Typecasting

I believe writers use different pen names for different genres. No reason to pidgeon-hole yourself.

I saw Helen Mirren speak once at the National Theatre in London. When a young actress asked her, "What advice would you give to young female actors out there?" she replied, "Don't let them pigeon hole you."

Easier said then done of course, but I think the key in not being typecast is to make sure you aren't typecast. Keep control over your own life. Write what you want to write.

I have heard another perspective, though, as an actor. Typecasting is a GOOD thing, if you want to make a living doing it, especially when you're starting out. There's nothing wrong with being a "genre" writer, to make name for yourself and earn a living writing that genre. But then there's nothing wrong with doing different things either -- but typecasting is not necessary a bad thing, especially for a "working" writer/actor/musician/artist. Tom Hanks was a working actor -- even a rather well-known one -- before he branched from comedy to drama. And then you have actors who are all over the map and you can't really place him before he makes any impression.

I'm with Maestro -- you want to specialize a little at first. If you want to branch into other genres later (with new pseudonyms), you may be able to do so, but your agent and publisher are initally going to want more work in the vein of your first sale. It's not a bad thing.

Typecast

An amazing number of writers use pseudonyms, one for each genre. This is almost always a good idea, both for the reader and the writer. It means readers know what type of book they're getting, and it means the writer does not have to compete against his own name.

But when a writer does write in only one genre, typecasting usually isn't the problem. The two huge reasons I see are:

1. The writer simply can't write well in other genres. This is a lot more common than many would think. We all like to think we can write anything we want, regardless of genre, but it simply isn't true.

2. A fair number of writers have no desire at all to write outside of a single genre, and there isn't a thing wrong with this. Writing what you want does not always mean jumping from genre to genre. Very often it means sticking with your favorite genre, and being successful and happy doing just that.

maestrowork said:

Tom Hanks was a working actor -- even a rather well-known one -- before he branched from comedy to drama. And then you have actors who are all over the map and you can't really place him before he makes any impression.

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I would say, in acting terms, being known for his light and breezy comedic roles made his performance in Saving Private Ryan all the more dynamic. The movie would not have had the same power if it had been Harrison Ford in that role. It needed to be almost the last person you would expect. An ordinary man, doing extraordinary things in an extraordinary time.

My main progress thus far has been in comic book writing. I've written humous, horror, drama and even regular superhero stuff. Some people come back to me with projects that are the same genre I did my first thing for them in. Some like that I have range. Depends as much on the people you are dealing with as what you do. But I have tried NOT to stick with one genre.

To frame what others have posted in a slightly different way...

From a marketing perspective, using pseudonyms for different genres is important for "branding" geared toward different demographics. For instance, Nora Roberts (romance) vs JD Robb (suspense)...now that both veins of her work have become popular, she can identify herself on JD Robb books as "Nora Roberts writing as..." But marketing each line was likely much easier and more effective because someone could ask for "the newest Nora Roberts" and not have to wonder whether it was romance or suspense.

DonnaDuck said:

Thanks for the input everyone. It all really helps! Granted I'm surprised I can rememebr my own name let alone a plethora of pseudonyms but what if I break in under a completely unintended genre? For instance I'm writing humor now which is not my main forte but (here's hoping) it's wanted. I'm stuck. Ok, I build a repetoire as a comedic writer but really I'm more thriller/horror so now I'm going to have to start from ground zero in a genre that I've been writing in for years. Oh the frustration!

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IMO, you're putting the cart way before the horse. Write what you want, try to sell your strongest work -- and then adjust.

Trust me when I say that a long career as a writer is filled with a series of course-adjustments and corrections.

You have no idea where you'll be ten years from now.

You have no idea which work will prove to be your strongest or most marketable. You also have no idea when a right or left turn off the path you see for yourself might lead to something totally unexpected and amazingly wonderful.

To paraphrase a line from one of my favorite movies: Don't think, just write.

How does that saying go? If you keep throwing peanut buttered bread to the wall, one will stick eventually?

It doesn't have to be peanut butter. Try jelly. Try cream cheese. But if peanut butter sticks the best, maybe you should consider sticking (pun intended) with it.

Or, if you're Paul Haggis or David Mamet, switch between chunky and creamy, and toss between your legs.

jst5150 said:

Or, if you're Paul Haggis or David Mamet, switch between chunky and creamy, and toss between your legs.

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That was a mental picture I sooooooooo didn't need!

wordmonkey said:

That was a mental picture I sooooooooo didn't need!

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Ditto.

jst5150 said:

Or, if you're Paul Haggis or David Mamet, switch between chunky and creamy, and toss between your legs.

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Yeah, I just reread that bad boy. And, well, umm, yeah.

I feel more awkward than Ralphie May showing up at the "Thin Is In" Weight Watchers convention in an Ice Cream Truck wearing a Nachos Bell Grande flavored suit.

Genre

DonnaDuck said:

Thanks for the input everyone. It all really helps! Granted I'm surprised I can rememebr my own name let alone a plethora of pseudonyms but what if I break in under a completely unintended genre? For instance I'm writing humor now which is not my main forte but (here's hoping) it's wanted. I'm stuck. Ok, I build a repetoire as a comedic writer but really I'm more thriller/horror so now I'm going to have to start from ground zero in a genre that I've been writing in for years. Oh the frustration!

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My guess is you won't break in with an unintended genre. You'll break in with what you most love to read and write, or you won't break in at all.

At this stage of your career, jumping around is seldom a good thing, and can easily lead to never breaking in. Figure out which genre is your true love, and stick with it until you sell a couple of novels. Then you can branch out.