Circumstances have recently demanded that I spend a lot of time around normal people. That is, non-writers. I’d forgotten how often “So, what do you do?” comes up in conversation. Society does tend to label people largely by their vocation. After all, that’s how surnames started: Tom the Baker, Elizabeth the Ta(y)lor, Jim the Butcher. (I can only suppose my ancestors must have been rather merciful.)
Every time I’ve made a transition in my life, there’s always been an awkward adjustment period where I stumble over how to answer the question “What do you do?” I know they mean, “What do you do for a living?” But often that’s the least interesting thing about a person. Think about the accountant who crunches numbers all day, and is the star of his community theater troupe in the evening. The teacher who spends her weekend parasailing. The waiter who is paying the bills with his tips while he works on his Great American Novel. (Here, I could go off on a tangent about multi-dimensional characters, but I’ll just consider that point made, and keep to the subject at hand: me.)
Anyway. I’m not reticent about the fact that I’m a writer (for a living) but I don’t always bring it up, because the next questions is, “What do you write?” meaning “Anything I might have heard of?” If not, there’s always that awkward, apologetic moment while they try to decide if they’re a bad reader or you’re a bad writer. Fortunately, I have an out on that, because unless they’re a young adult or a teen librarian, there’s no reason they should know my books.
So the conversation goes like this:
Them: What do you write?
Me: Supernatural mystery novels for young adults of all ages.
Them: *blank look*
Me: Kind of a cross between Nancy Drew and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Them: *doubtful look*
Me: Fantasy novels for teenagers.
Them, inevitably: Oh! Like Twilight.
Me: *sigh* Yes. Like Twilight. (Hey, I’m not knocking it, but love the books or hate them, YA authors sometimes get weary of all conversational roads leading to Forks, WA.)
Now, I spend 90% of my time around other writers and other book-related people, like book bloggers and librarians. And by “90% of my time” I mean, “on the Internet.”
But as writers and book people, we do the same thing. In any gathering of writers, the opening conversational gambit is always: “What do you write?” At the luncheon tables, in the bar, elevator or bathroom. It’s our writerly blood type. Romantic suspense, hardboiled thrillers, cozy mysteries, space opera… You can write more than one, even in the same book (or three, like my supernatural mysteries for young adults). But one of the markers of an experienced writer (or possibly just experience conference attendee) working at selling her book is the ability to quickly sum up what she writes.
That doesn’t mean your work needs to be pigeonholed, any more than the accountant starring as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof on his weekends. It just means that you need to know the ingredients and be able to articulate them when introducing yourself in a query letter, at a book signing or event, or when your doting grandmother introduces you (to all her doctors and nurses, bless her heart) as “my granddaughter, the author.”
So, can you? It’s more than where your book will go on the shelves. You should be able to put your finger on what you’re trying to accomplish. If it’s a gothic mystery with elements of alien abduction and a twist on the secret baby romance trope, you should know that. Identifying the elements will help you parse out the conventions you need to honor, and the cliches you need to turn on their ears. It will keep you focused on the story you plan to tell (even if you’re not an outliner) and keep you from following the White Rabbit of whimsical ideas that take your novel off course. (If it’s a quest novel, you have to stay on your quest.)
So… what do YOU write?
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Dark paranormal suspense with strong romantic elements (though my debut novel was a contemporary romance)… And thank you for asking!
Linda
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You’re welcome! Dark paranormal, huh? See, you’ve come over to the dark side. Though I have to say, I think I write dark, but I don’t think I have enough angst and brooding. It’s hard for us Pollyanna’s to brood. The best we can do is get a little gloomy, then we bounce back i the next scene.
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I am currently writing my first novel, a “YA Paranormal Mystery” that is nothing like Twilight. No romance between a human and a supernatural being, no vampires or werewolves, in fact if I had to pick a book that it’s similar to I would have to say your newest novel The Splendor Falls. A story about a teenage girl who has had a tragedy occur recently and through solving a mystery that revolves around a ghost learns to cope and move on with her life. All I can call it is a “YA Paranormal Mystery”
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Ooo, bonus points for referencing my book.
Paranormal mystery works. And yeah, I would probably call The Splendor Falls more of a paranormal mystery than a supernatural one, just because the magic is more subdued. No hell beasts running around, or spells flashing. To anyone old enough to know what I’m talking about, I call it a gothic mystery, because that’s really it’s origin.
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Hey Rosemary! Great post. Every time my mom introduces me to one of her contemporaries, clients, or church friends, I get “this is my oldest, the writer.” Of course, as you might guess, the next question matches the title of your post. Repeated stints in the stocks at the School of Hard Knocks has taught me to walk cautiously.
If I stand before a modern woman, I often say. “I write paranormal time-travel romance that gives love and freedom a second chance.” That earns a smile and conversation about books.
If the person is male, I my answer is pat. “I write paranormal time-travel romance that explores the possibility that the original nine Templar Knights could control time and still that they do.” Now, if a brow spikes and there is no Masonic ring upon the finger, I always add, “Which is what the Masons have been hiding all along.”
To church friends, my answer is most careful (because we all know church-going-ladies never read those kinds of books, right?) “I write paranormal time-travel romance that explores the depths of love, mercy and grace.” I can only hope for a smile.
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I do that, too, tailor my response to the person I’m talking to. Even describing the books, unless I know someone’s reading tastes or, um, spiritual philosophy, I’m always hesitant to say “she fights demons.” Not after the first time someone told me their personal exorcism story. (Not mocking, just saying. Religion is like sex, political opinions and bodily functions: not something I discuss in the middle of a Barnes and Noble. Ironic, given what I write and that I don’t skirt the issue of God in the books. But if I wrote sexy romances, I still wouldn’t discuss MY sex life…)
Where was I? Oh yeah. I usually say “monsters.” But I imagine with romance its the same way–you short of have to preempt the typical response from certain demographics.
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My answer always depends on who I’m talking to. Fellow writer or person at con? Speculative fiction.
Relative or random human? Science fiction. “yes, like Avatar”
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Heh. Yep. “Like Avatar.”
Or for puzzle thrillers: “Yes, like The Da Vinci Code.”
Or spy thrillers: “Yes, like the Borne Ultimatum”
I would say lowest common denominator, but I actually like the Borne books. (And I have to admit, I read The Da Vinci Code in one sitting, like it was crack. I kept going: This is terrible writing. I’ll just read one more chapter to see if I’m write about that clue.)
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I write weird YA.
Yep. It’s a new genre.
Kidding.
I write YA with elements of fantasy, romance, and suspense. Unicorns: No. Magical Rock Bands: Syeah!
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Weird YA.
Word.
To your mama.
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I write fantasy novellas. Often the slightly odd kind. Like the high fantasy novella that I am revising. Or the Epic fantasy novella, set in hell, that I just finished
.
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I’ve had problems with just this thing. Currently, I’m calling it noir’ish-supernatural-suspense. I’m not sure if it would be shelved in thrillers or urban fantasy. I’ll be curious to see where it ends up next year when it debuts in April.
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I think that with the blending of genres that is so prevalent now (which I love), there’s a lot less of that “But what shelf will it go on?” dilemma. You can just write the book you want to write, and let the publisher decide how to market it. (And cross promotion is great.)
April is soon! Is it your first book? Congrats if it is.
Well, and if it isn’t.
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I write romantic suspense and have recently moved on to paranormal suspense.
I can’t seem to get away from…umm…suspense.
lol
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Ok, so this is the first time I said what my first novel is about. Young adult, fantasy, middle age, self discovery and romance. Sort of Hercules mixed with Angel (the spin off of Buffy, didn’t like Buffy). Take that all and throw fluff n’ snuff in it. (Ran out of words.)