How do you find the genre that fits you best?

[waldenwriter]

I was thinking today about writing genres. I enjoy reading fantasy a lot, and I write it quite well. Sci-fi I can write decently as well, although not having read much sci-fi, as well as not being a "hard science" author, might be a disadvantage for me.

However, I am also a big history buff, and I enjoy reading historical fiction (especially Brock and Bodie Thoene). That said, I have only written two pieces of historical fiction. One was a short story called "The Princess and the Emperor," about Napoleon and his second wife Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria, written in third-person from Marie Louise's POV (though I realize from the story that I called her "Marie Theresa," which must've been the name I found for her in my research). I submitted it to a contest and it got published in the 2003 edition of the Anthology of Short Stories by Young Americans. The other was a short story I wrote for a 500-word challenge on a writers' forum I was part of called Fiction Express (which is now defunct, unfortunately), called "The Troubles of Misha." Written in response to a prompt to write a story featuring a priest and a circus ringmaster, the story is set during the Crimean War and tells of a military-serving priest named Misha confronting the ringmaster of a circus of sensual female acrobats whose presence he feels is corrupting the soldiers.

So, my enigma is such: I like fantasy and sci-fi and want to write them, but I also like history and wouldn't mind writing historical fiction (which also seems to be a more popular genre in the Christian market). I can't find the genre that works for me. What should I do?

[dizzyjam]

I don't know what to recomend for you, but this thread has hit a chord within me that's been in the front of my mind for some time. If I can ever get a manuscript finished, get it published and start writing enough to really hit my stride, I would want something with the sci-fi elements of Kevin J. Anderson, the fantasy elements of Tolkein, the horror and plainspoken elements of Stephen King, and while having the militaristic elements of Tom Clancy I'd want an underscore of a rollicking adventure like Clive Cussler tells. That would be a dream story coming from me. I sure hope I can get there one day. I'll keep working on it.

I suppose the recommendation for you (and everyone else too) is just to keep writing and change your style as you see fit once you read what you have written. If there's one thing I'm learning on the project I currently have, if I don't sit down to write and actually type the thing out a word at a time, the story won't be written. So write, right?

[metalikhan]

WW, Have you thought about trying out alternate history? With your history knowledge and SFF interest, you could blend the best of both.

[Christian Soldier]

You could also drop the concept of Genre and just write. You can always figure out the Genre later

[Vaporwolf]

yeah I'm with Christian Soldier. Find the stories that capture your imagination the most and write those. If you feel the need to jump genres then there will be issues that you need to deal with, but nothing insurmountable.

[metalikhan]

CS and Vaporwolf are absolutely right. Give your keyboard a workout! Write the story in your vision; it will identify itself later.

[waldenwriter]

Thanks everyone!

Metalikhan, I did look into alternate history. I've never read any though.

I wrote out a plot summary of one of my sci-fi novels today (I called it a "plot treatment," but it was only 7 pages long, so it's more of a summary...I think treatments are longer), and genre didn't seem to matter. I had a story I wanted to tell and I told it. It's primarily sci-fi, but the sci-fi elements are more background than anything. There's even some fantasy elements in it. A bit of spiritual warfare even (I'm a big Frank Peretti fan).

I think a plot summary came easier because I just finished reading James Scott Bell's book Plot and Structure, which Randy Ingermanson recommended in his "road map" lecture. (I read it a lot quicker than I might have done, due to the fact that we were camping earlier this week because they were sealing the concrete floors downstairs - to prepare for the wood floors they were going to put in - and we couldn't be in the house). Today, I also read Character Creation for the Plot-Driven Novelist, Jeff's book (I also bought How to Find Your Story, since I wasn't sure if I was plot-driven or character-driven, but a few pages of that one told me I needed the character one more). I can't fill the template out till I get a copy of Please Understand Me II (which I just requested from Barnes & Noble tonight, since the libraries I checked don't have it).

So, so far so good. Although, a trip to my school library (which is open cause summer classes are in session) today to do research for the aforesaid novel turned up nothing useful. It boggles me that a university library doesn't have updated travel guidebooks, not even Fodor's! I did apply for a public library library card though, which I plan to go pick up Friday before work, so that should help. I can probably find what I need there.

As my signature quote says, "I enjoy writing books, but it isn't easy."

[Christian Soldier]

Good! CJ Cherryh, Brown, from "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers", and Jeff all agree that the important part of telling your story is, well, to tell it. Worry about genre, grammar, and spelling afterwards.