This is one of those times that people who know I write in two genres often ask me about. Yes, I’m in the middle of writing in both of them at once. And, yes, it can be a challenge!
Right now, I’m under a deadline for my next Harlequin Nocturne, a dark and sexy paranormal romance about shapeshifters, and I’m working on the first draft. I’ve also received the copyedits for THE MORE THE TERRIER, the next Pet Rescue Mystery, and need to respond to questions and resolve some concerns which sometimes involve writing revisions.
What’s my transition from one to the other? Lunch! Most often, I’ve been writing in the morning, then I switch to editing in the afternoon. That seems to work fine, as long as whatever other obligations or outings I have each day don’t interfere too much.
Fortunately, the copy edits aren’t likely to take too long. Even so, while I’m ensconced in both, it really is an interesting change of mind-set to move from one genre to the other on the same day.
It’s easier to move from drafting or reviewing contracts to writing in an appropriate fiction genre when I’m wearing my lawyer hat.
On the other hand, I enjoy challenges.
Do you have any writing or other activities that require you to move from one direction to another that’s quite different?
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6 comments:
I switch from bookkeeping to writing books. It's a totally different mindset and when one isn't working properly, the other one usually is!
I don't have to move from one genre to the next -- I put them both in the same book. Just sold my first novel, an alternate-history murder mystery. The alternate history was dictated by the major (but subtle) clue that solves the whole mess. But the two genres settled down next to each other and purred.
That's sort of like my switching from law to writing, Janie. I think it's good for writers to have alternate careers to exercise all parts of their minds!
Congratulations on your sale, Ellen! I agree that having many genres in a story can work great, especially today. When I started writing, sticking to an accepted genre was the way to get published. I always have romance in my suspense/mystery stories and suspense or mystery in my romances. But dark, sexy paranormal is different enough from lighter mysteries to require separate books!
It's great that you have figured out how to change gears. I sometimes move from one computer to another to change from from one task to another.
That's a good idea, Betty. Each computer would then represent a new idea or genre, right?
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