Thread: Anyone else...?

I'm wondering if there are any other people around who don't want to get pigeon-holed into a particular genre in their writing. I have various story ideas and they can cover different genres. Is it a bad idea to think like this?

I asked this exact same question on this forum a while back. The general consensus I got was that it was too early in the game for me to worry about it. (Since I am not a published writer.) But that still doesn't stop one from wondering, does it?

I have about 7 distinct story ideas that I would like to write one day. Three of those are sci-fi, one is drama, one is drama/comedy, one is fantasy and one is horror/suspense. I'm not trying to go across the board like this, it's just that the concepts I come up with sometimes seem to mold themselves well into one particular niche.

I don't think it's a problem being diverse, I just wonder if a publisher would take someone seriously who considered that their ideas are good enough in all of those different categories to merit spending money on. Would they consider that aspiring writer to be a "jack of all trades, master of none?" Would their marketability be lessened?

I wish I had the answers for you but I have wondered the same thing myself on more than one occasion!

Originally Posted by VanishingSpy

I don't think it's a problem being diverse, I just wonder if a publisher would take someone seriously who considered that their ideas are good enough in all of those different categories to merit spending money on. Would they consider that aspiring writer to be a "jack of all trades, master of none?" Would their marketability be lessened?

This is the very reason why I don't think it's unreasonable for someone who hasn't been published to worry. If my first novel of whatever genre does at least moderately well - at least to the point that the publisher wants more from me - are they going to accept that my next work is/will be completely different? But perhaps this is another reason to self-publish so you write whatever inspires you, not what the publisher wants from you.

When you get to the point where someone tries to pigeon-hole you, you can always invent another pseudonym and publish your other genre under that name. Your agent/publisher might even support the idea as each pseudonym becomes its own brand. The more money-making brands, the better.

Good point C.M. Many authors have done just that. Thank you for reminding me.

If I am fortunate enough to have some work published, I would like to think it shouldn't be defined by genre. I don't write horror, sci-fi, romance, action/thriller, crime, historic, or fantasy. I can't think of any other genres off the top of my head, except maybe that horrible little thing called chick-lit. I think there's a case for genre specific work to tend to concentrate more on plot than character, and in my writing I try to concentrate more on the latter.

I started writing lyrics for a musician friend, since there has been a bit of poetry, some non-fiction and short stories that range from the distant past to the far future and from right here to the stars. I am mostly writing a novel at the moment. I am not very sure about writing drama yet, but I am sure I will get around to it sometime, given long enough.

Hi

I believe your current predicament could be solved as you progress in your writing (completed novels) and at the same time, read as widely as you can (avoid reading just a particular genre) to learn and understand the minds of established writers.

Having said that, I also subscribed to the fact that everyone has a specific way of writing and through time, we allow ourselves to unravel that gift. However, this is just my opinion.