It’s the month of September and I’m back with another post inspired by the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
Before I reflect on their question, I figure it’s a great time to reflect on my own writing. I did a round of revisions for a short story of mine and hoping to eventually announce a publication. Isn’t that so positive-sounding of me? My freelance work has been slower, but the slower pace has been a good fit for me. I’m not eager to return to the fast, overwhelming pace I was at a couple of months back.
My goal is to pursue newer pieces of fiction and I just finished typing up a virtual reality-based short story. I have way more to go to get that submission ready, but I’m just glad it’s typed up.
Now, here’s the prompt this month:
What genre would be the worst one for you to tackle and why?
No hesitation here: historical fiction. Now, the reason is I don’t know how historical fiction writers get out of that research area and actually write. I’d get so bogged down and obsessed with getting the details of an era and focus so much on being historically accurate, that I’m not sure I’d get any writing done. Plus, I am fairly confident my own self-doubt would make it even harder for me to convince myself something was done.
I find historical fiction really interesting, and I’m so impressed by the authors who can write in this genre.
How would you answer this question?
Eerily close to my reasons for ruling out historical fiction as a genre, despite degrees and teaching. Enter their thoughts ? Understand how they’d think and feel ? Even the people who kept diaries for Mass Observation in the 30’s and 40’s seem so alien. Love Falco’s Rome though – more accessible and familiar than any Regency romance – –
Oh I’ll have to check that out! Yeah capturing the thoughts of a time, wow. That’s a challenge! I’m so impressed for those who can.
I find writing short stories harder than voluminous historical fiction! Not enough words. I always find some little side road I want to wander and there’s not enough word count to allow me the luxury.
Ha, true! Not going down those side roads can be hard!
I’d have a hard time writing short stories, like Nancy. Romance would be hard too. I’m not sure I’d want to tackle all the research for a historical fiction story either, but I really enjoy reading them.
Me too! I definitely enjoy reading historical fiction!
Science fiction.
Same! Very complicated.
Absolutely, SF and Fantasy. At one time in my life (after meeting my first husband), i read a lot of SF. Mostly Isaac Azimov ,, Ray Bradbury, and Heinlein- the social criticism types. Lost interest after we married and found other areas of interest, to say the least. The newer stuff does not appeal to me at all. Lots of tech which my generation is trying to navigate and don’t care to read so much. Or at least I don’t. I write about fear and hesitation to write in my blog at http://www.leaheskine.com. Keep going on the short story; I’m getting back to revising mine and wroting another one.
I was once a big fantasy fan! I lost interest and now enjoy more speculative fiction. Writing about fear of writing is so valuable! Talking out those fears helps tremendously.
Nicole, your comments called me to respond. I, too, admire those who can write historical fiction. I think I’d enjoy the research part, but also feel I’d get too bogged down with interesting facts to actually accomplish the writing. My worst genre would be Sci Fi in all its variations, because I always fear tampering with God’s creation as I actually find it. Don’t want to mess with possible other imaginary worlds. You need to do that in regular fiction, too. But Sci Fi makes it all the worse.
Great point about science fiction! I do enjoy speculative fiction but that more is along the lines of introducing bizarre what-ifs. But straight up science fiction would make me uncomfortable for the same reasons!
You’re not alone in saying historical fiction. I admire writers who can write short stories. It’s hard to write a story that sounds complete in so few pages. It’s a talent.
It’s a definite challenge and one that has taken me some time to get better at!
While I love history, I couldn’t/wouldn’t write a story set in another era. I love outer space (Go Artemis!), I shun sci-fi genre writing.
I write humor and satire with a literary bent and I’m disinclined to change… I like everything merry and bright!
Humor is always a fun genre to write in!
That is positive-sounding!
Historical has so much research and you have to get it right as those readers know their stuff.
And the amazing thing is? I actually got published this week! Ha, what are the odds? 🙂
You’re not alone in saying historical fiction. I don’t mind reading it, but can’t write it for sure! The accuracy it requires for it to make for good content is frankly too much pressure!
Oh it is! I think I’d obsess my way out of writing all the time by focusing on all those details.