Moving Between Genres

by Linda O. Johnston

            My computer has multiple personalities.

            Should yours?  If you not only want to get published but also intend to keep on publishing, the answer is almost certainly Yes!

            What do I mean by multiple personalities?  In my case, I maintain one major document folder on my computer labeled “Linda’s Law” containing contracts and other products of my current part-time career as an attorney. 

            Then there’s the more exciting one called “Linda’s Writing,” which is the one I’ll focus on here.  It contains the fruit of my other career as a writer.  Within that folder are stories not limited to one genre, but in multiple genres--more exciting aspects to my computer’s different personas. 

            I’m far from the only published romance author to write, sometimes concurrently, in other genres.  I consider that a good thing, and Agent Paige Wheeler, a founding partner of Folio Literary Management, LLC, agrees.  According to Wheeler, “Switching between genres can be incredibly beneficial to an author’s career for a number of reasons.” 

            Why?  “First,” says Wheeler, “it will broaden the audience for the author, particularly if the genres are related in some way, such as romantic suspense and mysteries.  Another benefit is the ability to put out more books per year without having them directly compete with one another on bookstore shelves.”

            Additionally, says Wheeler, “A third benefit is spreading an author’s range so that all of his/her eggs aren’t in one basket.  This business can be cyclical and if one genre is faring poorly, the author has the other genre to focus on at that time.”

            Multi-published author Jacqueline Diamond Hyman agrees.  Hyman, who writes for many Harlequin lines and has also written under different names and in different genres, says writing in more than one genre “... can position you to make a switch if the market changes abruptly.”  She adds, “It keeps you fresh.”

            Other reasons to switch between genres?   Charlotte Lobb, who currently writes romantic suspense as Charlotte Maclay and inspirational cozy mysteries as Charlotte Carter, says, “I find any writing, with the possible exception of writing my grocery list, to be an exercise in creativity.”

            And according to Jina Bacarr, author of The Blonde Geisha, an erotic romance, and the award-winning non-fiction book The Japanese Art of Sex, “Each genre has its own appeal as well as its challenges.  Like a pair of shoes, some genres fit better than others, but they all help you get where you want to go.” 

            And where is that?  If you took a survey of authors who write in multiple genres, one major reason many would mention is... money!  

             “Writing is a hard gig,” says Bacarr.  “You’ve got to survive if you’re going to follow your creative muse, and that means a paycheck.” 

            Lobb responds similarly:  “By being open to opportunities in different genres I increase my chances of getting a paycheck.”

            Why do I do it?  Additional money sources, sure--but also because it’s fun!  Plus, I am fortunate enough to write fairly quickly, so I can keep myself busier by not limiting myself to a single genre.  In addition, I’m a great advocate of versatility, which is another way of saying that I like to try different approaches--especially those I’m able to sell at any given time!

            But are there downsides to writing in different genres?  Perhaps, acknowledges agent Wheeler, who again provides three reasons:  “An author could alienate readers who buy a book expecting a certain genre and then become disillusioned when the books turns out to be completely different.” 

            Additionally, there is loss of focus: “Unless an author is able to manage her time, she may be not be able to follow both genres successfully and may be pulled in too many directions.” 

            And, adds Wheeler, “the third dilemma is the issue of branding.  Ultimately, how does the author want to brand herself?  It can be difficult juggling the branding issue if the two genres are distinct.”

            The authors I interviewed agree.  Says Bacarr, “Switching between genres can be detrimental to building a career in a specific genre.”  And, similarly, Diamond says, “On the negative side, it’s harder to build a following.”

            Still, I heard more upside reasons than downside. 

            So what happens if you take our advice and write in more than one genre, possibly at the same time?  A lot of authors who do that take on pseudonyms, even if it turns out to be no secret at all who they are.  Look at Nora Roberts, who writes romance and romantic suspense under her own name.  She also writes the Eve Dallas mystery series, and their covers tend to say, “Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb.”  Even though the titles identify the stories as part of her mystery series--they all end with ...In Death--the pseudonym ensures that the reader knows which kind of story is inside.

            As mentioned above, Charlotte Lobb also uses pseudonyms.  Why?  “Because romantic suspense and inspirational readers have such different expectations, I think it’s important not to confuse them by using the same pseudonym.”

            Says Hyman, “Pseudonyms used to be more important than they are now.  Some publishers actually required them.  While it’s a bit awkward having to list more than one name in my publicity, I've generally used a variation on my real name, Jackie Diamond Hyman, so I haven't encountered much of a problem.”

            Jina Bacarr, on the other hand, is one of only a few authors who do not use pseudonyms for erotic fiction, although she used a pseudonym in the past when she wrote a sports column read by men.  To her, the good thing about using pseudonyms is, “You can start fresh in a new genre.”  On the other hand, “Building a fan base is important.  Your fans from one genre won't find you in the other.  Then again, neither will your old boyfriends.”

            And says agent Wheeler, “If you use a pseudonym, you will get a ‘fresh start’ in that genre--which can be a positive or a negative.  There is no negative sales history attached to your name...but there is also no built-in readership or positive sales history attached to your name.  A pseudonym will also help you avoid appearing to be ‘flooding the market’ with too many books out there, but it will also not help in building your name as one consistent brand.”

            I have chosen not to use a pseudonym so I can get my name known by as many readers as possible--and hopefully to show them that I come up with good stuff in all the genres in which I choose to write! 

            So, have I convinced you to try different genres?  I hope so--for your sake.  If not, well...  According to Lobb, “To succeed in this business, flexibility as well as hard work, luck and a bit of talent are required.”

            And adds Bacarr, “Writing is like acting--you want to stretch your creativity, take chances.” 

            So... Write!  Be creative!  Be versatile!  And have a good time genre-hopping.

            This article first appeared in the Orange Blossom, newsletter of the Orange County Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, in May 2006.