That's me trying to figure out my
schizophrenic novel
I have received critiques from 16 readers. That's a lot of feedback! Lots of different opinions. Lots of good things and bad things about my book. I am now the proud creator of a one page-long list of changes I'd like to make (after much consideration and reflection).
What was the consistent complaint about my book? It can't make up its mind what it wants to be. It's schizophrenic.
Do You Mix Your Genres?
I don't know about you, but I mix my genres. I've done it in almost everything I write. I usually get it right and make it work, but this time? No, this time it's one huge muddled weird psychotic mess. Is it an action novel or a romance? A literary story or a thriller? Can it be all of those?
Who the heck knows.
All I know is that I'm now stuck reworking a book that is tugging me in too many directions, and I'm left wondering if anybody else out there has been in this situation?
You Have To Pick Something
I think, in the end, we have to make up our minds once and for all where we want our story to fit. I've read so many posts lately about genre, and choosing the right one for your own work. Apparently agents and publishers want to know exactly where your fiction fits. And although the best fiction, in my opinion, doesn't fit into any one category, most readers will pigeon-hole it into some sort of corner.
My novel, Monarch, has to be either an exciting action story about a spy who clears his name of murder or a more reflective story about a spy who rebuilds his family. It's either a 3 or a 6 (click here to read about the Fiction Scale). There is no middle ground or you end up in a middle-muddled mess like I have. Your reader gets angry, confused, and dissatisfied with the story. My book, of course, will be about both stories, but I've finally decided that one of them has to be more prominent than the other for the book to work.
*Update: Just to clarify, I'm not intending to rewrite my book to fit into a specific genre. I'm rewriting it so that it works. Whatever genre it ends up being is up to the book and its readers.
Questions For The Day: Do you mix your genres? If so, have you had an experience where it didn't work? What did you do to fix it? If you haven't had this experience, do you think genre mixing is a bad idea? Can it work, in your opinion?
~~~~~~~~~~
My current work is an historical thriller love story with paranormal overtones. The way I am determining what genre it falls into, is to look at what the key matter is for the lead character - what will he give anything to achieve?
ReplyDeleteIn this case, he will give everything to right a previous wrong that he did, and save the world from the consequences. That includes losing the woman he loves. Therefore, it's a thriller.
Somehow, I don't think this post is going to help very much!
Barb: Well, you're wrong, because your comment has helped me already. That really goes to show me where my main character's story lies. What would he give up to achieve what he wants most? Wow... thank you! Sometimes the most difficult questions are answered so simply.
ReplyDeleteI mix genres not by intention, but by intent! WTH? Sorry. My intent is to write the best story I can. Sometimes, the genres overlap which is not necessarily my intention.
ReplyDeleteCarol Goodman's "Ghost Orchid" is a mystery, but it also has a paranormal spin. It's an excellent book. You'll find it with the mysteries, not the paranormal stuff.
Gregory Maguire's "Wicked", when it first came out, could be found in the Gay/Lesbian literature section of the bookstores. I have no clue why, perhaps the reference to "The Wizard of Oz". Now, the book can be found in the fantasy section. The book is truly literary fiction, not fantasy, but because it deals with witches and talking animals . . .
I considered my current project out to query commerical fiction. An agent considered it chick-lit with a gay narrator. Some might consider it gay lit because it has a gay MC. I'm searching for agents who represent commercial fiction. I may have to change that strategy at some point.
My point (yes, I have one) is, write your book how you want to write your book. Forget genres, or where it will sit in a bookstore. None of that matters until you go searching for an agent. At that point, pick the best category possible and search for agents in that category. Until then, forget the angst and just write. : )
Lastly, and personally, I wouldn't rewrite the book to fit in a specific genre. I think very few books today fit into a specific genre . . . they just get stuck there by the whim of a society that thinks labels serve a greater purpose, when really they don't.
S
Scott: Thank you for your wonderful comment! I just wanted to clarify that I'm not trying to write my book into a genre. I just see now that it's not working because I haven't found the right mixture for the genres, or IDEAS I guess I could say, I'm using. In the end, when it's all "mixed" correctly, it won't fall into any one category. It'll still be a strangely wonderful hodgepodge of whatever genre people want to stick into.
ReplyDeleteThose are some great examples you've given, thanks!
I don't necessarily agree that books must be written into genres. I think genres are among those "rules" we are meant to follow, but can also choose to break. I'm sure your story fits more into one category than another, but it may also follow both. Either way, it's YOUR story so don't change it too much just to please a genre. Nevertheless, I love how you called your story "schizophrenic." That makes me laugh!
ReplyDeleteLots of books have elements of different genres or even cross over. Especially with a debut novel, it's probably necessary to be able to name your genre and know where it should be placed on bookstore shelves so you can set your platform, branding, yada yada. Ug....the biz side of writing!
ReplyDeletePerhaps because I'm some what of a hack I routinely use multi-genred angles for my works.
ReplyDeletePor ejemplo:
Chapter One: Protag is arrested
Chapter Two: Newspaper article about arrest
Chapter Three: Protag reflects on childhood
Chapter Four: One act screenplay of play Protag was in as a child
Chapter Five: Protag visited by Father
Chapter Six: Poem Protag wrote about Dad when he was 16.
There is something about being able to tell the same story with different lenses that appeals to me.
Plus it breaks up the monotony.
As far as is my work this vs this?
Richard III and Julius Caesar are both technically History plays and Tragedies all at the same time.
Of course genre mixing can work (IMO). :P I do it all the time--fantasy/western, F/SF, a lot of horror goes well with SF... *shrugs* Whatever works for the story, you know?
ReplyDeleteYou have genres like SFR. Romantic suspense. Paranormal mystery. (Like, the Dresden Files are firmly urban fantasy crossed with detective mystery. ;))
How well it works depends on the story, I think.
(I've tried an alt-history-clockpunk-fantasy-SF-horror-with-a-gay narrator novel. It's, er, still a WIP. :P)
Eh, my brain is too disjointed to focus on the topic, sorry! *goes to work on straight-up horror*
~Merc
I think Barb pegged it. And Scott has an excellent point about forgetting about the fear and just writing.
ReplyDeleteBut I think you're making the right decision to pick a genre to stick with. I think that's the way to get published (which I KNOW shouldn't be our main focus, and I KNOW we're supposed to write because we LOVE writing and can't live without it). But somewhere down the road, I think most of us would like to see our stuff on the shelf, which means having to follow the rules just a teeny tiny bit, right? Lol, such a hard thing to do, though!!
Your book sounds really cool, by the way! I'm sad that you have to cut stuff out. Let us know how it goes and how you feel about the outcome. Oh, and I would keep a copy of the one without the changes, too, just in case you like it better!
Mine is a Sci Fi thriller which may actually turn into a space oddyssey by the second book.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an interesting post! I have actually been thinking along these lines lately.....about how there are rules to writing if we want there to be or not. I have a post outlined wherein I met (I really did) a painter and he talked about how he has to follow certain rules in order to create something beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same with us as writers. I know you are not writing to a genre...you are just paying attention to the rules that will make your novel its most beautiful self.
I think that is brilliant.
Ugh...yes, this is a big problem for me. In the past few weeks, I've agonized about it a lot. If I want to keep readers I need to be consistent but if I plan on being consistent I need to pick a genre I can write in for awhile. My problem? I like suspense, I like romance, I like literary fiction...I've written a little of each. Oh, and toss in some action/adventure.
ReplyDeleteMy first book is clearly strong in romance but I hesitate to call it strictly romance. It seems so limiting. I'm going to continue to ponder this but it's nice to know I am not the only one.
I agree with you that the best stories mix genres. Life isn't a single genre. So in order for a story to feel "real" there has to be more to it than a rigid genre label.
ReplyDeleteBut even though it's going to have other elements enriching the story, we readers have to know what's most important to the main character. And that's most likely the genre that the story is going to fall into.
First off, I love the picture!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it si so hard these days to stay in one specific little box of a genre. The lines between them blur so easily. Think of all the darn subgenre's out there. It's enough to make you go crazy.
I guess we just have to pick the strongest element of the story (even if it has other elements to it) and call it that.
So, what are you taking out of Monarch? ;-( What about True Lies or Mr. and Mrs. Smith? Those were spy stories with love intertwined. There ton of stories out there. I suppose you are right though...one aspect may need to be more prominent, like DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons.
ReplyDeleteI try not to mix genres. It gives me headaches. Not so say that it can't be done, just saying that I have a hard time with it. There may be minor elements of other genres in my WiPs, but nothing major. I pick one genre and try to stick to it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have some luck with untangling that crazy web! I know I'd probably have a hard time of it. But I'll bet you can pull it off. ;)
*ducks head*
ReplyDeleteI can honestly say that I've never really given the genre much thought. At least, not until the query stage.
*evil grin*
I'm pretty sure where I'd be shelved, but I didn't get too hung up over it because I was going to let the agent and publisher worry about that for me. ;-)
Nor have I thought much about it since--at least, not until a new, shiny idea crept into my Muse. I honestly have no idea how in the heck to classify it. I lost a few hours worrying about this before I let myself not worry about it any more. I'll trust my agent and editor (whoever those lucky people may be) to know what they're doing. And I'll just worry about writing the best story I can. :D
Of course, there are other things I obsess about, but I'm working on that too. :)
"I'm rewriting it so that it works. Whatever genre it ends up being is up to the book and its readers."
ReplyDeleteSo important! Good for you.
And I love that photo you played around with!
I have to believe that mixing genres can work. After all, I think genres are created fairly arbitrarily, and if you are just trying to write something that works, chances are, it can fall into a few different genres. Like you, I try really hard not to think about this stuff as I'm writing. I just write the book that wants to come out. Now that I'm nearly done is when I've start to think about this. For me, I love going to the book stores shelves that say Literary Fiction. It thrills me. So, that's where I'd want my book to be, even though multi-culti is something that I may also be able to fit into.
ReplyDeleteI love mixed genres!
ReplyDeleteVampires in space, zombies flying planes, fairy godmothers taking biology classes in high school... I love them all!
I think you need to blend things neatly, but a touch of everything makes life better.
My WIPS are a mix of three or four genres. I'm writing basically for myself so not writing to any particular genre. When I'm done, will figure out which genre they fit the most. I see many books out there with a mix of genres plus those that stick to one specific. They all work. I guess I'll find out when I start querying what works and what doesn't. But that is a long way down the road.
ReplyDeleteIn Jim Butcher's Dresden novels the title character is a modern day private detective - and a wizard. A quirky mix of detective and fantasy genres that totally works (usually found in the sci-fi/fantasy section). I read another book (can't remember the name or the author) that mixed romance with a murder mystery in Victorian England. That worked, too. There are many, many sucessful cross-genre books out there. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the secret is to make them work. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's working for me so far...I'm mixing thriller and horror---but I think that you do have to pick on and have the other that is mixed in not be as dominant as the main genre.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it could work to have more than one genre equally represented, but they have to be two that should go together...like- I think romance can move into any other genre--
I'll have to think on this more tho...not exactly sure.
I DO have a writer friend who says that mixing genres is like mixing races- the child of people who are different races will still LOOK like, and be classified as one or the other. She always says to make ur dominant character's plot line tell you what genre it is....I'm rambling now...I'm gonna go think on it :)
All I can say from listening to the workshops of agents, editors and PR guys at the La Jolla Writers Conference, is that they do want it to fall into a specific category. That might not be helpful, but that's what I've heard.
ReplyDelete"James Bond and Bullets or a Love Scene and Tender Hearts?"
ReplyDeleteNow that's not a fair question all all. It's completely a matter of which audience you want to write to, of which there are readers in either group, and no rule to say you can't write both!
After all, what is the cult classic "Princess Bride" except an action/romance cross, with a brilliant dose of humor?
Maybe Monarch doesn't need to lose one of its genres? Maybe it needs another element added (like humor) to act as a opposite/balance foil to the genres already included?
Yes, I think you are definitely headed the right direction by picking something as a primary. Stories seem to be strongest with one primary even as there is one primary protagonist and II. While it may feel like pigeon-hole a story by labeling it a certain genre, that's just to know where to stick it on the bookstore shelves. Nothing says it can't be read by everybody!
For my writing, while I like to add layers of meaning and personal symbolism my strength is simple plot and purpose. My genres don't mix any further than SF/F. I'm impressed when an author can make a story about zombie space monkeys in victoria England, especially if they can make it work for more than comedy!
Finally thought of the analogy I was looking for...
ReplyDeleteGenres are as much a definition as picking which door to the mall you enter: they all go to the same place (writing), it's just how you get inside (genre aka enter through the food court -or- department store -or- hallway entry but any one door gets you in) and what you really plan to do once there (food/clothes/games aka romance/adventure/mystery).
And to Cindy (as if I haven't talked enough already): If you like writing many genres as separate novels (not talking about cross-genre classification of one book), consider multiple pen names. Then you can write it all, and your readers will know which name to look for which stories they prefer
ReplyDeleteI bet you'll fix Monarch up great. :-) Some stories (like Outlander) can work as cross-genre, if they're compelling enough.
ReplyDeleteI don't really mix genres 'cause I'm a romance girl all the way. LOL Although I do usually have some suspense. My biggest problem is with goals and motivations. Erk.
I write literary fiction that appeals to women: hence, women's fiction...but it isn't chick lit. The whole genre thing has thrown me for a loop too b/c I like dabbling in several different genres on different projects.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
Some readers might consider The Dragons' Oracle to be a mix between Romance and Fantasy, others might think of it as SF/F, but when the time comes to query agents, I'll categorize the novel as Fantasy.
ReplyDeleteGlam, I'm going to be blunt. As someone with a schizophrenic relative and other relatives that suffer with other mental ailments, I find your lighthearted use of the term quite offensive.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention it is entirely inaccurate. Schizophrenia "is a psychotic disorder or group of psychotic disorders that cause a patient to lose touch with reality. It is marked by severely impaired reasoning and emotional instability and can cause violent behavior." That does not fit how you describe your novel. Multiple Personality Disorder (if you must liken it to a mental disorder) would be closer.
Part of being a writer is knowing exactly the meanings and connotations your words send to the reader. And something as serious as mental illness should never be treated as a joke, which is how it comes across in your post.
Shorty: I'm not trying to pinhole my book into a genre, so no worries! I do believe that it IS both, but at the moment, it's now working as both, so I'm trying to fix that. Thanks for you support and concern. :D
ReplyDeleteAngie: Exactly! The biz side of writing. It is one of the rules we have to pay attention to, I think. And is sometimes brushed aside.
BA: Your work sounds really interesting! I like new, fresh ideas like what you've got. And you have some great examples there with genre mixing. Thanks!
Merc: Yep! I know you do it all the time, and when you do, it works so well!
BJ: I agree with just writing, especially during a first draft. It's important not to let the constraints of genre guide our creativity, I think. But you are right. We do need to follow the rules at certain points.
I'm not cutting so much out of my book more than I'm reorganizing and reworking it. I always keep previous drafts. :D
Purple Clover: I still think about your first chapter now and then! You're doing a great job with the genre that I can see already.
Tess: Yay! I knew you'd understand that I'm not trying to play into a genre. I honestly HATE the terms of genre, but it is true that we need to stick to the rules when it comes to certain aspects of writing.
Cindy: "Limiting" is a great term to use when I think about genre. It does feel limiting to try and stick to one, which is why I'm always trying to mix my genres. Perhaps I shouldn't do it intentionally! Although with my planning phases I can't help but think about it. I see that we really do like the same types of genre! :)
Sherrie: Yes, I agree. Your comment, like Barb's up above, really helps me see which genre my story really belongs. Thank you!
Quixotic: Yep! After some reflection, I see that the strongest element of the story can come about by what the main character cares about most. If he's concerned with blowing things up and increasing the body count around him, well, it's going to be a shallow genre soaked in action and thrills. :)
Traci: No worries! I'm not taking much out of Monarch. I'm deleting pointless scenes, but I'm not taking out important elements of the story. I'm reorganizing and rebalancing more than anything. Well, and fleshing out my characters a bit more.
Jenna: You know, it sounds like you'd be a great person to do a post over on the Literary Lab for us! I think our post for genre volunteers should be up shortly.
Dani: I think when we don't know where to classify our work, we can be pretty sure that it's either got a lot of depth or it's a confusing mess. I've had both happen to me, LOL.
Janna: Aww, thanks! It was a weird photo to do. But it helped me see how confused I really am about my book. And, well, how much it WILL work when I get it sorted out. Because I'm sue I can make it into a beautiful, cohesive picture.
ReplyDeleteDavin: Going into the Literary section thrills me too. I think it's because I can be sure that most everything in there will make me ponder on something deep and profound while also amazing me with language. Other genres can pull that off, but that section just holds my interest more than others.
Liana: I agree. Action mixed with literary elements fascinates me to no end. It's like chocolate on top of ice cream. :)
Robin: I'll bet it's not THAT far down the road. So if I asked you what genre you write in would you be able to pinpoint it all? Because you kind of need to know, at least, so that you can figure out which types of agents will take your work. From what I've seen on your blog, you write in lots of different genres. I love that!
Becca: I have no idea what makes genre mixing work, either. It just does. Now, to get that right in my book...
Penny: I do like your friend's advice about the dominant character's plot line. That does make sense, and yes, like mixing races, mixing genres works and shouldn't be shunned or looked down upon in the least. My love apparently spans several different races.
Sonia: Yep, I've heard and read the same thing, which is why I'm concerned about getting Monarch to a point where I can market it as one thing or another. Even though it will obviously be more than that, showing a dominant genre can't hurt at all.
Alicia: I'm not sure you understood what I'm saying. But I don't think this was the clearest post, by any means. I'm not trying to take any genre OUT of Monarch. I'm just trying to make the genres that are there work more cohesively together. I love your analogy of the mall! That's great!
Jessica: In my opinion all stories should have suspense. But I'm a suspense junkie, so that's just me. I like romance if it's not cheesy romance (which I find a lot of). I'm willing to bet your work is fantastic and not cheesy. Especially if it has that suspense element! And I have to admit that my own book has it's fair share of romance, and it's been called cheesy at one point. It's good cheese though. I think... :)
Wendy: Yeah, it throws me for a loop, too. Your work sounds good!
Justus: See, that's perfect. That's what I want to be able to do with my work because I thin it makes the process easier than otherwise.
Sarah: I apologize for any offense given to you by my post. I used the term "schizophrenic" in the generic (often misused, I agree) term that I've heard many use to describe Multiple Personality Disorder.
I actually did do some homework on both terms, but decided to go with "schizophrenic" because it seemed to me that it meant a fragmenting of the personality, which describes my work as it stands right now. I'm sorry if you feel that I came to the wrong conclusion of the term. Part of writing is also coming to our own conclusions after we do our homework. Sometimes we're wrong, and since you apparently know more about the condition than I do, my conclusion can be way off.
I never meant to offend anybody by this post, or to even treat the term lightheartedly. In fact, I wrote it in all seriousness. I don't think it's funny at all that I have so many things to work on in my novel. And it was not fun learning that my novel is not working with the genres I've thrown into it. If this came off as lighthearted, it wasn't my intention. Oftentimes we put our interpretation into things when the subject matter is close to our hearts. Once again, I'm sorry you were offended by the terms I've used.
I really don't think you have a problem. Read Baldacci or Coben and you'll see you can have romance, reflection and a thrill ride. You just have to know authors to reference..."In the spirit of Harlan Coben's BLAH BLAH, MONARCH is a thrill ride with romance, action and a big time pay off for readers."
ReplyDeleteAnd, remember, if the sucker's written well, it will find a place to fit...maybe all over the place.
Oh...and I looove the image!
ReplyDeleteAnita: Well, yes, the whole point being that I haven't written it well yet. I know it can work in all the genres I've got in there, but they're not gelling yet. Awesome examples, thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou know mine is YA commercial trying to be literary. It was a lot more mixed before my rewrites, but it is more set in one genre now. I think.
ReplyDeleteMy current WIP is an Urban Fantasy, which I guess is kind of a mixed genre that has become a accepted genre.
ReplyDeleteI have no trouble reading books with mixed genres and in fact think that most books will fall under more than one heading whether that is historical romance, YA fantasy, or literary fiction thriller. In my opinion it's all good:)
My books always have the romance journey front and center. If it's a romantic suspense, the suspense drives the story forward, but the romance is still the main draw.
ReplyDeleteYour book sounds interesting. Have fun figuring it out!
Sure, genre mixing can happen. It just has to fit on a shelf, that's all. A bookseller needs to know where to put it; a book buyer needs to know where to find it.
ReplyDeleteThere's lots of variety on the shelf. The Bourne Identity is very different from The da Vinci code, but they're often on the same shelf.
I mix genres, but it's never like I go in intending to. I just write the story, and then I realize that it fits more than one group. Usually I'm only in two genres.
ReplyDeleteAction scenes doth not a thriller make. Neither do love/sex scenes mold your book into romance. In the end, it's the drive behind the story and your characters that picks the best genre(s) for it.
I'm writing a fantasy/crime novel currently. It's been an interesting mix.
Lois: You definitely seem more confident in what genre you're aiming for. I think it has brought some great direction to your writing.
ReplyDeleteKate: I agree. My favorites are often mixed genre. I'm not sure straight genre appeals to me much at all!
Jill: Your books sound great too. I'm trying to have fun. It can get frustrating!
Beth: Ah, yes, the shelf. I'm still not sure where mine would go. Probably somewhere I wouldn't want it, LOL.
M. Dunham: Welcome! Thank you so much for your comment. I think your fantasy crime novel sounds fantastic. And yes, it's frustrating to me when people keep thinking my main character is the typical spy. I'm all about breaking stereotypes. Which usually involves crossing genres. :D
I confess I haven't really given any thought to genres I just wrote what I wanted to write :)
ReplyDeleteI think mixed genres can work, most of the books I read have a romance in them somewhere, whether it is in the foreground or the background.
I think the reason people are probably puzzled by Monarch is the romance element is different from what we would usually expect from a spy. Lillian isn't helping Nick clear his name she's involved in a completely different part of his life and has her own troubles. Which goes against the readers expectations of how "spys' behave and the type of women they fall for.
I don't really mix genres, but I have read a book with a bit of fantasy, a bit of action, a bit of mystery, and a bit of romance. It was the mystery (solving the problem before the heroine was killed) that held the hole thing together.
ReplyDeleteI think that once you have a genre based structure you can add whatever you want, with in reason. Perhaps I am overgeneralizing, but it worked for that particular book.
I'm not sure how much the rules would or would not change for Litstream, but I do think that structure is important for every story. Check out Blake Synder's book on screen plays. It's called Save the Cat. There is a section in it that talks about many of the different types of stories.
Perhaps you will read one and say, "Yeah, mine is one of those." By the way, he doesn't just give typical genres names. A story from any genre could be a "buddy love" story, for example.
Alexa: Ah, I've never thought of it that way before! But yes, that's the whole idea behind Monarch - to put a different perspective on the cliched spy. :)
ReplyDeleteDave: Snyder's book sounds great. I was talking to my friend about this last night - how there is of course basic stories told over and over. They are what resonate with the human race. I think that following certain constructions and rules for writing can work really well if we work it in with our creativity.
Your situation called to mind interesting post I read a while ago. (Actually, you commented on this post when it went up.) I'll past the address below. I think this is a useful way of thinking of stories and it might help you.
ReplyDeletehttp://taramayastales.blogspot.com/2009/03/hand-heart-mind-and-soul.html
Personally, I'm doing a mix of Foot(She calls it Hand) and Heart. I think if you try you can blend several of them.
Dominique: Thank you! I remember that post. She's brilliant. Thanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those few writers who will admit to actually appreciating the restrictions of genre. I've compared it to the forms of poetry. A sonnet is not going to be reviled for being an overlong haiku, if people understand from the start it's a sonnet. I find peculiar joy in stretching genre conventions while still honoring the form.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I understand the idea of "having" to choose a genre to be a disempowering thought, and so sometimes it's best not to think of it like that, but ask, what is the primary kind of brain work I want the reader to engage while reading this? Do I want the reader to primarily feel excitement and titilation (romantic suspense?) or primarily a deepining appreciation of life's complexities (literary/high concept commercial)?
You've mentioned one of the themes the book explores is love -- primarily focused on romantic love? (romance) or are other loving relationships (parent/child) (women's fiction)?
And so on.
Ah, I need to remember that much of your entries directly naming your current WIP are WIP themselves - snippets of thoughts evolving; not classroom lectures about the rules of writing.
ReplyDeleteNote to self: Read post in its entirety before composing any comments.
Now understanding better that this is less about segmenting genres and more about stating the status of your WIP, I will reiterate the cheers of faith that you can find the focus on the lens of your storytelling to learn which genre "door" you will decide Monarch is entering through. And if you can detangle that sentence, you have your warm-up exercise complete to confidently detangle your novel. ;->
Tara: Oh, great thoughts! I agree that while genre can feel very restricting to me, at the same time it can actually open up doors by showing you a path to follow. And that path does not mean you have to be less creative, by any means.
ReplyDeleteAlicia: No problem, sweetie! The post could easily be confusing. Sentence detangled. Thanks!!!
LOL. I write fantasy... or is paranormal? My current book is urban fantasy/paranormal.. or is it post-apocalyptic?... oh and it definitely has a romance in it...
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose, I’d say I’m looking for an agent for a paranormal-post-apocalyptic-romance. : )
writermom: Sounds good to me! Actually, it sounds really good. :)
ReplyDelete