Do you write in your favourite genres? - Page 3

bthrowsnaill · 02-20-2011, 07:54 AM

I've been more hesitant to read within my favorite genre (fantasy) lately, since I'm concerned that it might have an unintended effect on my brainstorming for my next fantasy book.

jumpingjack42 · 02-22-2011, 09:56 AM

I've tried writing in a lot of genres; scifi, humour, historic fiction. I ended up happiest in the genre (horror/dark fantasy) that I read most of the time.

TheHothive · 02-24-2011, 08:46 AM

I think you have to be familiar with the genre you write in so that you can freely your ideas. Sometimes not being knowledgeable about a certain genre you are writing hinders you to write effectively.

ASparrow · 02-24-2011, 11:28 AM

I don't like the whole idea of being confined to a genre. I like good stories. It does not matter to me if they fail to confine themselves to genre. I welcome border crossings.

Of course that means I'll forever be without a niche, but at least I'll be entertained in ways that genre books just can't do for me.

RVS78 · 02-24-2011, 04:31 PM

Ditto what ASparrow said.

I tend to write the types of stories I like to read but it's not a conscious decision. It's not like I write a couple of paragraphs and say "hey, this is starting to feel too scifi-ish, need to switch gears."

My influences are too varied to pick and choose. It's why I say I'm a cross-genre writer with a penchant for transgressive fiction. =) That about wraps it up with a pretty little bow on top and still allows me wiggle room.

sportourer1 · 04-11-2011, 01:15 PM

I do but I like to push the boundaries that frustrate me when I read. So just to stir the mix in the sci-fi geopolitical thriller I am working on the heroine is a bisexual self-destructive coke fiend rather than a latern jawed ex CIA agent

dadioflex · 04-12-2011, 02:07 AM

I've had shorts indie "published" twice, once in the best of Friday Flash Fiction (or some combination of those words. Damn. I'm going to have to look aren't I? Ah. here: http://madutopia.com/blog/fridayflas...sh-volume-one/ Friday Flash Fiction are a different bunch http://fridayflashfiction.blogspot.com/ nice guys! ) and once here http://www.amazon.com/Stupefying-Sto...dp/0982897405/

The first was slightly surreal humour, the second was SF low comedy. I barely read humour because I just don't find it funny. Even Pratchett I read for the story and the ideas but he doesn't come close to making me laugh.

Most of my writing urges (all resisted) are horror these days. I haven't read horror regularly for about twenty years. The last horror story I read was Let The Right One In and after that (which was excellent) I'm good for another twenty years.

Dean M. Cole · 04-12-2011, 05:15 PM

I love and write in the MilSF Genre. However, I'm toying with the idea of writing something in the horror or supernatural genres along the lines of Stephen King or Dean Koontz (that guy has a great first name, lol).

My wife is pushing me to write a steampunk romance ... I'm not too sure about that one, but you never know.

Greenkeeper · 04-13-2011, 06:31 PM

I write fantasy because that's what I read as a kid and that's what tends to work best for me, but when it comes to reading I've generally moved on to other genres except for the occasional Brandon Sanderson novel. Lately I mainly read non-fiction, some Lovecraft, maybe the odd western or sci-fi. I've also made my first foray into Steampunk. I'm currently into Orson Scott Card's Alvin Maker series, which is technically fantasy but without the usual medieval bent to it.

I like to consider reading non-fantasy to be the best way to do research for my fantasy novels. Historical fiction and non-fiction especially are a great place to get setting ideas that don't read like a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.

Qbert · 04-13-2011, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean M. Cole

I love and write in the MilSF Genre. However, I'm toying with the idea of writing something in the horror or supernatural genres along the lines of Stephen King or Dean Koontz (that guy has a great first name, lol).

My wife is pushing me to write a steampunk romance ... I'm not too sure about that one, but you never know.

I've tried to immerse myself of late in chick lit, with a view to mass commercial acceptance and wealth. We all have to dream, lol.

C. R. Hindmarsh · 04-13-2011, 10:55 PM

I tend to read pretty widely, but most of my writing is fantasy or SF. There's just something about writing in a new world that really appeals to me.

That and its so much more satisfying to write all these lies about places that don't even exist ;D

kennyc · 04-14-2011, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

I think you have to read the genre you write in. It would be difficult if not impossible to write, say, a mystery, without reading mysteries and understanding how they're written. You really have to internalize the genre. Fill in any genre you want there; what it comes down to is that you really need to read the books that your target market reads.

This. But not read everything. Read the BEST and learn from it.

04-13-2011, 06:31 PM	#39
Greenkeeper Connoisseur Posts: 67 Karma: 520312 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Texas Device: Kindle	I write fantasy because that's what I read as a kid and that's what tends to work best for me, but when it comes to reading I've generally moved on to other genres except for the occasional Brandon Sanderson novel. Lately I mainly read non-fiction, some Lovecraft, maybe the odd western or sci-fi. I've also made my first foray into Steampunk. I'm currently into Orson Scott Card's Alvin Maker series, which is technically fantasy but without the usual medieval bent to it. I like to consider reading non-fantasy to be the best way to do research for my fantasy novels. Historical fiction and non-fiction especially are a great place to get setting ideas that don't read like a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Last edited by Greenkeeper; 04-13-2011 at 06:34 PM.

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02-20-2011, 07:54 AM	#31
bthrowsnaill Dreamer Posts: 112 Karma: 501282 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Philadelphia, PA Device: kindle	I've been more hesitant to read within my favorite genre (fantasy) lately, since I'm concerned that it might have an unintended effect on my brainstorming for my next fantasy book.

02-22-2011, 09:56 AM	#32
jumpingjack42 DiSpLaCeD Posts: 98 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: kindle 2	I've tried writing in a lot of genres; scifi, humour, historic fiction. I ended up happiest in the genre (horror/dark fantasy) that I read most of the time.

02-24-2011, 08:46 AM	#33
TheHothive Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: None	I think you have to be familiar with the genre you write in so that you can freely your ideas. Sometimes not being knowledgeable about a certain genre you are writing hinders you to write effectively.

02-24-2011, 11:28 AM	#34
ASparrow Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 600000 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Boston Device: Palm TX	I don't like the whole idea of being confined to a genre. I like good stories. It does not matter to me if they fail to confine themselves to genre. I welcome border crossings. Of course that means I'll forever be without a niche, but at least I'll be entertained in ways that genre books just can't do for me.

02-24-2011, 04:31 PM	#35
RVS78 Letter Puncher Posts: 26 Karma: 500430 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Swallowed by another earth Device: android tablets	Ditto what ASparrow said. I tend to write the types of stories I like to read but it's not a conscious decision. It's not like I write a couple of paragraphs and say "hey, this is starting to feel too scifi-ish, need to switch gears." My influences are too varied to pick and choose. It's why I say I'm a cross-genre writer with a penchant for transgressive fiction. =) That about wraps it up with a pretty little bow on top and still allows me wiggle room.

04-11-2011, 01:15 PM	#36
sportourer1 Writer Posts: 117 Karma: 560236 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: London UK Device: none	I do but I like to push the boundaries that frustrate me when I read. So just to stir the mix in the sci-fi geopolitical thriller I am working on the heroine is a bisexual self-destructive coke fiend rather than a latern jawed ex CIA agent

04-12-2011, 02:07 AM	#37
dadioflex Dyslexic Count Posts: 526 Karma: 5041991 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Palm TX, Advent Vega, iPad, iPod Touch, Kindle	I've had shorts indie "published" twice, once in the best of Friday Flash Fiction (or some combination of those words. Damn. I'm going to have to look aren't I? Ah. here: http://madutopia.com/blog/fridayflas...sh-volume-one/ Friday Flash Fiction are a different bunch http://fridayflashfiction.blogspot.com/ nice guys! ) and once here http://www.amazon.com/Stupefying-Sto...dp/0982897405/ The first was slightly surreal humour, the second was SF low comedy. I barely read humour because I just don't find it funny. Even Pratchett I read for the story and the ideas but he doesn't come close to making me laugh. Most of my writing urges (all resisted) are horror these days. I haven't read horror regularly for about twenty years. The last horror story I read was Let The Right One In and after that (which was excellent) I'm good for another twenty years.

04-12-2011, 05:15 PM	#38
Dean M. Cole SECTOR 64: Coup de Main Posts: 19 Karma: 25000 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Device: iPhone	I love and write in the MilSF Genre. However, I'm toying with the idea of writing something in the horror or supernatural genres along the lines of Stephen King or Dean Koontz (that guy has a great first name, lol). My wife is pushing me to write a steampunk romance ... I'm not too sure about that one, but you never know.

04-13-2011, 10:55 PM	#41
C. R. Hindmarsh Wordslinger Posts: 12 Karma: 20000 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: New Zealand Device: iPod	I tend to read pretty widely, but most of my writing is fantasy or SF. There's just something about writing in a new world that really appeals to me. That and its so much more satisfying to write all these lies about places that don't even exist ;D