What Makes You Unsuited To Write In Some Particular Genre ?

Ken · Nov 29, 2013

"Are you serious?! I am suited to write in every genre under the sun. There is nothing I can not do. Nothing! I write in the genre I write in b/c I CHOOSE to. Not b/c I am not "suited to write in other genres." Seriously Ken. This is one stupid #%$@ question you've posted ... unless there's something more to it?"

... not really, except to offer some examples of what I precisely mean:

Take erotica. Maybe one is squeamish with sex, so they are unsuited as such to write erotica. Or historicals. One may dislike research or be too lazy to do any so that genre would be unsuitable for them, which is the case with me.

Of course there's no saying for sure. One may believe one isn't suited for some genre and then try it on for size and what do you know. It is actually a good fit. So one shouldn't write something off till trying it.

"Humph. Perhaps with that consideration tossed in your question isn't quite so stupid after all. Well carry on with it then. Not to say it's got my sanction. Better fit for the scrap heap in my estimation." :rant:

LJD · Nov 29, 2013

Well...I don't read most genres, and I don't think I'd be suited to write anything I don't read.

Kerosene · Nov 29, 2013

If you can't stand reading it, you probably shouldn't write it.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 29, 2013

Reality. I don't live in it so I can't write it. That's why I write speculative.

LJD · Nov 29, 2013

LJD said:
Well...I don't read most genres, and I don't think I'd be suited to write anything I don't read.

You know, I said that but I did come to writing romance in a rather bizarre way. I wrote a book I considered chick lit, and the romance sort of took over the story, so then I thought hmmm, maybe I should write romance. I went to a meeting of my local RWA chapter and was really impressed with the women there, and then I started reading romance. I spent a year reading lots of romance before I really started writing it. So I only started reading romance after I decided I wanted to write it. Now, I never plan to write historical romance even though I enjoy reading it because, like you said, I don't like research and I'm too lazy to do it. I never plan to write paranormal romance either, but in that case, I don't really enjoy reading it. So it's sort of by process of elimination that I write contemporary romance. I find sex scenes rather difficult to write, so I don't write erotic romance.

Russell Secord · Nov 29, 2013

I believe that you shouldn't knock it until you've tried it. How do you know what you're good at if you never try it?

Not only that, but if you don't try new things, how will you learn new skills?

Furthermore, tastes change. I swore I'd never read westerns, but then I started adding western elements to my series. If there were a significant market for westerns, I could crank them out all day.

jjdebenedictis · Nov 29, 2013

Ditto LJD, in that if I'm not well-read enough in the genre to be familiar with its tropes, its cliches, and its classics, then I won't be capable of writing good books in that genre.

On a more specific level, however, I don't enjoy feeling frightened, so I doubt I could write horror. The better I did my job as a writer, the less I would enjoy the writing.

Likewise, I don't mind a bit of romance, and I don't mind a bit of erotica, but I tend to see them as diversions from the plot. So I would make a lousy romance writer because I would focus on the wrong kinds of tension and my indifference to the right ones would probably show.

rwm4768 · Nov 29, 2013

For me, it's a matter of what I like reading. I like reading fantasy and science fiction, so that's what I write. I don't know other genres well enough to feel like I can write something worthwhile at the moment. At some point, I might read up in those genres, but not right now.

lolchemist · Nov 29, 2013

I think if there was a gun put to my head, I could read andwrite any genre but since I have freedom of choice, YA, MG and New Adult seem t be my things. I DO read A LOT of nonfiction books though but I don't have the desire to write one myself.

gothicangel · Nov 30, 2013

My first novel was a crime novel, it was all I read, and watched constantly. I knew the tropes, the clichés and every book was starting to feel formulaic ... Then in 2011 I read The Eagle of the Ninth and I fell in love with historical fiction. I realised I didn't like crime fiction as much as I thought I did, HF brought so much more freedom, I was never going to be an Ian Rankin (I still read his books though) or Nicci French. It did teach me a lot about writing thrillers, and I now write Roman Spy thrillers. I'm now subbing my first Roman HF, and writing the second, and I am having so much fun.

Phaeal · Nov 30, 2013

The sweeter forms of romance. Nope, ain't happening. Also the hip-cynical-grim forms of mainstream/literary.

Interesting pair, those.

Fruitbat · Nov 30, 2013

I was going to say I think what makes you unsuited to write in a particular genre is if you don't read it or have an interest in it. But then I don't really read or like SFF and lot of my stories end up being that and being accepted by SFF publications, so I don't know.

Captcha · Nov 30, 2013

Fruitbat said:
I was going to say I think what makes you unsuited to write in a particular genre is if you don't read it or have an interest in it. But then I don't really read or like SFF and lot of my stories end up being that and being accepted by SFF publications, so I don't know.

I'm similar...

I rarely if ever read romance before I started writing it. Now I read it as homework, but it's not my preferred genre for reading.

Yet it's where I do most of my writing...

Cella · Nov 30, 2013

I've often thought it would be a good exercise to try write something in as many genres as you can think of, just for the experience of doing it--not necessarily with publication in mind. There are genres that don't really appeal to me, but I'm sure I am missing out on some really great stories by not giving any a chance because of my preconceived notions.

*sits back in chair, not writing anything*

Chris P · Nov 30, 2013

My attempts at erotica end up sounding either like medical textbooks or embarrassingly juvenile gutter talk.

I dabble in a lot of genres, though. My best-received short stories have been childrens, sci-fi or historical, although I read mainstream contemporary (think Dave Eggers, Tom Perotta, Vonnegut without the sci-fi elements, and bagoodles of nonfic) and see myself as a contemporary writer.

So, as Russel said, don't knock it until you've tried it, and push your boundaries.

slhuang · Nov 30, 2013

I have difficulty writing many types of contemporary, because I am turrrrrible at upping stakes that don't involve violence and death and apocalypses. This is my failing as a writer, obviously! (And I've READ many books I enjoy that don't have the fate of the world as stakes; I just wish I could write them.)

Every so often I try my hand at writing something with stakes that are a little more down to earth, and I can never seem to make them stakey enough to the reader. I'd love to figure out how to do it. (It's possible the first step might be not sitting on my characters' shoulders rolling my eyes and thinking, "Nobody's dying; get over yourselves already!" I don't usually do that when I'm reading, after all . . .)

Matthew Hughes · Nov 30, 2013

I'm really a crime writer, but people keep offering me money to write science fantasy. So I write crime stories in science fantasy settings. If I had to write a real science fiction story, I'd be in trouble.

One thing I could never write is a vampire story. I have never been the least interested in vampires and don't understand the appeal. Come to think of it, the same goes for stories about horses.

CrastersBabies · Nov 30, 2013

I don't think I'd make a good crime novelist. It's really so intimidating. I don't feel that I write intrigue well. That's not to say I wouldn't want to try it, but yeah.... big ole chicken.

Tazlima · Nov 30, 2013

I don't think I could write a dramatic novel. Bits of drama within a larger work are one thing, but I wouldn't be able to stay serious long enough to write an entire book.

...for similar reasons, I'd probably fail at erotica. I don't think I could keep a straight face. Sex is waaay too funny.

Norman D Gutter · Nov 30, 2013

I couldn't write erotica. The few samples I've read of it disgust me.

I think science fiction would be difficult for me as well. I would want to write near-future science fiction, with realistic time frames and technology. So much of the sci-fi I've read has no relationship to reality, and that makes it less appealing, at least in terms of writing.

And I don't know that I have the world-building imagination needed to write fantasy. Ah, well, perhaps that imagination will develop with time.

Sydneyd · Nov 30, 2013

I'd say being well read in an area you want to write is a given. Beyond that, being able to see what makes the genre awesome is another must. Loving it for what it is, not what it could be and not thinking, "I could write this."

Sounds corny, but you have to love it.

I could stream together words that resemble a hard sci-fi story or a crime thriller, but there would be no heart and it would be obvious.

blacbird · Nov 30, 2013

1. Lack of experience.

2. Dearth of ability.

caw

ZachJPayne · Dec 1, 2013

I think I'd be particularly unsuited for SciFi. I've thought about writing in the genre, but about 90% of my exposure to the genre has been via Doctor Who (and the other 10% would be books and stories read in High School English that barely connected with me). I feel like anything I write would be heavily Who-influenced.

Buffysquirrel · Dec 1, 2013

Dislike of the genre, I guess. Forcing myself to write something that goes against the grain is incredibly hard--and why would I bother anyway?

ZachJPayne said:
I feel like anything I write would be heavily Who-influenced.

Given how derivative the modern Who is, you've probably been exposed to far more of the SF genre than you realise....

Ken · Dec 1, 2013

... same as Captcha and Fruitbat. Don't read in my genre. Doesn't really seem to be a need. Not so with other genres. They supply the flavor and also instruct me on the mechanics: what constitutes a good character, plot, etc. Couldn't really get along without that. Plus reading alone is important as gets pointed out a lot on this site. Rightly so.

What Makes You Unsuited To Write In Some Particular Genre ?

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