Post: Use this guide when choosing a genre

genre

Feeling that you were called to be a writer and knowing what to write are two entirely separate issues. One is about making an overall choice to write. The other is about the writing process. It’s not uncommon for a novice writer to feel unsure when choosing a genre.

Just because you choose a specific genre for one project, doesn’t mean you must be tied to it forever. Many great authors dip their quills into a variety of inkwells, if you will. Some use genre as an element of surprise for readers. They stick to a particular category for most of their career. From time to time, they write something that’s a vast departure from their typical work. Keeping a few tips in mind can help you choose a writing genre.

Let your passion be your guiding light for choosing a genre

One of the ways to decide on a genre is to think about what you love to read. Many readers bounce back and forth between genres, while others have a favorite and don’t veer far from it. If you’re in the second group, you must feel passionate about the genre you love to read. Therefore, it makes a logical choice for you to write about it as well. 

When choosing a genre as a writer, it’s also helpful to think about your passions in life. What or who do you care about most? What do you love to think about? What do you love to do? Somewhere amidst your own passions, you might find your chosen genre. 

Think about your audience, especially if you have a particular niche

Choosing a genre that your audience isn’t interested in doesn’t make much sense. If you don’t have an audience in mind yet, then you can choose your genre first and attract an audience to it. If you have a specific niche in mind, however, such as writing for teens or writing for married women, etc., you’ll want to choose a genre that’s going to captivate that specific audience. 

If you’re in it for profit, there are additional factors to consider when deciding what you’re going to write about.

Try your hand at a few different genres before honing in on one

If choosing a genre is challenging for you, take some time to create a few samples of each. You don’t have to do this in a formal way, just as a creative writing exercise. Perhaps set a week aside and spend a few hours each day writing within a different genre. On Monday, write a few mystery stories. The next day, write historical fiction. On another day, write a romance story, and so on. 

You might find that you start feeling pulled in one direction or another. Consider asking friends or family members to read your samples and provide feedback. They experience your writing in a slightly different way than you do. They might see a talent in you that you don’t recognize in yourself. 

Take it one step at a time

One of the perks of writing fiction is that you can experiment with different styles of writing. If you’re serious about becoming a writer, it’s helpful to ask someone to review your workand to provide suggestions on how you can improve a manuscript to get it ready for publishing. Choosing a genre needn’t cause you a lot of stress. By using this helpful guideline, you can make a choice with confidence.