Do you write the same genre you read?

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Cate Hart
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by Cate Hart » December 10th, 2009, 12:47 pm

I consider myself a reading whore, I will reading just about anything if it will "transport me off this rock" for at least a little while. But I find that I read more of what I'm writing at that moment. Right now, I writing YA paranormal and I find myself drawn in the bookstore to those titles. When I was working on my historical romance, that's what I read more of. And when I'm not writing (yeah right), I try to pick up literary classics like Pride and Prejudice or more literary high brow stuff.

BTW, nice new blog and forum, Nathan.

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Sandy Shin
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by Sandy Shin » December 10th, 2009, 12:57 pm

I definitely do read the same genre I write, though I don't write in all the genres I read. I write almost exclusively YA. Although that defines the majority of what I read, I also love SF/Fantasy, Mystery, and Historical Fiction. I wouldn't write in any of those genres (as of now), but I do enjoy reading them.

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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by rose » December 13th, 2009, 1:03 pm

What a great question, Mira. I usually approach the forum via the View Active Topics choice. For some reason topics of this writing subgroup do not make it over to that display selection, so I apologize for my late arrival. (Have we only been meeting like this for a week now? Good go, Nathan!)

I have always loved biographies, memoirs, and travelogues, so the answer is yes I suppose. I read everything except sci-fi and fantasty, but cozies are my favorite brain candy. Cozies and mystery novels with a sense of place to them, a la Tony Hillerman.

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coscooper
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by coscooper » December 13th, 2009, 4:56 pm

Great question! I actually do read a lot of the genre I write. While I read a variety of genres, I do tend to stick with what I like. Thrillers, Mysteries and SF. All three are my favorite genres for writing as well.
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Nathan Bransford
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by Nathan Bransford » December 13th, 2009, 8:44 pm

rose wrote:What a great question, Mira. I usually approach the forum via the View Active Topics choice. For some reason topics of this writing subgroup do not make it over to that display selection, so I apologize for my late arrival. (Have we only been meeting like this for a week now? Good go, Nathan!)

I have always loved biographies, memoirs, and travelogues, so the answer is yes I suppose. I read everything except sci-fi and fantasty, but cozies are my favorite brain candy. Cozies and mystery novels with a sense of place to them, a la Tony Hillerman.

rose
Thanks for mentioning this. I fixed the settings so that topics from this forum should now be in the Active Topics list.

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CharleeVale
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by CharleeVale » December 14th, 2009, 1:00 am

As a general rule I will read whatever interests me.
Right now I am on a historical fiction/romance kick, so Eva Ibbotson and others like her are my top priority.
But I make a point to read a lot of YA and early adult, because I believe that by reading a lot of what you write, you get a better understanding of what works and what doesn't.

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dmarie84
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by dmarie84 » December 14th, 2009, 1:13 pm

Mostly. I devour anything historical, whether it's historical fantasy or historical fiction. It's almost the only genre I read. I say almost because I've been getting into YA lately--but even then I tend to gravitate towards historical or fantasy based ones---fantasy that's NOT vampire or werewolf related, LOL.
The pleasantest of all diversions is to sit alone under the lamp, a book spread out before you, and to make friends with people of a distant past you have never known.--Yoshida Kenko, Essays in Idleness

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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by Trustedwriter » December 16th, 2009, 11:03 pm

I write almost exclusively science-fiction and fantasy (not specifically YA, but not really "adult" either). Although I read those genres, I probably don't explore them as much as I should; I tend to be unfamiliar with their trends. Primarily, I read non-fiction (Christian living), and historical fiction.
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r louis scott
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by r louis scott » December 16th, 2009, 11:52 pm

I write historical fiction and I read (a lot of) historical fiction, but I don't read anything from the era of my WIP. I also find myself reading history and biographies as they come to hand. They provide nice springboards since you never know what little factoid will send you on a fun search for more information.

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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by benjdutton » December 17th, 2009, 2:44 pm

It is a good question. I read just about anything - if it's a good story well told you've got me. Don't care whether it's about humans, animals or elves. My default setting is literary fiction, especially literary Americana - Philip Roth, Cormac McCarthy etc and literary Irish - Sebastian Barry, Colm Toibin etc. My first novel was a love story, more chic lit than heavyweight. My second novel is more literary, certainly feminine in tone. The third is the mirror image of the second, closer in tone I think to Roth. The fourth, well, it's historical crime fiction so... I go back to what I said first, if it's a good story, I'll read it. We're here to tell stories, the genre should come later.

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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by Tzalaran » December 17th, 2009, 3:29 pm

i've only written in the fantasy genre, and although Sci-fi/fantasy is my favorite genre, i read philosophy, political philosophy, thriller, horror, classics, and so on. everything except romance and erotica (although to broaden my horizons i did read the first book in a romance series that my wife thought i'd like. i liked it until the end, when i felt ripped off because the couple gets together but the huge battle that was eluded to didn't happen in that book, but happens 2 books later).

lately, i find myself reading more 'How-to' type books than anything ('Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain', photoshop tips and tricks, Mel scripting for technical directors and such).
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by AceTachyon » December 17th, 2009, 5:16 pm

Yep.

I read SF and Fantasy. I write SF and Fantasy. Although at the moment, I'm writing SF.

I also read mystery, mostly the Spenser novels by Robert Parker.

And every so often, I'll grab an Executioner book.
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Terry
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by Terry » December 17th, 2009, 6:26 pm

For the most part, yes. I'm a murder mystery buff.

But I also read whatever catches my attention. . . and a lot does. I like to browse bookstores and online and listen to recommendations.

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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by gpetersen » December 18th, 2009, 1:36 am

I would say no, but that is just I tend to read more classic works (currently working on the Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser) so I can't really write classics since they are in the past and can't be their contemporaries. However, I tend to write more modern fantasy usually devoid of any historical settings. I believe what I read helps me set up the writing which I produce. I pull from each book I read, regardless of genre, and apply it creating a base in my work.

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Bryan Russell/Ink
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Re: Do you write the same genre you read?

Post by Bryan Russell/Ink » December 20th, 2009, 10:52 pm

Well, I write Literary and Fantasy, and in short fiction I tend to write magical realist crossbreeds of the two.

But I'm pretty omnivorous as a reader. Just about anything, really. Though, if I had to break it down, I read more Lit fiction than anything else, followed by history, memoir and fantasy. Though it should be noted that growing up I read truly vast amounts of fantasy, literally in the thousands. I still read fantasy, but I'm much more choosy. Part of why I write in that genre is that early impression, I think, that early desire to be a fantasy novelist. But part of it is also that I want to write a particular sort of fantasy story, one that I have trouble finding as a reader. You write what you want to read that has yet to be written. If everyone else is slacking off, you'll just have to do it yourself. :)
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