Sue Grafton writes mystery. J.K. Rowling writes fantasy. What do you write?
When you’re just starting out as a writer, there are so many questions to ask and so many decisions to make. Who’s your audience? Is my writing any good? Who in the world would want to buy my stories?
My personal favorite is, what genre should I write in?
This can certainly be a tough one since there are so many different genres out there: fiction, nonfiction, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, thriller, romance, and so much more. Then there are the sub-genres to worry about.
So, how can you find your genre to write about and share with the world? There are two options.
1. Write in a few different genres you enjoy reading.
I wrote five manuscripts before I decided on which genre was right for me. Two were fantasy, two were young adult drama. Plus, I write my fair share of short stories in multiple genres as well as children’s books, middle grade, and I even tried my hand at script writing and poetry.
Once I started writing my mystery series, I fell head over heels in love. I wanted to continue writing it all the time. The characters keep the story moving, the plot make sense, and I have many more ideas to come for this particular series. I was writing for eight years before I discovered this.
2. Read every genre.
The best thing a writer can do in order to improve their writing–without actually writing–is to read. Do you have a particular genre you enjoy reading all the time? Or do you try to read every book published?
Make sure you read in many different genres. Chances are you’ll find a favorite and come up with story ideas for that genre.
Writing Prompt:
Write in an out-of-your-comfort-zone genre. For example, if you mainly write fantasy, give romance a try.
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