In our industry, especially in traditional publishing, there’s a consensus to stick to one genre because that’s better for marketing, managing audience expectations, and involves less work. That may be true for many, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t explore other genres and achieve our goals.
Writers like HG Wells, Georgette Heyer, Stephen King, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Margaret Atwood, and Charlaine Harris are all successful in more than one genre. In our Darksiders group, we have multi-genre talents in the likes of Leisl Leighton, Anna Hackett, Carolyn Wren, and Mel Teshco, to name a few.
For some authors, they found their success by first establishing themselves in one genre.
They’ve built a strong following, and creating a voice so strong, their readers will follow them and their stories anywhere. For others, their different creative styles encouraged them to explore other possibilities and create separate genre followers / readers, even if it’s on a trial-and-error basis. They run separate websites, fan bases, and, in some cases, write under different names.
There are also the authors who stick to the one name, website, and brand, and captivate their readers no matter what genre they love. Their writing voice is strong, yet flexible enough to carry them over two or more genres, satisfy their readers’ desires, and they rise to the challenge of balancing the different styles / expectations required.
Then we have writers like me who maybe should stick to one genre first, but just can’t help themselves. I started my writing career with a love of ghost stories, horror, and ‘things that go bump in the night.’ Many of my short stories are dark and devious, but my characters wanted to do ‘kissing stuff’ and my love of paranormal romance was born. I also love a good mystery, and challenged myself to write something that didn’t rely on supernatural means. This drew me to exploring romantic suspense. So much for the horror writer I believed I was.
While I write both romantic suspense and paranormal romance novels and novellas, they are mutual in the way they feature redemption and second chances.
To date, they’ve been two separate entities. There’s been no curses, magic spells or any woo woo, which is totally a technical term, in my romantic suspense. No police officer or detective has rushed in to save the day in my paranormal romances or explained anything scientifically.
This will change in my next series because I’m a glutton for punishment. I’m merging my favourite genres together.
In the meantime, I’d love to learn your thoughts on writing on more than one genre and what mash ups you’d be keen to write/read.
Out now
Moon Cursed
Part 2, The Artemis Curse
University never looked so good. Karisa caused a stir with her wandless magic and survived a shadow mage attack. With a magical lacrosse championship and a winter ball to celebrate, there’s a growing sense of camaraderie at Takoda.
But not everyone is keen to embrace Karisa’s secret quest.
Garrett Huxley is a wizard with an attitude—and the reputation to match. He’s got her in a daze, and she never knows what to expect from him. But Garrett is the key to unlocking the most stubborn of the guilds. Karisa must learn to place her trust in him and what she feels in her heart, whatever the cost.
The Shadow Master is closing in, and his spies are everywhere. There’s only thing Karisa fears more than Donovan Tempest. The Artemis Curse may have finally found her, and the consequences could be devastating.
Moon Cursed is the second book in the 5-part story, The Artemis Curse. Parts one through to four ends on a cliffhanger, with the fifth book concluding the tale. Part Three, Moon Set, will be available later in 2023.
Part 3, Moon Set is available for pre-order.
D. D. Line lives in coastal Western Australia with her family and two over-enthusiastic dogs. Reading was her favourite childhood pastime. In her senior year, thanks to a crush on her English teacher and a desire to impress him, she developed a deep love of writing stories.
She writes Romantic Suspense and Paranormal Romance where her characters find redemption through romance. Her Trinket Bay romantic suspense series is published by Gumnut Press. Books in this series have won an ARRA award and placed in competitions such as The NEST and the Daphne du Maurier Kiss of Death awards in the United States, and the Koru Award in New Zealand. Her paranormal romance series, The Artemis Curse, is a five-part series with theirst two books now available on KU.
Her short stories feature in various anthologies throughout Australia such as Gumnut Press’s ‘Holiday Kisses’ and ‘Sweet Delights’ anthologies. She won the 2022 KSP Writing Centre’s Spooky Stories with her story, ‘Jimmy and Me’ based on the theme ‘Best Friend.’
She’s a wife, a child wrangler, and a wannabe baker who wishes she could sing.
D. D. Line looks after Member Services and is also the Aspiring Ambassador for Romance Writers of Australia (RWA). She's a member of DSDU (Darkside DownUnder), Romance Writers of New Zealand (RWNZ) and the Australian Romance Readers Association (ARRA).
She loves hearing from her readers. :)
Visit D.D at the following:
Hi DD Line! Great post. I love writing different genres, how else do we find out which ones readers love the most and which ones we love to write the most? :)
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