Hi everyone! Sorry I've been a bit slack with LJ. I had a few too many big groups and that meant I was missing friends' posts; and just generally I've been on the internet less for a few weeks - busy IRL and all that. But I'll be checking more often from now on :)
Anyway, the main part of the post:
So I've been considering writing a novel that I actually plan to get published. I already have one written that I like but I don't think I'd want it to be my first published novel. The thing is, I don't want to get 'trapped' in a genre. Some successful writers - Stephen King being an example - can transcend/change genres, but generally a writer of a genre novel sticks to said genre.
I would love to write in a genre like Jonathan Carroll and Neil Gaiman write - I don't think they're 'officially' magic realism novelists but that's the label I'm applying. There's a certain freedom there, I think - all kinds of other genres can melt in; horror, sci-fi, thriller and romance are examples. But I think that they - those two writers at least - have a very elegant way of constructing their not-quite-reality and I don't think my writing is subtle enough for that. Most of my stories that I am mulling over at the minute do have that mixture of the real world with magic/mythology injected into it but I think my writing would make it more Harry Potter than American Gods (please note I'm just referring to the style of story rather than suggesting that my writing is anything like Gaiman or Rowling :D).
What's my point? I don't think I really have one ;) I guess I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts about genres and if they think that writers are best when they stick to just one genre or if they should feel comfortable expanding out into other areas.
Anyway, the main part of the post:
So I've been considering writing a novel that I actually plan to get published. I already have one written that I like but I don't think I'd want it to be my first published novel. The thing is, I don't want to get 'trapped' in a genre. Some successful writers - Stephen King being an example - can transcend/change genres, but generally a writer of a genre novel sticks to said genre.
I would love to write in a genre like Jonathan Carroll and Neil Gaiman write - I don't think they're 'officially' magic realism novelists but that's the label I'm applying. There's a certain freedom there, I think - all kinds of other genres can melt in; horror, sci-fi, thriller and romance are examples. But I think that they - those two writers at least - have a very elegant way of constructing their not-quite-reality and I don't think my writing is subtle enough for that. Most of my stories that I am mulling over at the minute do have that mixture of the real world with magic/mythology injected into it but I think my writing would make it more Harry Potter than American Gods (please note I'm just referring to the style of story rather than suggesting that my writing is anything like Gaiman or Rowling :D).
What's my point? I don't think I really have one ;) I guess I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts about genres and if they think that writers are best when they stick to just one genre or if they should feel comfortable expanding out into other areas.


