switching genres

[Sharon Dwyer]

Has anyone gone from one genre to a totally different one? How did you find writing in a new state of mind?

 I recently started writing for YA and find it refreshing to write from a young persons pov and using my own memories of the pain of growing up.

[Sharon Dwyer]

Thanks. I had written a short story that involved two children - a teenager and her younger brother - and couldn't stop thinking about the story. It continued to grow in my mind and the book evolved after writing out an outline of 22 chapters on my note cards.

It is going well after doing some research as to the new vocabulary the kids use today. What a surprise at the new words used to speak with, I kind of like it. All this makes for an interesting, albeit rebellious, teenager. The conversations seem to be in a totally different language.

[Michelle Isenhoff]

I switched genres with my current WIP.  Well, sort of.  All my books are YA.  With "teacher" ever in my genetic make-up, YA is what I know and love.  But my first three novels were American historical fiction; my latest is fantasy.  I feel like I'm scribbling outside of the lines.  Historical fiction has some obvious boundaries, but with fantasy, my story can take me wherever I want it to go.  It's been refreshing and a lot more fun!

http://www.michelleisenhoff.wordpress.com

http://www.michelleisenhoff.com

 

[Patricia J. Parsons]

Hi...I'm new to Book Blogs, so please be kind if I'm on the wrong track!

I started my writing career as a medical writer.  This morphed into medical communicaiton and then communication in general.  Most of my writing has been in the area of health and business (corporate communication) as a result.  But, I'm a writer above all else.

To me this means that I can use my skills to write anything that takes my fancy.  I decided to move into creative non-fiction and wrote a memoir that was published two years ago, then took my research skills into an area that I've been itching to try because I love to read it -- historical fiction.

In my view, writers -- like everyone else-- have particular individual strengths.  I think it's important to know your own strengths and then figure out how you can use them across genres if that's what interests you.  For example, my meticulous research skills, honed over years of writing non-fiction, have been the backbone of my work in moving into historical fiction.  Also, storytelling is a strength that many of us have worked on, and it's a skill that's important to both non-fiction (creative or otherwise) as well as to fiction. 

Ooh...I'm going to think a bit more about this and post on my blog later this week.  Thanks for the idea and thanks for reading!  P.

My Web Site

My Blog

[Sherri Hayes]

I didn't switch to a totally different genre, however, I write books in both the romance genre and BDSM. They are similar, yes, but not everyone who reads romance will read BDSM. I have one book out right now in both and so far it hasn't hurt me using the same name. Whether this holds true long term, I don't know. But I will say, I think I'm in the minority of keeping the same name. With that being said, if I suddenly decided to write a YA or children's book, I'd write under another pen name. My current books are of an adult nature, and I wouldn't want a ten year old to pick one up and start reading it thinking it was something else. 

 

www.findingannaseries.blogspot.com

 

[Victorine Lieske]

My first book was a romantic suspense novel. When that was finished I thought I would follow my muse and write a YA science fiction romance. Great idea until the first book took off. Then everyone was asking about the next book. Of course they were wanting another romantic suspense, but the YA sci-fi was almost done so I just finished it up. Then my agent said, "Ooh, this would make a great series!" and I had to agree with her so now I'm writing the next in the sci-fi series.

 

In the end switching genres was a ton of fun for me, but probably not as smart of a career move. I feel like I'm starting over with trying to reach a new audience.

[Katy Walters]

I have switched from SciFi to Historical Paranormal Romance and loved it. So much  that I am writing a trilogy.

 

http://katysreviewsandnews.blogspot.com/

 

http://sciencefiction-paranormal-katywalters.com

 

[Sue Bursztynski]

Well, most of my books are non-fiction for children and my latest is a YA mediaeval werewolf novel. But I work with teens, so the switch wasn't that hard. :-)

[Tim Mann]

Author Kaiya Hart talks about writing horror and fantasy in her blog TheHauntedMind

[Jeff Mariotte]

I've had 46 novels published, in all sorts of genres. There's often (but not always) a supernatural/horror element to my work. But in addition to writing supernatural thrillers, I've written YA, and mystery/crime, and recently a thriller called The Devil's Bait, which is my first thriller with nothing supernatural about it (and my first original self-pubbed e-book). Unless, of course, you consider big banks the work of Satan... the "devil" in the title is a reference to quote from Robert Burton: "Worldly wealth is the devil's bait; and those whose minds feed upon riches recede, in general, from real happiness..." I've also written science fiction, fantasy/sword & sorcery, westerns, mainstream fiction, superheroes, nonfiction, and probably others I'm not thinking of at the moment. If you count comic books/graphic novels, I've also written biography. I call myself genre-promiscuous--I can't be tied down to just one, either as a writer or a reader.

[Billy Burgess]

I mostly write for children/YA, but I've been wanting to switch the paranormal romance genre, but I've been having a difficult time changing my writing habits.

[E. S. Lark]

I actually am in the process of doing this. I'm not necessarily switching, but I'm working on creating a platform for two different genres. The main thing to keep in mind is to do a little at a time. I spend certain days focusing on my blog while others are spent on writing communities, groups and social networking.

[Stacy Eaton]

I'm actually working on a different one now.  My first two books are Paranormal Romance - this one is deep into the world of Domestic Violence.  Big switch - but they are all based on law enforcement.  Since I am involved in Law enforcement I think that made it easier to make the switch between the too.  It was a smooth switch.  I still have plans to write more Paranormal stuff, including the third book in the series here soon.