Genre Jenga by Annette Marie Griffin

At any given time, I have at least half-a-dozen stories binging around in my head. That’s just how my brain works. I think in narrative form. That worked well for me as a child; I could captivate an audience of peers with little effort by weaving characters out of thin air and commissioning them to make my friends laugh, cringe, or cry.

But when I began writing, I soon discovered story-telling and writing are not the same thing. In writing, there are rules to follow and genres to consider. So many genres. Gone are the days when I can start a story on a fantasy note then morph it into pure romance and end it as a thriller. Why? The ominous bookstore shelf, with its neatly arranged sections, acts as the all-seeing-eye that keeps me on task.

I had no idea how many categories and sub-categories there were in literary fiction until I tried to classify my half written novel. Talk about confusing. Really—an allegorical romance is considered Speculative Fiction? Okay, who am I to question such things. Here’s the dilemma, the characters who are waiting in the long line in my mind to be birthed onto paper tend to have a will of their own. They’re too diverse to cram into one succinct class. And I’ve been told that it is difficult and risky for a new and unknown writer to attempt writing in multiple genres.

That leaves me with the precarious task of mentally shifting and blending my unwritten characters, stories and plot-lines into a common de-genre-nator. That is not working. They’re anarchists.

Unlike my cast of fiction-hopefuls, I am not the rebel type. I see the wisdom in finding my niche, creating a brand for myself, and building a strong platform before branching out. So, instead of trying to make the residents of my imaginarium conform to a genre I choose, I’ll leave them be. They can stay in their own little slots while I pluck a few to move to the top of the heap as submissions.  Whichever brings in a contract first will be the genre I focus on, for a while. I have no doubt the others will get their shot after I’m established. But I’m discovering that a big part of writing game involves timing, patience and balance. Ultimately, I know my writing is in God’s hands and His timing is perfect.

If you are a new writer trying to determine whether writing in multiple genres is best for you, here are a few pros and cons to consider:

Pros:

Creative Freedom: You don’t have to limit your artistic flow and banish your binging stories to the back burner.

Potential To Reach More People: It makes sense that by branching out into multiple-genres you could reach a broader base of people with differing interests.

Opportunity To Expand Your Craft: Since each genre has its own style, flair and rules—writing in multiple genres helps you regularly exercise a well-rounded set of literary muscles.

Cons:

Branding Confusion: If you are trying to introduce yourself to the reading world, you might not want to give them multiple personalities to deal with right from the get-go. It’s kind of like a blind date. You show them your steady-shiny-side first and save the yoga-pants-pony-tail days for when you know it’s gonna last.

Blurred Edges: Even if you are a masterful of keeping all your players in their own genre playing fields, it takes incredible versatility and skill to keep the fields from crossing. The amount of time and organization it will require to do this may be too taxing when you are heavy in the throes of establishing your brand.

Marketing Mayhem:  Be ready and willing to divide your time and efforts between multiple publishers while keeping multiple groups of readers satisfied and content—a literary Sister-Wives arrangement.

Annette Marie Griffin is an award-winning writer and aspiring author. She and her husband John have five children (three grown and two still at home) and two adorable grand-kids. With a heart and passion for serving and protecting kids of all ages, they worked in children’s and youth ministries together for over twenty years and remain active in the community serving kids and families today.