I never really gave it a lot of thought before, but lately, I've come to realize that most of what I write is some form of science-fiction. To date I've completed (and by 'completed' I mean I've at least finished the first draft) three medieval sci-fi novels, a contemporary sci-fi thiller, and a contemporary urban fantasy.
This wasn't a conscious decision, but even though I have plenty of ideas (including several outlines) for full-length projects in other genres, somehow, when it's time to select a new WIP, I always find myself choosing the science fiction project over the rest.
I find this surprising because my reading habits simply don't match. Don't get me wrong, I love me some good science fiction - especially short stories, and as a teenager I read hundreds of science fiction books, but most of what I read now is historical fiction (anything from Conn Iggulden's Emperor series, set in ancient Rome, to Bernard Cornwell's Starbuck Chronicles, set in the time of America's civil war); fantasy books, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series or Dean Koontz's Brother Odd; and a few mainstream thrillers.
Now, I know we're supposed to write what we read, but somehow, my writing brain didn't get the message.
I'm not too worried about Waking up Jack Thunder, which I would hope will find it's way onto the mainstream shelves, even though there's a sci-fi element to it. However, since I've decided to get back to work on my medieval sci-fi novels (I set them aside a couple of years when I realized they weren't going anywhere until I learned a heck of a lot more than I then knew about this writing thing), I really need to change my reading habits, or at least, add a new genre to them.
How about you?
What's your favorite genre to write in? Do your reading habits match?
This wasn't a conscious decision, but even though I have plenty of ideas (including several outlines) for full-length projects in other genres, somehow, when it's time to select a new WIP, I always find myself choosing the science fiction project over the rest.
I find this surprising because my reading habits simply don't match. Don't get me wrong, I love me some good science fiction - especially short stories, and as a teenager I read hundreds of science fiction books, but most of what I read now is historical fiction (anything from Conn Iggulden's Emperor series, set in ancient Rome, to Bernard Cornwell's Starbuck Chronicles, set in the time of America's civil war); fantasy books, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series or Dean Koontz's Brother Odd; and a few mainstream thrillers.
Now, I know we're supposed to write what we read, but somehow, my writing brain didn't get the message.
I'm not too worried about Waking up Jack Thunder, which I would hope will find it's way onto the mainstream shelves, even though there's a sci-fi element to it. However, since I've decided to get back to work on my medieval sci-fi novels (I set them aside a couple of years when I realized they weren't going anywhere until I learned a heck of a lot more than I then knew about this writing thing), I really need to change my reading habits, or at least, add a new genre to them.
How about you?
What's your favorite genre to write in? Do your reading habits match?
- Current Mood:
surprised
Comments
Thanks for sharing :)
On the other hand, if you want to avoid cliché, I think it's very important to keep up with the field.
On a third hand, a lot of modern SF has departed from the straight-forward sense of wonder we all loved as kids and I think this is the main reason Fantasy has overtaken it in popularity. There is still SF of this type out there, but it is no longer the dominant life-form on the shelves.
Edited at 2009-12-09 03:09 pm (UTC)
You're probably right.
By the way, I just read your reply in our latest cow/milk pun battle. Not bad, but if you hoof it over there, you'll see I've made a counter-strike, though you may have herd some of them before :).
With horror, I like the 'I know it's 2:00am, but I can't put this book down until I've finished it because otherwise I'd have no excuse to leave the light on' kind of scary tension, rather than the 'blood spurted, bone showed, Ooh look he's having his head bitten off' stuff,
I think it's harder to write, but so much more satisfying to read, don't you?
Thanks for sharing, Barbara :)
You're absolutely write about the need to be aware of what's already out there, though.
Thanks for the sharing, Pat :)
I like to write fantasy mostly in line with what I read. What I can’t understand is why a romance element will meander through occasionally (shudder). I can't stand romance or chick lit, so I don’t understand when it shows up in my work. I guess that is my divergence.
Maybe it's just that you want to see those things written in a different way :)
Thanks for the input :)
i write fantasy with strong characters.
i will read the odd something else, something classical, perhaps. but never other genres, they hold no interset for me. im all about the fantasy
Whatever the book's about, it should be great story, with interesting characters.
Thanks for sharing :)
I just find fantasy to be too, well, rigid to be enjoyed most of the time. I think it's because on many publisher's websites they say "Must have an established system of magic." Um, really? Why can't magic be magic? We do we have to have magic adhere to the laws of some made up system? Isn't that called "physics?"
If Merlin wants to fart Twizzlers at people, I say let him! Rules be damned!
Thanks for sharing :)