 |
| Cindy K. Green |
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. There
are some big names who jump around in the genres. James Patterson is known for
his mystery/suspense/thrillers. But he’s also penned some award-winning
young adult titles and even a series of romances.
When I’m asked: ‘What do you write? What’s your genre?’ I seriously
have to make out a list. And I make no excuses for it. I love skipping from
genre to genre, stretching my writer’s legs or fingers—or to be more precise my
imagination and my writer’s niche. It keeps the writing fresh and exciting. I
finally branded myself in a general sense with ‘Humorous, Heartfelt,
Spirit-filled Fiction.’ My subgenres include: Inspirational Contemporary &
Historical Romance, Young Adult, Chick-lit, Romantic Suspense. I’ve even
written a high fantasy. I told you it was a lot.
So, I’ve been asked, ‘how do you write in all those genres?
I feel like I’d get confused.’ Well, here’s my confession—it’s very easy to get
confused. If you write in several genres you have to go through steps to bring
it all together. Let me take you through an example.
I’ve recently been writing two different YA series. In doing
so, I had to purge from my mind the voice and tone of my just finished historical
western. I was now an almost eighteen-year-old girl full of insecurities while watching
my life spin upside down. So, first step, I have to read some YA books. A
little Meg Cabot, some Jenny B. Jones and a bit of Melody Carlson and I’m set.
I listen to music that’s for the young or young at heart. And then I watch lots
of teen movies. Basically, I get into the mindset of the American teen. (I also
have a teen living in my house and that’s the best prep work there is.)
I do something similar for whatever genre I’m writing. It’s
like I’m priming myself to write. You see there is a tone, a set a verbiage
that is necessary to each sub-genre. I have to get myself into that place
before I start writing. Now if you only write in one genre that isn’t really a
problem. No matter what you are reading or watching it won’t affect your
writing. You’ve trained yourself how to write your genre. But when you write
several genres, you have to equip yourself to write many different ways and
your muse needs a reminder as to what hat to put on today.
Dora here. Do you write in multiple genres? If so, how do you "prime" yourself to write?
If not, have you considered writing in a different genre?
****
Cindy K.
Green has worked as a middle school history & English teacher, a frozen
yogurt server and a golf magazine employee. Today she's a multi-published,
award-winning author, a mother, a wife, and a homeschooler too. This native
Californian now resides in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and two
cats named Chloe & Kassey.
Connect
with Cindy:
Join her
newsletter by sending an email to cindy@cindykgreen.com. Visit her website www.cindykgreen.com
& her blog cindykgreen.blogspot.com. She's on Facebook
(Cindy K. Green) and Twitter (@cindykgreen) too. Connect with her on Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/cgreen0224/
and Google+: https://plus.google.com/+CindyGreenAuthor/posts as
well.
Her latest release Andrea & the Five Day Challenge is a
Christian YA novel, the first in the Aubrey Christian Academy Series. A Bible
Study Challenge, a Prayer Journal and Homecoming. The combination just might
change her life.
Buy
Links:
