I'm going to make an assumption, dear reader, and assume that you know what genre is. Considering that our entire lives seem to be run by it via the books we read and what we watch, it's very easy to know which genre you're a fan of. I can, generally, tell what kind of genre you'll be more likely to read due to what you watch on television. Say you like Real Housewives, no matter the city, I'd say that slice of life with the twist of chick lit would be best for you. Are you the biggest Law and Order fan in existence? You're going to want either good detective stories, if you like the law side, or good courtroom thrillers if you're a fan of the order side. If you like both, there are a good many series of groups of detectives and lawyers working together.
You get the idea. I can continue on, but that's the basic gist of genre. According to the right people you Google on the Internet, there's a lot of support that everyone who is publishing is writing in some sort of genre. I disagree. I would argue that there are fewer writers of straight up fiction versus the many writers who are publishing in a genre. Also, it doesn't help that one of the biggest fiction writers in my opinion, John Irving, only puts out a new book about every seven years. That's his decision and he's entitled to it, but when you put it up against James Patterson, who is putting out at least 3 books a year if not more, it's hard to measure up.
So that's the mini background of genre. I highly suggest Googling and reading about genre before you try your hand at it. I also recommend looking at what you're watching or reading at the moment to see which genre you like. I know, from first hand experience of attempting to write a romance story, that if you do not like the genre you're attempting to write, you're going to fail at getting your novel done. I suggest sticking to what you like. We'll get more into what I like to write in a moment, but the best suggestion I've got about writing is what I just said. There's also write what you know, but there's Google and the Internet with the reason of why nobody is allowed to look at my search history.
Okay, questions.
What is your main genre?
It's going to surprise everyone, considering what I mostly talk about is this dhampir series I'm working on, but I'm a fantasy writer. I feel most at home writing about elves and dragons and living in another world. I would say that my secondary genre is urban supernatural, where I'm writing about supernatural creatures like vampires in a city environment, but it's slowly becoming my main in different ways. However, if I had to pick only one to write for the rest of my life, it would be fantasy, hands down.
Why do you write in the genre?
You know that tip that I gave at the beginning of writing what you like? Well, I followed that tip when I first started writing. I love J.R.R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, and a lot of other writers who are in the fantasy genre. That, along with Elfquest, gave me the basis of what genre I would feel most at home in. As I write more and more in it, it is more like home and that comfortable chair where you snuggle in for a long reading or watching binge. It's just the right fit.
Do you have a tip to share for someone wanting to break into that genre?
Dream. Dream big and then come down to size. World build, but don't get too caught up in it, and make your own rules. In the end, write characters that appeal to you. Lot of tips, but you need them in the fantasy genre. Also, read! I gave three that I read/re-read on a regular basis but there are so much more.
What genre would you like to break into?
Mystery/detective novel. I'm reading the Bosch series by Michael Connelly at the moment and I love his style of writing. I love how his main character, Bosch, feels real with real world problems. Based on that, I'm looking into how to structure a detective novel and what I need to do for background. I've got a few months before I have to knuckle down and prep for NaNo, but I will be writing a detective story this year for it.
Bonus: What is your favorite book written in your genre?
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Hands down, it is my favorite book of his and it doesn't feel like fantasy at first. I highly recommend it.
Okay, readers, what do you think about the genre you write in? Or perhaps you want help figuring out which genre you should write in? Share your thoughts below.
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