Genres

Warning: this is a brain storming session and may not interest anyone but me. You've been advised. Carry on if you so choose...or not.

If I were to write a novel...scratch that...when I write a novel, what genre should I engage? I've toyed around with plots for different stories. And now I think it is time to decide for realz. Here is a run down of genres I've thought over, some authors and general thoughts about each.

1. Mysteries/thrillers: John Grisham used to be my drug. And then I enjoyed a little Mary Higgins Clark. (Back in high school I think my friends and I had the lock down on Ms. Clark's books in the library. I know, I just said that out loud. If you are used to the nerdiness that is me by now, don't read this. It's just going to get worse.) Mystery/thrillers are still among my favorite guilty pleasures. I find myself drawn to them over and over. Even after I've sworn them of for good because they have too much sex (ahem...James Patterson). Or they are far too over the top (ahem...well...Clive Cussler...sorry Clive. I think that if I met you in real life, I'd think you were super nice.)

Maybe I've been watching too much Castle of late. But really, writing about fast chase scenes and murder and mayhem might be kind of fun since that is entirely removed from my life and really most people's lives and it's just plain escapism for both the reader and the writer. And you can write some pretty ridiculous stuff, and completely get away with it.

2. Historical/Thriller: C.J. Sansom, a well-beloved Brit, writes some great stories about a hunch back lawyer in the Elizabethan Era. I really enjoyed The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips. Since these are both historical and thriller, they combine the best of both worlds. I suppose you'd then have to include Mr. Dan Brown here.

Although I love these types of books, and writing one would be fun, there are two issues here. One, you have to find some kind of historical mystery (at least, the best of the books do center on a real life mystery and then blow it up, make it over the top, etc.). Two, you have to do your research, and you have to do a lot of it. But then that could be fun, too, because you would be learning something entirely new and interesting.

3. Historical: I'm thinking Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett or Romancing Miss Bronte by Juliet Gael.

Again, you get back to research. And even more of it. So that has it's pros and its cons. But really for me, I'd have to find something I really felt a great deal of interest in. Because I really like the idea of the thriller part of writing a novel.

4. Young Adult: Now this covers a lot of ground. I could be like J.K. Rowling or E. Lockhart. I like the idea of writing a fantasy story. And I like the idea of writing a fresh new character.

Here are a couple of issues I see with young adult literature of late. One: it's all about paranormal romance lately. I'm pretty over it. Two: I would want to do something fresh and original. I also think I'd want to do fantasy. Is that even possible...an original fantasy novel for young adults? I'm not sure it is.

5. Romance: Nicholas Sparks is not what I'm thinking here. In fact, I'm not even sure what author to list here, unless we include Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte, which I'm not because why would I even kid myself. I guess the reason I say that is because I cannot think of one modern romance that is really any good, at least in my humble opinion. And for the record, I do mean romance and not a hybrid (a la These Is My Words, which is a period piece and a good romance or The Time Traveler's Wife which is both fantasy/sci-fi meets romance).

Actually, this is an area that needs a good, honest story and not one that is filled with trite sentiment, ridiculous female characters who can't make good decisions, male leads that are not demi-gods. And yet that is what sells, and I hardly see myself writing that type of story. So I just sort of don't know.

Well, those were the genres I've thought about for a book. What would you write if you were going to write a novel?