Should You Write In Multiple Genres?
Sometimes, you have a love for multiple genres. Maybe it’s horror and sci-fi. Or romance and mystery. Maybe you can’t decide between young adult fiction and that new idea for an epic fantasy novel. There are a lot of fiction genres and they’re all very different. Do you have to pick one and stick to it, or can you write in multiple? Well, that’s what we’re going to answer today – Should you write in multiple genres?
One Genre Vs. Many – Which Is Best?
So, should you write in multiple genres or stick to just one? The answer somewhat depends on your goals. If you write strictly for fun or personal satisfaction, you can write whatever you like. And while it may take some practice to get good in various genres, you won’t be doing yourself any injustice.
If you want to make a career out of selling books, that’s a different story. If you want to sell books, you should focus on one genre so that you can build a fanbase and have agents be certain of what you write. When you pick a genre and stick with it, you become known for that certain thing, and that is very important as you start your career.
Let’s say you write a great horror series, and people like it. If you put out another horror novel afterward, those readers will probably be excited to read it. This is how you start to build a fanbase. If you succeed with horror and then switch to romance, you’ll be restarting with each book and not retaining fans.
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Once you build a fanbase with a core audience (fantasy readers, romance, etc.), they may still enjoy other off-genre things that you write. Think Stephen King doing The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption. However, building up a fan base for one genre before going too far off track is the key.
Is A Pen Name A Good Idea?
If you build a nice core audience for one genre, what about trying another under a pen name? That does solve the issue of jarring your existing readers with things they may not be interested in. Again, assuming you’re trying to write for a living, a pen name comes down to if you can write a lot of books.
If so, doing off-genre stuff under a different name can work. But if you’re slow at writing, you’ll probably struggle. If you’re trying to make writing thrillers, you need to devote time to getting good thrillers out.
If you’re taking time between every book and doing other things, you may be shooting yourself in the foot. Again, if you want to make money, pick a genre and start to it.
Are You Actually Good At Both Genres?
We’ve all got certain styles and types of stories we feel most comfortable with. And unfortunately, just having a love or interest in multiple genres doesn’t mean we can write them well. Of course, you can practice and see if your writing style transfers to all of the genres that you like. Use your talents.
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But do be aware that even if you can write well in multiple genres, each “off-genre” book you release while trying to make a name for yourself is likely to complicate things.
LivingWriter Section
If you’re interested in writing in multiple genres, LivingWriter can help you pull it off. When you start a new manuscript, you can select a template that fits the genre you want to dabble in. If you’re writing fantasy, the Hero’s Journey would be a good choice. If you’re trying a romance novel, the “simple romance” template will help.
Aside from templates, the Manuscript Chat can help you be sure you’re achieving what you mean to. It can answer theoretical questions about your plot or characters, research-based questions, and even how to induce a certain feeling into a passage. For example, you can directly ask if your horror novel is conveying unease and dread. And if it isn’t, you’ll get feedback on how to get it where you want it.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, most writers enjoy multiple genres. For writers not looking to make a living writing, jumping from one genre to the next is fine. However, if you’re trying to build a devoted fanbase, it’s probably best to stick to one thing, at least until you’ve established yourself for a particular thing.