Are you completely loyal to your genre?

I write what I feel comfortable with in line with my tastes, background and knowledge which covers two main genres. Whether I can write well in both remains to be seen as most of my writing to date has been non-fiction/technical. I don't think I would try anything else as my heart would not be in it.

Multiple genres - and I would feel crippled if I was told I had to pick one and stick with it. My interests are not in a single area - and neither is my writing. Puma

I can't seem to separate myself from fantasy. Maybe it's an escapism thing, but I absolutely love writing about a world that doesn't actually exist, and has some kind of magical element in it. I dabbled in a mix of fantasy and science fiction once, but all I got out of it was a short story that has been hidden away, never to be seen again.

As far as writing for commercial reasons, I don't see the point. Sure, urban fantasy is the big thing at one moment. But by the time you've invested a year or so of your time writing your urban fantasy and getting it ready to submit, the trend will have moved on to something else and you'll be back to square one. Better to write something you love, and not worry about what's popular at the moment.

I think I might write genre--hard to tell, though--but I'm not tied to any one of the genres whose elements appear in my stories. I write the stories that come to me, regardless of whether there is magic or romance or what in them.

I'm loyal to my college football team, my husband and my beer in that order. When it comes to writing, I write the story that's driving me mad no matter what genre it is.

I don't really pay attention. But most of my writing is in the science fiction, fantasy, and mainstream genres. I think the only time anyone should really worry about it is when you're working to get published and the publisher wants something specific. If the publisher says they want science fiction with no fantasy elements, that's what they'll get if you want a chance to be published.

I love my (multi)verse, as it's flexible enough to basically let me do what I want. The main thrust is urban fantasy (though I've had people say that it's more like high fantasy grounded in reality because of some of the themes/events). But it's flexible enough to let me do cyberpunk, and weird pseudo-science Doctor Who style stories.

I've also got a group of characters that are going to turn out more like the cast of a sit-com than anything (albeit one with a diminished god, a girl who likes to blow herself up, a girl who with ghosts following her around, a friendly zombie and a newborn baby), as their main story is more domestic than anything else.

I began as a die hard sci-fi/fantasy short story writer. But then I branched out to other genres more as a learning experience. Lo and Behold, i'm finding I have a better talent for the other genres, especially humor. I've also found that now when I come back to my genre, I have more depth and can approach things from a unique perspective.

i've written: humor, romance, mystery, suspense, even an erotica (though that made me feel duuuurrrrtttttyyyyy) and of course sci-fi/fantasy. I'm also trying different voices, tenses, etc. and approach the genre hopping as a means to get better.

well, that's me

Mel...

My characters decide the genre. Thus far, none of them have been loyal to one.

I have tried some others, but I've found fantasy much easier and more interesting, probably because I have had interest in it far before I began writing seriously, in things such as visual arts and video games.

I write mysteries. For me, the plot seemed easiest to figure out (since it's fairly structured-- solve the crime/case shortly after the climax/ dramatic show down with the bad guy.) But that's just me. And the formulaic nature makes it easier to know when and where to do what. None of my other attempts at conflicts really worked out... =P

I'm not fanatically loyal to fantasy. If something pops into my head just begging to be written, I'll dabble. I wouldn't write something just because that was what the market was gagging for though. I get bored too easily. If the story isn't interesting to me I can't force myself to finish it. And wouldn't if I could. I'm not making money from writing, so I'd better be having fun.

I write flash, which is arguably a "genre", but within my medium, I like to work with all styles, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, romance, action, adventure, whatever, it don't matter. I don't think I could stick with one style, I'd get bored.

I thought I would only write fantasy, but now I also write an occasional SF, and a lot of magic realism. I also write academic non-fiction, and in the future I want to write a non-fic book about design which will be part memoir.

Everything I write has a paranormal bent or some kind of weirdness going on, so no matter what genre I'm writing it's in there. I have a couple of published romantic suspenses, one that's centered around a star-worshiping suicide cult ala Heaven's Gate, and the other featuring an enchanted celtic brooch. The urban fantasy my agent is shopping around has some romance in it, but it's really more fantasy. I like to mix it up.

Dan Simmons is my ideal. Fantasy, horror, mystery [Crook Factory], hard-boiled PI--he's the man. I'm amazed his Joe Kurtz novels aren't more popular.

My favorite genre is SF but most of my short work ends up reading like an episode of Twilight Zone or Outer Limits.

My other favorite genre is historical. I haven't had the courage to write anything in that yet. I do have a story simmering on the back burner of my large stove that is centered around Hernando De Soto.

I'll use my name for one genre and my initials for the other. If I ever get the courage to write a historical that is.

I've only written one, yet to be published book, but I'm all for writing and reading in all genre's that interest me.

I'd be happy to write a traditional suspense or romance or what have you...except every time I consider potential plots, I think, "This would be so much better with a zombie/superhero/telepath in it." True story. FWIW, I think genre novels are easier to sell than "mainstream", so I think I'm on the right path if I want to be as commercial as possible.

I could write steampunk. Isn't that like history and SF combined together.

I have written in fantasy, mystery, thrillers, YA, and soft Sci-Fi. I think the only genre I haven't had the desire to write in has been romance- but never say never!

I think writers should be versatile. I've had a rhyming children's story published, have written a young adult novel and am working on an erotica novel.

The great thing about writing speculative fiction (my genre of choice) is that it umbrellas so many other genre breakdowns: mystery, thriller, YA, romance, etc... So yep, I'm pretty loyal.

I write fantasy, but that's such a huge genre these days, with epic fantasy, sword and sorcery, urban fantasy, and I'd even throw space opera in there, that it's not really limiting.

ChaosTitan said:

The great thing about writing speculative fiction (my genre of choice) is that it umbrellas so many other genre breakdowns: mystery, thriller, YA, romance, etc... So yep, I'm pretty loyal.

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When did they start lumping mystery and romance under speculative? I thought speculative was the umbrella for sci-fi and fantasy.