There comes a time in a writer's career when he must look back and think if his books are not becoming similar to each other. If that is the case then you will have to look at some ways to mix things up. If you are writing all your books in one genre then most likely you won't be able to think of too many different stories to tell within your books. But how can you make your audience read your books with the same hype as before?
The answer is pretty simple - write books in other genres or one book with multiple ones.
How to write one book with more than one genre?
It may sound pretty intimidating at first, but once you have done reading this article, things will seem much simpler than before.
To be able to write in more than one genre, you should research all the genres you are interested in writing. Then, you might try and write a single story in the genre you are least experienced in but have the wish to include in your next book. This way you can notice the little details of the genre by first-hand experience. Then you can start thinking of ways to include this genre in your next book.
The good thing is that it is almost impossible to find a combination of genres that do not work together. The possibilities are endless. After finding the perfect combination for you, it is very important to know how to execute it properly. If you don't have an idea, then you might end up writing two separate books behind one cover, which is something we don't want to happen. You must find a way to connect the genres so the whole story is interesting to read and more importantly, adequate. Your writing should make sense, you can't just write everything that comes to your mind and hope that it won't end up as nonsense.
Are there any risks in writing in more than one genre?
The answer you are looking for is yes, there are a lot of risks in switching or mixing genres. First of all, if you have had your reputation going up in one genre only, then switching it might hurt your future as an author. Your audience is your only key to success and disappointing them will not do you any good. For example, if in your entire career you have only written horror books you can't just expect that your fans would like to read children's books or some fancy stories about a pirate falling in love with a mermaid, it is just unnatural for your fan base to read things in these genres from you. That is why you shouldn't make drastic changes in your writing. Everything should happen naturally, step by step. Release a book with two genres, where your typical genre dominates. Then, in your next book, balance the focus between the two genres. After that, the third book in this cycle could put the main focus on the new genre that you want to write in. And then at last, if you see that the results from the previous books are promising, you can try and write one book in the new genre. This may sound a little time-consuming at first, but if you want to keep your reputation and experiment at the same time, this is probably your best option. You can't expect your fans to stay with you and enjoy everything you write for them, just because they have enjoyed your previous books. You have to keep your identity, the identity that has given you everything you have achieved as an author. Of course, you can always think of a new pseudonym and experiment by publishing your new books under it, but then you will depend mostly on luck because as a "new" author, you will have to win your readers' hearts all over again.
Should you become a multi-genre author?
It comes a time in one's career as a writer, when one wants to experiment, discover new horizons and improve his overall ability. A great possibility for doing this is publishing books in multiple genres. The risk is huge, but the possible rewards are definitely worth it. If you are willing to embark on this difficult quest, you have to know that it might bring an end to your career or it might be the thing that actually saves it. Multi-genre writing might be like your wings, wings that will make you reach up even higher than you have ever been before. The only question you have to ask yourself is "Am I ready for this adventure?"
Коментарі