We all have choices...
What stall to select in the restroom.
What we'd like to eat for breakfast in the morning.
What trash magazine to read while waiting in line at the grocery store.
What genre to write in.
How do you decide?
Did you just know you wanted to write Adult or Young Adult all along? There was no question about it, the story just fluttered through your window and inside your brain and viola, it was written in stone?
Is there a fairy that visits you at night and leaves the answer underneath your pillow?
Do you ever find yourself testing out the other genre's before you find the one you like best. Like deciding what to eat for breakfast, when you can't decide you choose both bacon and sausage?
I love to write Young Adult, but I do also have Adult in my idea book as well. I write them all, fantasy, horror, you name it I like to dabble in it, try new things, step outside the box, after all they're my worlds, my creations... it's kind of my rules. What about you?
BTW - I was unable to comment on everyone's blogs the past few days... just know I'm around and I will make it to your blog! I also will soon have some very fun and exciting news to share!!!
58 comments:
Ohh...you have some news?...I cant wait...Ohhh now you are making me all excited...hahah
I have hard time to choose sometimes...I am good with choosing while working but the most simple things like breakfast is a pain...hahaha
Kisses,sweetie
Ps: I hope you had a chance to enter my Giveaway!
I want fun and exciting news! And I want it now! Making us wait? Not fair. : ( As far as genre is concerned, I started with MG (touch of sci-fi), moved to YA (fantastical), and then a memoir (self indulgent? nah). Like you, it's my rules. I write the way I see fit. I'm a wild child (in adult's body) who needs to let her imagination run free. That, and maybe I should get out more.
Dude...I want the news!! Spill :D As for genre, yeah...just sorta fell into YA. LOVE it, so I'm here to stay.
I had a lot of fun in my college writing courses as each was quite unique; poetry, short story, screenplay, writing about spiritual experience, journalism, etc. But yet that still doesn't exactly get into genre as within each of those there is also so much to write about! I think I enjoyed my short story class the most as each week or every other week we got to write a new story and thus we really had the chance to experiment. Though, I loved my screenplay class and have come to enjoy that style of writing.
With bathroom stalls ... I choose the one furthest away.
With breakfast ... depends what I have time to make.
With what genre to write ... I love reading YA so there was never a question of what I'd write.
I kinda thought I wrote what was in my head in the beginning, thought it might be literary in genre, but then a literary consultant said I have a great women's fiction voice, so I guess that's where I've just naturally headed without thinking too much about it. Great questions! I've never really thought about 'how' I chose before. I guess I didn't even choose - it chose me! :o)
I find that I don't choose, the book just tells me what it needs to be and I direct things from there.
That fairy is really helpful, actually! I wrote what I thought was an adult book in 2008--until someone told me it was really YA! But like you, I'd like to write it all--middle grade, and adult!
I want to write YA but the first novel I wrote came out as literature. I do have a love for literature and love writing it, but I don't feel that I'm capable of measuring up to people like Jane Austen and J.D. Salinger.
Every time I try to write YA it comes out more childish than I would like. I'll keep trying though!
I started with historical romance because that's what I love to read, however, I also dabble with every thing else, contemporary, category, YA, and now have settled on women's fiction.
I found, as I wrote, I liked the complexity of women's issues along with the romance angle. Angst, baby, gotta love the angst.
Can't wait for the news.
I've dabbled in Sci Fi and Fantasy, but found that what I most loved reading in these genres were character-driven stories. And what excites me most is looking at how people tick. Of my earliest shelved projects (written in grades 8-11), six are contemporary YA. So I guess you could say I've returned to my roots. :-) If I were to write any other genre, it would probably be "New Adult" because I find the maturation process such a rich time of life to explore.
Just don't choose the stink haunted stall :)
I tried my hand at chick lit, ya, pic books, chap books, and mg. It came down to YA and MG. But when I would submit YA's to agents, they all told me the same thing, my voice was too young. I changed to MG and viola! I didn't have a problem with voice anymore!
Can't wait to hear your news!
Wow! Lots’ of questions.
Have a nice day, Boonie
I've dabbled at romance but my heart is in literary, character driven stories. I smile at romance but swoon over literary!
I tried picture books, middle grade, and YA before really settling down with YA. Plus I also got some prof. opinions too. =)
ooh! i was thinking about asking this question!!!
there was a debate a couple weeks ago about the viability and relevance of middle-aged women writing YA, and it got me shaking in my boots.
but it came down to this.
i love teenagers.
i love their struggles and insights.
i love how crucial the teenage years are.
i love how they can see right through phony.
i love their mood swings and the way they question everything around them.
i want to provide stories that will educate, inspire, and entertain these awesome people.
so, i guess that's why i chose YA.
Usually the story falls into my mind and I just write without particularly worrying about who or what I'm writing for.
I'll worry about that when I get to my second draft.
:-)
I love writing non-fiction and of course Love stories.... no surprise there haha
Can't wait to hear your news.
By the way I am having a really cool giveaway!
xxoo
Jillian
I like the lighter voice of YA, but my mc is a high school kid w/ super natural abilities. She pretty much landed us into YA all on her own.
Writing style feels inherent to me. Not to say that writers can't divert their talents to other avenues within the realm of writing, but some just happen more naturally than others.
As for the bathroom stall: it's always the one that's the one farthest form the door!
Some good questions to ask. Thanks for sharing.
I never chose to write YA. Whatever story I wrote always turned out to be YA. My characters were always the age I was and it's only been a couple of months that I've left teendom but it seems like teendom hasn't left me yet.
I do have an adult novel fluttering somewhere and it'll happen. But not just now, maybe.
I write YA basically because I love it. I love reading it, and I love reliving all the emotions of a girl around 17 years old. But if I get an idea for an adult book or some other genre, I definitely won't throw it away!
I always wrote fiction as a child, and my first adult-written novel was a fictional version of my own memoir. It didn't go anywhere, but my fictional inspiration did.
YA fantasy has always been my first love, but I can't help dabbling in MG and picture books. I just love all kinds of books.
For me, it was the case of the "write what you read" - which was YA fantasy/paranormal.
But then I got an idea for a MG book, so I wrote one of those, too :)
I love writing YA because that's the genre that first drew me to reading in general. It's fast paced and chalk full of emotion. I might try to write a romance someday though just cause that's my second favorite genre:)
I tend to write in the genre I read, which is primarily YA at the moment. Within the YA genre, however, I find it more difficult to just stick to one subgenre. Fantasy/sci-fi has been and perhaps always will be my love, but I do tend to drabble in contemporary YA every now and then. :)
I just wrote and what came out was fantasy.
unfortunately I still don't know I like to delude myself into thinking I can write anything but YA and SF/F, yeah am just that good :)
I always knew I'd write science fiction and fantasy. Those were the first genres I was drawn to as a reader.
And if a fairy visits me in the middle of the night, he's getting clobbered with a baseball bat!
It took me a couple of years but I figured out I'm a MG gal. LOVE those tweeners. As for genre...I think I'd tackle most anything if an idea tackled me.
I love to write middle-grade and adult. I dabble in different areas too though! I love to read everything (except horror) so I want to write everything as well! But I heard some good advice that you should choose one genre to establish yourself first, then go ahead and try out different things. That totally makes sense. But I'm still deciding which genre to choose to establish my career! Hopefully a fairy will leave the answer under my pillow. :)
Very clever post. Can't wait for the news -- not even a hint. Shame on you!
Mary
I think it came down to what I enjoyed reading above all else. Albeit I didn't set out to write horror or paranormal...but when you've seen the face of real monsters in human guise (shrugs shoulders), makes sense to write what you know. Not to mention it's a niche that comes easy to me.
The thing is reading my blog, you would have no clue. I like that, having two very diverse styles of writing. I don't want to limit myself to only one genre. Life isn't made up of neat little packages like that, why should I be. (Hugs)Indigo
That's an interesting question, Jen. I don't think I made a conscious choice. I just had a story in mind and wrote it. I guess I consider myself somewhere between "contemporary romance" and "women's fiction." Although there's probably just plain "mainstream fiction" in there, too.
I want to write stories that touch lives. I want to remind readers that they aren't alone in the pain they're going through or have gone through in the past. I'm pretty sure you can do that in any genre, though. :)
I just "knew". PB's and MG's have always been my faves. Now...what's the good news??????? :-)
I can't wait to hear your news! I picked YA because at the time I was a YA, I guess I still kind of am, but now I choose to write it because I love how all the characters are still in self discovery and have the world right there for them.
I don't have to choose at all; the stories themselves dictate which genre they fall into.
Oh yeah, and the stall on the end. (Unless there's a cleaner one.)
I love stepping outside my comfort zone. It challenges my brain to think differently. I started off writing YA with full intent if staying on that path. Then i made a diversion and wrote an adult contemp romance and thriler suspense. They were a blast... but now I'm back at YA and it feels right. :)But I plan on trying Hannah's horror contest and writing somthing spooky (never tried it) should be intresting!
Sometimes... I feel like I DON'T chose. If that makes sense? I'm an impulsive person and I always just go with my instinct. I don't really think about my choices... unless it's huge like if I were to move out or something... then I'd probably have to think about it but only because of monetary restraints.
At the moment I'm still in that try my hand at everything phase, though I do know that it is speculative fiction I want to write. The question is whether that is horror, fantasy, or science fiction.But I'm learning to listen to my gut instinct!
See i dont think at the start of a piece who my target audience will be. The idea will spread its wings and tell me in the final draft. if i read it back and i think adult its adult, if i read it back and think crap it goes in the bin, and sometimes i think wow that be great for a kid, or YA.
Oh, news to share? Do tell!
I don't wanna choose, lol, so I write what I want. I've written fantasy, paranormal, romance, horror, historical (medieval), combinations thereof; for adults and young adults; novels, short stoires, flash pieces.
I refused to be boxed in! I might get claustrophobic.
I write what comes. I've written YA fantasy, YA contemporary, and my will probably be YA sci-fi. Why? Because those are the ideas I've had and have chased down. Do I like one genre better than another? I don't know. Magic shows up more than aliens do. So maybe my mind plays favorites. I try not to.
Hi Jenn, I guess I'm a dabbler too. The novel coming out in June is adult, but all of my others are YA. It's fun to flit around in the genre's as well. I know we're supposed to stick with one for our followers, but I do have a theme. My novels all are based around romance - love is at the HEART of every book. See? =D
I've always been drawn to science fiction, but my choice to move to YA is a little more recent. I came to realize how much I loved YA fiction, and decided that's what I wanted to write, too!
I chose based on what I like to read, which is literary fiction or "bookclub" fiction or... maybe YA. I haven't written any YA yet, but I do love to read it.
I don't think I could ever write horror, romance or sci-fi. I do enjoy a good sci-fi novel (ADORE Octavia Butler!) but I can't see myself writing it.
p.s. I'm looking forward to your news, whatever it may be!
I write anything speculative... fantasy, scifi, horror etc. I initially thought I was writing adult fiction but as I learned more I realised I was writing for the Young Adult market. It wasn't what I originally set out to do. But it fits far more neatly in YA.
I write what I read: Historical romance, paranormal, fantasy, and YA. And I'm not sure if I actually choose, or if my muse chooses for me.
I probably don't belong in this conversation since I am not a writer...well, in your sense of the word. But to me writing has to be enjoyable and the muse just starts spitting stuff out once I get the first sentence down. So the only decision I face is what to write in that first sentence.
Hi Jen! I'm also looking forward to hear the 'news'! :)
About genre, I'm writing a YA story but also have an idea to write an adult one :) Lots of ideas!!!! Little time to do them all!!! :)
I'm a mess who writes in all genres and can't pick just one, so I can't say I ever decided what to write! :)
Can't wait to hear your news!
No fair making us wait!
I'm stuck in young adult and loving it! I have no idea why...that just seems to be where all of my ideas take me.
I'm pretty fickle so I just do things on a whim. This is probably why I never finish anything!
I'm definitely willing to genre-hop...but everything I write tends to have some romance/seduction/romantic suspense element in there somewhere, so loosely speaking probably all falls into the commercial women's market somewhere.
I tend to agree with those who say the project dictates the genre to some extent. The idea always comes first for me, and genre tags cause me to tear out my hair and worry much later.
:-)
I never plan on writing anything but I'll start a story and something horrible always happens so I went with it. Now I mostly write horror. I still dabble in all things speculative though. That's where my heart lies, in the fantastical.
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