In reading for my 100 book challenge, I’m finding out more about the kinds of books I like and don’t like to read. My most recent read, The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children by Keith McGowan, was short and fast-paced, with several plot twists. I admired the cleverness of this retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story, set in modern day, and the way the author created a believable relationship between the brother and sister. But it took me a long time to get through. The story just didn’t hold my attention. Someone else probably thinks differently, because this is a matter of personal preference.
This leads me to think about my personal preferences for writing. I have common themes or elements in my stories but I don’t always stick within the same genre. It’s funny, because even though I do write some fantasy based in reality, I don’t like reading a lot of fantasy books for kids (except Harry Potter). Do you write the kinds of books you’d like to read?
Andrea you won a book over at Writing With a Broken Tusk. Send me an e-mail so I can send it to you.
ReplyDeleteI definitely read the kind of books that I write. I love contemporary stuff. Always have. (I read other genres, too, but very little books for the adult market.) I think it helps me get an idea of how to do it - pace, sentence structure, vocabulary, mood, tone etc.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to write the books I like to read. It's not easy. I like to read YA/MG steampunk, adventure, history, science fiction type stuff and graphic novels, and those can be very hard to write. Not that it isn't difficult to get the emotional nuances down in a contemporary, but I'm just starting to spread my wings with heavily researched world building.
ReplyDeleteMore or less, yeah I do. Though there are also alot of things I love to read but know I could never write. The stuff I write is speculative for the most part and while I read alot of stuff like that I also love reading very contemporary naturalistic fiction. I love it but I know I could never write it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Jeff, I read a lot of books in genres that I don't think I'd be able to write in. Kate, my latest WIP requires some world building - in some ways it's more challenging than a realistic, contemporary setting, since anything is possible. Carmella, it's always good to know what other stories are out there that are similar to yours, in part to see how they do it, and in part to see how to make yours stand out.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first starting writing, I didn't.
ReplyDeleteI tried to write contemporary and realistic fiction.
But I love mysteries, supernatural and horror books -- so now that's what I write and I enjoy it now more that I do.
Took a while for me to go "Duh -- write what you like to read."
Hmmm... great question! I really like a wide selection of genres, depending on my mood. So I don't necessarily write what I like to read best because that is just about everything. But I have really trying to tune into what I'm good at writing and enjoy writing which is adventure and mystery stuff.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to say I'm a sucker for romance. And I like to have romance in my stories too!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChristy, I think it is important to find out what you're good at writing - and it may not necessarily be what you love to read.
ReplyDelete