Note: This is one of the first posts I have ever written about writing on blogspot, before my book was published.
I pretty much read anything that has letters. My mother always told me that if toilet paper had letters on it, I would read that too.
But just because as soon as I pick up a book to read, I make a pact with myself that I have to finish it, doesn’t mean I like everything I read. And even less that I like them in the same way.
Likewise, every writer has a genre they are most comfortable with. Mine? Young Adult and Fantasy. Not just because it’s the genre I also enjoy reading the most, but because it’s the genre in which ideas occur to me most frequently.
I’ve watched thousands of cop shows. There are so many of them aren’t there? C.S.I, N.C.I.S, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist, Bones, Cold Cases… They’re so many that sometimes I can even tell who the killer is as soon as the episode starts. But just because I have a feeling of how revealing a murder works, doesn’t mean I would enjoy writing about murder-mysteries. I believe I would find researching about law enforcement boring. And my inexperience would be visible since I’m not used to reading crime novels.
There are, perhaps, writers capable of writing more than one genre. But as we are not all born geniuses, some have to specialise in one type.
That doesn’t mean that when you get a bit more experienced, you can’t experiment with different genres. You should always try and get out of your comfort zone.
Whatever genre you choose, don’t forget to read as many books in the same genre as you can. Do a lot of research. And remember that there are no benefits without sacrifices.
Patricia Morais is a Portuguese writer and author of the World of Shadows series. She believes she doesn’t spend enough time in front of her laptop, so she occasionally publishes writing advice as well.
