What Kind of Writer Are You?

Kim introduced the topic this week.

This is kind of strange, seeing as I haven't really thought about what genres I write.  I used to write historical fiction, but then either the history or the fiction got in the way, and I simply couldn't mesh them into coherence.  Alas, for me, history will always be a separate thing, although historical fictions are some of my favorite books reading-wise to date.  

My first novel is a mythological fantasy. 

Novel #2 is a high fantasy.  I like urban fantasies.  High fantasy is, well, high on my list of things not to read.  I don't like it.  It gets old easily, with the elves and the goblins and the fairies or whatever.  I love the classics: LotR, Narnia, etc.  But these new ones (Eragon, inducing vomit now, and don't chide me because I actually read the thing), are far too cliche for me.  It is terribly ironic for me to be writing a high fantasy, since I shy far away from that section in bookstores, but the idea is something that won't go away.  I happen to think I suck at worldbuilding, so Novel #2 will definitely be an experience.  

Fantasy in general is a cool genre, because unless you're a superly duperly awesome author, I generally don't care about reading every day happenings.  I suspect this is why I dislike the YA books about high school.  Lived it, loved it, don't need to read about it.  I need something that generates an excitement factor.  Out of the ordinary.  Impossible odds.  I love that stuff.

I write YA.  I do not write adult because, while I believe it is certainly possible to write what you DON'T know...the fact of the matter is, I am not an adult.  I haven't experienced adultish things (it is still difficult for me to write a character who has given birth--three times), and thus, I don't think it's convincing for me to pretend I have.

I don't write poetry.  End of story.  I used to, in my angsty junior high state, but I got over it.

I suppose I could write about anything.  Pure romance, not really.  I like action.  I like forward motion in a plot.  If you cannot tell, I like writing about Greek mythology.  Loved it since I was a child, and you better believe D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths is something I'm passing down to my kids.  Greek myths are like fairy tales, except BETTER in twenty billion ways.

Style of writing?  I do it in that pseudo-metaphysical state where I imagine everything in my head. All that happens then is describing what I see on paper.  I bet a lot of people do this.  It's easier. Although, it is tougher to imagine a character's emotions.  Especially if you're doing a first person fic.  First person, by the way, was completely not my idea.  It was Meg's, and she insisted on narrating.  Not my fault.  I hate writing first person.  I often even hate reading in first person, with a few exceptions.  For example, if you're Percy Jackson, you could be talking about how much you love yogurt, and I would read on with delighted eyes.  That is power.  I want to create a character with that much personality.

(I'm sorry my blog has lately become a shrine to that series, but I honestly keep pimping it all the time, because it's truly a wonderful read, and I desperately wish it had more publicity among older audiences.  The series deserves it more than Twilight.)

Anyway, today would be a wonderful day to write if it weren't for the fact I am being forced to work on my political science final paper, and I have a European history final tomorrow.  The revisions for ATRS are pounding, shooting frantically in my head, and I can't let them out.  It's driving me nuts.  This is the most difficult thing for me.  I swore when I started my first novel that grades would always take precedence over my writing.  I cannot fall off the Dean's List if I want to go to law school.  May the next week pass quickly.