In the End, Most Genres Turn to Love
Conventional wisdom dictates that writers should stick to one genre. Agents traditionally advise their clients to stick to a single genre to build a reader base and strengthen their reader brand. When writers want to deviate from their established category, they are either discouraged or told to write under a pseudonym if they want to branch out and tackle a different genre.
That advice has worked for many successful authors. Some of my favorites are Nora Roberts, who also writes as J. D. Robb for her “In Death” series, and Jayne Ann Krentz, who also writes as Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle. Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series is hilarious and wildly popular but she also collaborates with Lee Goldberg writing a different series.
It could be that these authors are the exception because they are so well-known they can afford to break the rules. One author I recently discovered, Lisa Scottoline, is known for her legal thrillers, but her first-ever historical fiction, Eternal, is now one of my favorite books, complete with unforgettably compelling characters. It’s a tale of a love triangle that unfolds in the heart of Rome in the creeping shadow of fascism.
Before I read Eternal, I had never tried her standalone thrillers or series, but since then, I have read What Happened to the Bennetts and will likely read more of her crime novels. Now she has written another historical fiction, called Loyalty, an emotional, action-packed epic of love and justice, set during the rise of the Mafia in Sicily, scheduled for release March 28, 2023. She’ll continue to write in her usual genre, but she broke out in a big way and will likely glean many crossover fans, like me.
Likewise, William Kent Krueger is a crime writer best known for his beloved Cork O’Connor Mysteries. He continues to write those novels but he has also garnered accolades for his standalone books Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land.
I heard about one author who had a highly acclaimed first novel and wanted to experiment and publish a nonfiction book he’d written. He was discouraged by his agent and encouraged to continue writing in the same vein as the first book, following the adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Going against the trend, I’ve always written in a variety of genres from historical fiction, romantic thrillers/suspense, women’s fiction and paranormal to cozy mysteries in all sizes and formats—from short stories to full-length novels, from eBooks to print and audio to anthologies. I’ve written two series—The Psychic Crystal Mystery series and the Massimo Domingo Mystery series. I’ve even written a musical about Alzheimer’s called “Memory Lane” with my sister Sharon Goldman.
Some writers begin by experimenting with a number of genres until they find their voice or their passion. My passion and favorite theme to write and read is WW II and stolen Nazi art. Those topics find their way into many of my books. Writers are taking control of their careers and now have more choices. Although I’m a multi-genre writer, I still have a brand. Because I started out as a romance writer, all of my books have the requisite happy ending and include elements of romance and humor, and very often, mystery and suspense.
People often raise their eyebrows when you mention romance, but think about it. In the end, in many books and movies, everything turns to love. For example, my husband would never be caught dead reading a romance, but the iconic film “Casablanca” is his favorite movie. It’s a drama, but at its heart, is a romance. Think about your favorite books. They may not be classified as “romance.” They may be mysteries or suspense or women’s fiction or literary fiction, but odds are there’s a love story involved, which, in my opinion, always enriches a novel.
Janet Evanovich is known for her contemporary mysteries, but at the heart of her Stephanie Plum Series are two competing love interests—Ranger and Morelli. There’s enough going wrong in the world today. Even non-romance readers like a happily-ever-after ending.
Conventional wisdom guiding an author’s career may not be wrong. That’s just the thing. Today, there is no right and wrong. So, take a chance, broaden your horizons, branch out to other genres if you’re so inclined. You might surprise yourself.
Best Writing Advice
Whatever genre you write, the best advice I’ve ever received from top authors is some variation of, “Finish the Book!” The reasoning is, you can’t fix a blank page, but you can always improve on a rough draft. And Rhonda Penders, president, The Wild Rose Press, Inc., and my publisher, says, “The best thing you can do to market your book is to write the next one.” I couldn’t agree more.
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Award-winning author Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres from women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy and cozy mysteries. She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel with Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. She was also The Finalist in the 2017 Georgia Author of the Year Awards (GAYA) in the Romance Category for her novel, Stumble Stones, and The Finalist for the 2018 GAYA Awards in the Romance category for her novel, The Alibi. Her latest novel, The Case of the Missing Botticelli: A Massimo Domingo Mystery, released January 24, 2022, is her 28th work of fiction.
Her new novel, Book 3 in the cozy mystery series,The Case of the Forgotten Fragonard, is in editing and due to be released in 2023. A public relations consultant in Atlanta, Marilyn is past chair of Roswell Reads, a one-city, one-read program and serves on the Atlanta Authors Series Committee. She’s a member of Georgia Romance Writers and Atlanta Writers Club. Born in Miami, Florida, she graduated from The University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a minor in Creative Writing. To find out more about what Marilyn writes, visit her website at: www.marilynbaron.com/
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The Case of the Missing Botticelli
In this cozy mystery, American art history major Hadley Evans joins an art detective agency in Florence, Italy, working for Massimo Domingo, once a major player, now the Inspector Clouseau of the art world.
Determined to save the flailing agency and prove her worth, Hadley and her sexy carabiniere boyfriend, Luca Ferrari, take on a mysterious client behind her boss’s back. While hot on the trail of a missing masterpiece, they discover a hidden cache of stolen Nazi art in a Venetian villa and encounter a dangerous enemy with a link to an evil past.
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Marilyn Baron