Sci-fiFantasy
Science Fiction Fantasy
Horror
Romance
Women's Fiction
Non Fiction
Children's
Adult
Contemporary
Young Adult
*breathe*
My goodness there are a lot of genres out there. And I didn't even name them all. But I did have to think about them a lot when I started writing seriously. Asking myself, "What kind of writing was I interested in?"
As a reader, it's pretty much all of the above. Except for horror. Sorry, Mr. King. Just not interested. Monsters under the bed and all that...
I found my preferred genre by the stories I wrote. I didn't know what or who I was writing for at first. I merely got an idea and ran with it. Literally. I think A LOT when I'm running. My legs already know what to do, so it frees my mind up for brainstorming. :)
After a few stories I realized that I loved my years of being a teenager. *gasp* I know...I know...I'm weird. But it wasn't all the awkwardness of being a teen that I love to remember. It was the victories. Coming into your own. Making decisions. Finding the courage and strength and experience to stand on your own two feet. Because some day every teen will have to do it.
As parents, educators and concerned adults, we long to have the teens act like adults. Only I think we often forget something important. We were like them once...maybe twice. :) We learn the most as teens when we made mistakes, tried to do as we were told, and mucked our way through the conflicting signals and messages we got from adults. "Be outgoing. Stop interrupting. Speak up! Be quiet. Be more responsible. Do what I say."
It's a wonder anyone ever makes it out of the teen years alive. By all accounts my body did...but according to my writing my head's still in the game. Maybe because I have a house full of teens right now. Maybe because I can personally sympathize with them and the pains of growing up. Maybe because deep down inside I think we all still resemble teenagers but don't want to admit it.
Well, I'm here to admit it. Rock on, teens! It's a beautiful time for you right now. A fantastic life ahead of you. The entire world is at your doorstep!!! Make the most of it! Learn! Have fun! And yeah...try and be a little responsible so you'll live to enjoy many more years of the same. Even if it means being called an adult. :)
Do you have a favorite genre to read or write in? Are they the same genre?
I've been writing YA for a few years, more by accident than design. The first novel I wrote that I felt was ready to query (not the first I wrote period) happened to be YA. I enjoy writing stories with teen MCs, but I don't feel wedded to the genre. I'm far more concerned about the needs of the story. If I get a great idea for an adult mystery, I'm not going to try to make it YA just because "that's what I write." To answer your question, Karen, I have favorite stories, not favorite genres. And I know that might cause problems when I finally get an agent interested in my work. But I'll jump that bridge when I cross it... or something. :D
ReplyDeleteI don't write YA, but I love to read it. Many of my fellow librarians love the YA titles and seldom pick up any other kind of fiction. Maybe it's because the underlying themes are universal. Everyone was a teenager and most remember those years very well.
ReplyDeleteDo you find it as interesting as I do that horror so often gets categorized in with sci-fi? And visa versa?
ReplyDeleteHello from one YA writer to another! *Fist pump* I like writing kidlit, and my current WIP is a YA story. For me, I like writing YA because my teen and young adult years were a time of intense lesson learning, and I'm not referring to the lessons you'd learn in a classroom. So writing is one thing I do to process some of the stuff I've learned growing up.
ReplyDeleteOne of the hardest things about thinking about genres as a writer sometimes, is deciding which one you fit into.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with a-z.
I write romance, read all (but horror) but tend to gravitate to YA. I think it's the potential, the heart ache that makes the heart better able to receive greater joy later on and as you said the triumphs. As you know I've recently begun to run, can't wait to get to the point when my legs (and my breathing) know what they are supposed to be doing so I can think on other things.
ReplyDeleteI never really used to read much YA but a friend recently let me borrow The Hunger Games and I'm hooked. Need to go back and catch up on all the stuff I've been missing!
ReplyDeleteGrover
Inane Ramblings
I love suspense and mystery novels. I've written several. It's the thrill of the hunt and the happy endings, most of the times. I write romances, too. I love to read them just as much. I don't read horror, either. (Sorry, J. Scott)
ReplyDelete