.

I have always love fiction, and suspence anything with a good kick to it. But I was plipping there the channels on T.v one day this show came up called the Women's Murder Club well I just loved it and my mother inlaw told me that James Patterson wrote them. I was so happy since that is what i want to write like. I went right out and bought one of them, and let me tell you its great. So, ya it came to me when i was youger I can remember being 6years of age. I loved to then write fiction and Fanacy. So, I write two.

IdiotsRUs said:

But fantasy is where I'll be if you want me. My only problem is my characters always want to bonk...

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Doesn't seem to have been a problem for Laurel K. Hamilton, Jacqueline Carey, Guy Gaveriel Kay and various other Fantasy writers.

My first book was romance.

Bwahahhahahaha. I was terrible. Still am.

Fantasy/Urban fantasy came so natural to me which is odd because I prefer reading romance over fantasy. I never expected I'd like it as much as I did. The second I touched fantasy it was a completely different feeling. I seemed to struggle trying to write romance. I haven't gotten stuck in fantasy at all. My imagination is kinda like a two yr. old's though.

My creative antenna is stuck in sci/fi fantasy. Actually, it's stuck in "weird" and sci fi/fantasy is the place weird functions best.

Not many choices there.

DeleyanLee said:

Doesn't seem to have been a problem for Laurel K. Hamilton, Jacqueline Carey, Guy Gaveriel Kay and various other Fantasy writers.

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True, but I keep TRYING to write a story with no lovey stuff in it. Bloody characters keep saying otherwise lol. I just say screw it (U C WUT I DID THAR?) and keep it in if it fits. ( AND THAR! I R DOUBLE ENTENDRE QUEEN!)

And this is where I have the trouble...can't keep my mind off it for more than about ten minutes.

My first fiction, a mystery, I wrote about eight years ago. Until then everything I wrote was nonfiction. I was instantly hooked. In fact, that first fiction piece is under consideration by a publisher! I love the figuring out how the pieces of the mystery and its red herrings fall into play and their effects on the story!

I've always enjoyed reading speculative fiction so that's where I feel best writing.

I've dabbled with thrillers but don't really like a lot of the current crop of top thrillers out right now. The style of the really popular ones doesn't suit my writing style. I find many of them to be contrived and melodramatic. With wooden, stock characters or unbelievable ones.