Don't Let Genre Trap You

 

Having written about writer's block last post, I found myself in the frustrating position of wanting to start a new project, but every time I tried, tried being the operative word, there was nothing, nada. I was drawing a blank. Not that I didn't have ideas, I had some ideas about aliens, alternate realities, a Zoom meeting where people kept disappearing. I got a good feeling about a ghost living in an old mansion dealing with the visitors who came looking for a good haunting. 

There are times when these flashes would send me to my keyboard until I was well on my way to writing a ripping good yarn. But instead the sticky note where I had written my notion, sat there mocking me, daring me to come up with a tale. 

Then the little voice, which I try to ignore most of the time, gently nudged me and asked, "What are you doing? Are those the only kinds of stories you can write? Are you type casting yourself already?

Of course, I've written other stuff before. Why am I limiting my self. It sure isn't working out too well.

After our little chat, I simply went on with my day, and lo and behold not one hour later, I had an idea, a great idea. And there were no spaceships, supernovas, hostile aliens or evil entities. It was something else entirely. No I am not going to say what it was because it's only in the infant stages. But it was off on another track entirely.

I sat down and dashed off the first 500 words in no time. And I had enough notes on my sticky papers to see this baby get fully grown.

So my point is? No matter what you enjoy most, or what you are best at, or most knowledgeable with, don't get stuck in a genre rut. A good Italian chef can make a delicious French dinner. A good sci-fi writer can write a western. Your favourite genre is not your only path to writing. So if you are stuck for an idea in the vein you are used to, step back, open up to all the ideas around you and if it isn't a part your repertoire, then make it so. You might be happily surprised.