Hello!

I am currently writing two novels, as like many other writers I came up with a new idea for a book as I was writing my first one and I wanted to write it down before I lost the idea.

They are both the same genre being crime/thriller but I my main talent seems to lie within the chick lit genre. crime/thriller is a challenge to me but it's something I've found enjoyable to write.

I was wondering if I got published (a very big if in the world of writing I know but still!) would I be allowed to go into two different genres or would I have to stay in the same one? I.E just do crime or chick lit but not both?

It's a long way off but if writers are only allowed to publish within one genre while with an agent etc I should really start to prepare for which genre I want to write for shouldn't I!

All comments welcome!

Aimee xxx

I'm having the same problem. The novel that’s being published in July is a supernatural thriller, although it has a strong element of romance in it. I also have a romance novel which I’d love to get published, and I'm two-thirds of the way through a crime story.

The difficulty lies with readers’ expectations. Say your first novel is crime, and it was a success. Everyone who enjoyed it enough to want to pick up your second book would expect it to be another crime novel – they probably read it because they are fans of crime fiction. If it turned out to be chicklit they could well be mightily disappointed.

If you were lucky enough to be picked up by a mainstream publisher they would invest a great deal of money to launch you as a crime novelist… and you had better damned well stay a crime novelist until they get their money’s worth. The alternative is for them to launch you again as another new writer, under a different name… we’re into the realms of fantasy here…

Another alternative, however, which is quite possible, is to either self-publish, or go with two of the small-press specialist publishers who will fund publication, although you’ll have to do your own marketing and selling. An up-to-date website can keep potential readers clued up on each of the different genres you're producing.

Hope this helps

Dee

I think that unfortunately this is a problem created by the narrow-focused publishing world rather than the world of writers and readers themselves. People are not as "dumb" as they are made out to be, in my opinion, and are indeed able to understand when a writer deals in two - or more! - genres. It's all storytelling after all ...

I've been told many a time that I'm a problem as I write in 2 genres - actually 3 now! - (comedy, dark crime and now fantasy) but I've decided to do what I enjoy best at the time without worrying about the consequences. My agent deals only with my crime stuff (and my fantasy novel when I've finished it), and I deal with the comedy myself. You could get more than one agent to handle your stuff - authors do this. Or you could have different names for each type you write - this is done often as well! Me, I prefer using my own name, as my two faithful readers like it like that!!

)

A
xxx