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What genre/categories do you write in and why? Which ones do you avoid because you don’t like them, or avoid because they’re daunting? Seems like a random question, but I’ve been mulling over taking another dip into fantasy. And when I mull, I ask a lot of questions. “Why do people read fantasy?” “Do I want to write campy fantasy, epic fantasy, or dark fantasy?” “What fantasy tropes should I stick with?” “How much fantasy is too much fantasy?” I think most genres come with questions of their own. For me, fantasy is daunting because I have trouble deciding whether something is eyeroll-worthy or suspend-belief worthy when so much of it relies on that belief suspension. I tend to write dramas and thrillers with supernatural elements (or just plain violent), probably because I spent my life reading them. It’s easy to keep them character driven and sometimes fantastical and still pull enough of the real world in that I’m comfortable with the believability factor. So: What genres/categories do you play in? What genres/categories do you avoid? Why?

Hey! Cool post! Most of all, I do romance I’m afraid I’m a little over the top, sopy at times, but idk, it balences out with my extreme love of drama! Woah, I think I just described the scene of a soap opera… Ok, nevermind, I’m gonna have to rethink that *smh* I’m attempting sci-fi in the story I’m working on currently. Its a challenge for me. I’m using a single character’s 3rd person perspective to keep certain plot points hidden from the readers and as the plot progresses, I’m very slowly unraveling the scifi. I def knew from the start I wouldn’t be able to go full blown ALIEN INVASION shit. So I structured the story to support my oh so wonderful talents in drama bs. Rofl! I’m also interested in trying some fantasy when I’m done with my current story… I’d be interested to know how other people attempt that genre as well. I think it’s going to be a tough process… It’s not something I’ll approach without a lot of planning involved. I already know I want to invent a mythology, an imaginary kingdom and a new world to put it in. I want magic with love spells and death potions and maybe a magical creature here and there

Let’s put it this way. It can either be used as a tool in writing, or as a mind set that informs your use of other writing tools. It would be foolish to be against it in either case since there are many cases for its use. Chekov himself showed this in his works, as did Poe, Lovecraft and many others. Like any tool however, careless and reckless usage can yield unsatisfactory results. Here’s a common example of chekov’s gun in action. EVer notice that whenever a movie talkes about something being impossible, highly unlikely, or absurdly improbable it winds up happening. “That shot’s impossible to make without a targeting comnputer” “No one can pull the sword from the stone” “Atlantis is a favble and legend, reaching it is impossible” Abny of those famnous last words ring a bell? But as saiud, if you use it with hamfists you’ll basically make your readers go dizzy from the eye-rolling. Improperly used and you start telegraphing things like a an easy video game boss. and then the reader just wwinds up waiting for it which means they tend to start glossing over the rest of the details. So I;m not for or against the usage. I just advise that CHekov’s gun, like any gun, be wielded with care and responsibility. I think were Chekov still alive he would say. “ The audience should never be aware that something is a ‘Chekov’s Gun’ until the Gun is fired.(as it were).

depends on my mood for the universe that I want to write in, the kind of things that I want to happen to the characters and how it happens.

I love historical, I just find it sooo difficult, mostly for the reason you mentioned. It’s hard to determine where it’s best to take a few artistic liberties and where to go with the research. But it’s soooo much fun.

Well, you know what mine are, as my Beta, but… My area of specialty, so to speak, is science fiction or speculative fiction. I also don't mind writing historical, but a lot of the time, I find myself having to smudge a detail slightly... And I don't like doing that… I really avoid the romance... Like extremely... Like vampire and sunlight (and not the Twilight vampires...)... I don't really think I do good writing it... I actually think I fail when I've tried (I'm sure anyone keeping up on CHHW would agree...) Another I avoid, though not as vehemently, is westerns. I was never interested in them, so now I don't really have the interest in writing them. Why do I write SciFi and historical? I guess it's the love of stuff like Star Trek and Star Wars with my grandfather. Good memories instilling that deep love of the genre. When I started writing, sci fi was the first I wrote... And historical, I just love history.

Don’t worry about sounding cliched but like anything else. Be aware of it. Once you are, you can use it toshape and guide reader expectations, and then skillfully subvert or redirect them. It’s one thing to talk about the sword that could never be held or pulled from the stone. It’s another thing entirely to make the story hinge around it. See what I’m saying? You can make it seem like the all important thing is the five finger death punch. or you can subvert it and make the death punch irrelevant by introducing a gun. In which case your Chekov’s Gun has become a McGuffin or a Red Herring. Literary tools are fun to play with if you pay attention to what you’re doing. It’s why I liken them to tools. There are more ways to use a Hammer than most people can dream off.

Wait! Hold the phone! Stop the presses! Abraham Lincoln didn't fight vampires and that wasn't the reason for the Civil War? Damn, I've been under the wrong impression! Guess I gotta cut the Vampires as leaders of Nazi Germany out now...

I don’t restrict myself to any genre, nor do I deliberately avoid any. I only normally write original fiction though. I do like to challenge myself and push into different areas. I’ve only lightly dabbled in sci fi once so I’d like to do that again one day (sending unwanted plot ideas my way will be appreciated ), but my favourite genres are horror and fantasy. I’m open to any genre though.

i prefer a good story, its all about what i want to happen, how it should happen etc. I have a Naruto story still in the works, but I also have others that ive been working on in my mind of very different worlds

Aww! I love that you mentioned your feelings and emotions here… You even mentioned your grandfather! That’s so special and sweet! You should always stay true to your passions, but I swear you have it in you to be a romantic I know you struggle a little in CHHW but its not bad! I’m a beta too, ok I’ve never attempted history… it WOULD be difficult. Lol. I had a couple ideas I wanted to attempt that took place in the past, but I’m just afraid of messing up real facts. I’m not a good researcher of history, I’m not even going to pretend Haha! How about writing an AU? huh? huh! It’s my take on how history played out Hmmm, that’s slightly vauge SirGeneralSir! It sounds like your characters are created in an awesome dream like world, where anything’s possible Fantasy much? Or do you prefer scifi?