Monday, August 22, 2011

Am I "Forcing" A Genre?

Reading M.J's post about not being able to get started made me think of my inability to climb out of an exceptionally deep hole I dug for myself. 

When I work on my "normal" contemporary/literary pieces, I can generally manage even after a rough start or a break of sorts.  The ideas start coming, although usually at the worst of times (like during a meeting at the office...), and once I know where I want the story to go, the words keep coming.  This could be a full-length work (admittedly, I am only on my second) or, more often, a short story.

But when I switch genres and (try to) write a piece of YA, more often than not, I fail.  First, I think I have a genius plot or an unusual idea, but once I start writing it all goes up in smoke.  My characters, the settings, the voice - everything. 

Yet I keep going back to writing YA because I like reading it, and because I like a good challenge.

Well, I'll let you know when I finish my current YA short - or not....





4 comments:

  1. Actually, I'll admit...I'm quite the opposite! For me, my "normal" genre ends up being soooooo boring!! When I add an element in it that is a feature with another genre, I end up having more fun with character development. I keep going back to the "normal" genre too, because I love the easy going, humorous nature of the characters I create. The ones in my more "genre-esque" writing end up having these complicated problems they end up in, that I ALWAYs have to fix for them. Sigh, they're like needy friends? But then again, I guess all characters are.

    Sorry, I totally lost my train of thought. But in with you 100%.

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  2. I stay in my genre too but it doesn't stop me adding new elements to jink it up. I think thriller writing (my genre) allows you to drop almost anything in - even romance.

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  3. Good luck with your YA short! Every writer has troubles along their writing journey, so don't give up on writing YA :)

    Also, I’m a new follower— wonderful blog! Stop by my blog and follow me too? http://rachelbrookswrites.blogspot.com/

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  4. Thank you Ladies for your support! I guess it is whatever works :-) I am definitely not giving up (yet).

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