Genre vs. Me

I want my stories to be recognised by publishers and for them to take an interest in me and my work. I suppose that this is less likely to happen if I use elements from all different genres into my novel, as a publisher may struggle to sell my book to bookshops. All this has meant that I have had to be very strict with creativity in my work. Although I understand why this needs to be done, I am also fighting the battle with wanting my novel to stand out amongst others in a genre. Therefore, I have to be very watchful of the originality I have included in my novel.

Considering all of the elements above, it is a lot to think about and frankly, it gives me a headache. One thing is clear though, genre has evolved over time and the industry is expanding by the day. Genre still has rigid rules and this, I don’t think, will ever change. Some make the argument that all fiction must have a genre. I can understand this, although genre can harm writers by restricting their creative flow, they can take away their freedom of expression. However, writers must make a decision whether to keep to genre conventions or to venture into the grey area that separates genre into the unknown. Writers need to decide what impact they want to make on the industry and whether they are brave enough to break the rules to publish the novel they desire.  At present, I am still discovering the challenges of being a writer, but I have found my passion and will continue to work towards my goal of publishing a series of novels. Genre or not, I will keep an eye on current and upcoming trends on the market. I am prepared to do whatever it takes to make my stories and writing style unique.