by Erica Vetsch, Erica Vetsch on Facebook

If you ask agents and editors, the majority will say as a new or pre-published author, you should find a genre and stick with it. 

(Genre: a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like)

Often, early in a new writer’s endeavors, he or she will experiment with different genres. They may try writing a thriller, and then a cozy mystery, and then women’s fiction. Dabbling in various genres at the outset of your writing journey isn’t wrong or a bad thing.

But eventually, you will need to settle on a single genre and continue in that vein. There are a few reasons for this:

1. Every genre has its hallmarks and forms, and it takes time to learn those and become not just proficient but adept at producing quality content in that form. 
2. Narrowing your focus also concentrates your focus. Honing in on the genre that best fits your voice, style, and preferences will eliminate distractions in the learning and execution phases of writing. If you have settled into writing cozy mysteries, you don’t need to accumulate and study books on historical romance or police procedurals. 
3. When you pitch to an agent or editor, they can have confidence that you have figured out who you want to be as a writer, which makes it easier for them to see how they could take you and your work to the next step, which is selling your work. Agents have to propose and pitch your work, and if you haven’t settled on a genre, it is difficult to pitch you as a serious writer in a particular, identifiable category. Editors want to know what section of the bookstore you envision your work living, because eventually, they have to try to sell your book to the publishing board of their house, then to book buyers who stock shelves at retail spaces, and then to the reader who buys the end product. 
4. Publishers want to have predictable, steady content when they invest in an author. They want to know that you are the go-to spy thriller writer in their stable of authors, or their western writer, or Amish writer. They want to meet reader expectations who want tol know what they are getting when they pick up a book with your name on the cover.

That being said, there are times when, as an author, you might need or want to switch genres. Perhaps the genre you love best really isn’t selling. Fifteen years ago, the hot category was Chick-Lit. Agents and editors were clamoring for it. But within three years, Chick-Lit was dead and Amish fiction had come roaring out of nowhere.

Perhaps you’ve had modest success writing in a particular genre, but your books aren’t really wowing and flying off the shelves. You might get dropped by your publisher, and if your sales weren’t the strongest, it can be difficult for your agent to pitch your work to another publisher if something doesn’t change.

Perhaps you are just bored and looking for something different and exciting. 

There are a multitude of reasons why you might consider switching genres after becoming established in one for a period of time. And if you’re thinking of switching, there are a few things to consider:

1. If the genre you write now and the genre you want to switch to are vastly different, you should strongly consider a pen name for the new genre. Your current loyal readers have expectations of what they will get when they buy your books, and if you suddenly swap genres and they get something totally different, it’s like you’ve broken their trust. (Think of John Grisham, who wrote legal thrillers for years, then suddenly swapped to writing mainstream literary fiction…his readers were not happy! If he had published his literary fiction under a pen name, he would have garnered new readers without enraging/disappointing the old ones.) 
2. If you don’t want to use a pen name, consider making your genre move in increments. In my case, I wrote 35+ American Historical Romances. Readers knew what to expect when they picked up my books. When I wanted to shift genres, I only make one change. I still write historical romance, but now it’s set in England during the Regency period. One change. If you write contemporary romance, and you want to switch to historical romance, consider writing a time-slip/split-time story. Ease your readers into the change by not jumping too far with each book.
3. Strategize with your agent and/or editor. They know the market, their needs, and see the big picture in a different way from you. They can help guide you in making these decisions to switch genres or change up what you write. They can let you know if the doors are open in your new genre of choice.
4. For a period of time, write in your current genre and dabble in the genre you’re considering switching over to. Make sure you can finish a manuscript and still be excited about it before you boldly declare to all and sundry that you’ve found your new writing home. Make sure your new enthusiasm will be able to carry you through to a new career path rather than just lead you into the weeds.

Switching genres is possible, and sometimes even advisable, but like everything in the writing profession, while success isn’t guaranteed, it’s easier to achieve with some thought and strategizing.

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Joy to the World: A Regency Christmas Collection

In Joy to the World, three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

Erica Vetsch can’t get enough of history, whether it’s reading, writing, or visiting historical sites. She’s currently writing another historical romance and plotting which history museum to conquer next! You can find her online at www.ericavetsch.com and on her Facebook Page where she spends WAY TOO MUCH TIME! www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/