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writing multiple genres

brokethepoint

Troubadour
My main genre of interest is epic fantasy, I have multiple ideas stewing with the world building pretty much all done and figured out.

But, the book that I absolutely have to get out of my head right now is probably considered urban fantasy.

Will the first book put out by an author be considered their main genre? Will it have an effect on fan base?
 
Nah, I know there are plenty of people who dip their toes in many waters. It is whatever you come out with the most that will determine where you are.
 

Weaver

Sage
Real life example: An author who won a Hugo Award for a science fiction novel later wrote a multi-universe, swords-and-magic series. Is he a sci-fi author, or a fantasy author? (He also wrote a Western once, and a non-SF/F mystery.)

There are a lot of authors who write both science fiction and fantasy. If that doesn't cause any problems for them, I don't see how writing in more than one subgenre of fantasy would have any effect.
 

SeverinR

Vala
Sci-fi and Fantasy are similar, and alot of readers can enjoy both.

The further from created fantasy/scifi, you get the more likely you will change readers completely.
Real world mystery fiction would be a big difference to the writer use to populating the world and creating rules for how things work, having to restrict oneself to using real world tech rather then conjuring up a nice ball of fire to scare the enemy off with.

I don't know how many can be good sellers in multiple genres, but I don't see why it would be a problem.

I have written one modern novel dealing with more occult issues, rather then modern fantasy. It needs a good editing(no, probably just rewritten), but it was one of the first stories I wrote before I even started looking on how to improve.
 

yachtcaptcolby

Minstrel
And, if for some reason you'd like to keep your work in various genres separate, you could always take a pen name.

Personally, I've found writing in various genres to be of great help in developing a distinct writing voice.
 

Caged Maiden

Staff
Article Team
Sometimes a story gets into my head and I just have to drop everything and start writing it, whether it's my "usual" or not. Other times, I can outline it, do a couple pages of notes, and set i ton the shelf for some future project. I think you ought to do what you feel compelled to do, and if this new idea you have, isn't novel-length, you can always do it as a novella or short story.
 

Saigonnus

Auror
I am like most of you in that I enjoy reading many genres and writing them also. I think authors that write more than just a single genre develop more creative writing skills since the dynamics are similar.
 
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