# The Writer's Circle – Week #8 [Pushing Genres]



## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

The Writer's Circle – Week #8 [Pushing Genres]

Hi everyone and welcome to Week #8 of the Writer's Circle. This week I found an article from the 'Take Note' section of the March 2009 issue of “The Writer” magazine. The headline is “Authors push genre boundaries” and it covers how some authors move from the genres they are established in to write other types of novels. However, their successes are not always as great as the original genre they started with. Written by Chuck Leddy, this article may be something for those of you who are thinking of applying your skills to a different genre. 

Authors push genre boundaries
by: Chuck Leddy



> In literature, as in life, if you do something well, there's pressure to keep doing it. Naturally, we want our neurosurgeons to focus like a laser on doing surgery well. Similar pressures, if not quite so life-and-death, confront singers and actors. We don't want opera singers performing rock music. And when an author strikes it rich in one genre, has successfully surmounted the challenges of attracting a readership and building a reputation, both his publisher and his readership will expect him to keep moving in the same direction.
> 
> But nobody like to be pigeonholed, especially people as creative as novelists. While the concept of literary genres attract readers with predictable plot elements, and publishers, with a built-in audience and reliable revenues, authors yearn to take creative risks. Against all the financial pressures to keep on mining the same genre, a number of authors have begun pushing the boundaries, marking out new courses that may lead to more creativity, if not more money.
> 
> ...


I have to say, I am a prime example of what this article talks about. A little over a year ago, I got the push I need to start seriously writing. And it happened right here on Heresy. When the fiction comp of 2008 came around. I had been writing for a little bit, nothing serious though. It was just a hobby and something that I enjoyed doing whilst in high school. But when I saw the comp post up calling for “Heresy Online Fiction Extravaganza!” I figured i'd finally set my mind to something. Well, somehow I won last years comp. Even though I think there were other stories submitted that totally kick the shit out of mine. Oathbreaker being the prime example! Dirge really writes some awesome shit. My hat goes off to you, if you're reading this. :grin: Anyways, within the span of a year and a couple months, I'm still writing the fiction for 40k, however I'm also doing video game writing for THQ, EA games and Microsoft. Its awesome working with authors and writers of the caliber that you see in these fields. I don't quite know how I got to work with them, but someone must have like my work. lol That is just my example of how I have 'crossed genres.' I'm still surprised that I've been able to do this so early on in my career. Now, lets get to the discussion questions.

1. How many of you are thinking of switching genres?

2. How many of you think you'll stick with the current genre(s) you write in?

3. If you are thinking about switching genres and trying your hand at another form of writing, what form of writing is that? Poetry? Memoirs? Articles? Another fiction genre?

4. Have you read any of the books above? What are your takes on these books? Good or bad?

Well, that about wraps up Week #8 of the Writer's Circle. I hop you all have enjoyed reading it! Come back next week for another great article!

Write on,

Commissar Ploss


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

*1. How many of you are thinking of switching genres?*

One here. If I start doing original work and submitting to magazines online, etc, I actually have a chance of eventually being published. Seeing as BL doesn't take unsolicited manuscripts, and the only new authors, taken in during their semi-annual competitions, can be counted on one hand (out of the nearly a thousand who enter each time), my prospects are limited there.

*2. How many of you think you'll stick with the current genre(s) you write in?*

Definitely. You couldn't pry me away from 40k with a crowbar, grease, a Cuthellian Cudbear, and twenty pounds of det-block. Same goes for Fantasy, but replace the last two with a chaos magus and warpstone.

*3. If you are thinking about switching genres and trying your hand at another form of writing, what form of writing is that? Poetry? Memoirs? Articles? Another fiction genre?*

Short, original fiction, mostly. Perhaps sticking with sci fi and perhaps not - only time shall tell.

*4. Have you read any of the books above? What are your takes on these books? Good or bad?*

None of them. I have considered the Maximum Ride books...but that's about it.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Thanks for your input there Mossy! Week #9 will be up tomorrow!

CP


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