L Is For Longevifying Your Writing Career

So we've all heard that sometimes all we need is that one breakout novel. But did you also know you can have a very fruitful career writing in a specific genre? It isn't terribly far fetching when you think about it; I mean, it's only common sense to move on to where the grass is greener. And right now that pasture is Erotica.

Agent Kristen Nelson wrote a blog post about it yesterday and it got me thinking: are we, as writers, confined to one genre? To be more clear, I want to know if we're one trick ponies? Say, if I write MG Fantasy, is that all I'm good at?

To be honest, I've always considered myself a MG writer because I love the imagination of a child and I often dream like one too--so what the heck, why not write for them. If you asked me five years ago to write a Woman's Fiction or YA Romance novel I'll tell you, quite plain, "HELL NAW!"

But times have changed.

On Tuesday I was watching television, thinking about my YA novel, and out of the blue this idea fell into my head. It shocked me to my core because it arrived fully formed, like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter fully formed! I was, and still am, amazed. It was an idea unlike any of my high fantasy, action adventure, kickass superhero stuff--this one was a Woman's Fiction, and not Coitus, the novel I told you about last week. This idea feels like THE ONE. You know, like that lucky lottery ticket that will make all your dreams come true. It's so insane and special I'm keeping it under wraps until I'm done. Yes, I've set aside my YA to write this one. That alone is saying something. And if that wasn't enough to convince you of it's awesomeness, I'm currently flying blind on this one. No outline, no summaries, no nothing. Just me, my computer screen and the voice of my MC, Seratonus Bladell as my guide.

I am not a panster. I am a die-hard outliner. But this novel is telling me to just let it be. And I'm listening.

So, here's what I know today: Writers can transcend all genres. A MG writer can pen Women's Fiction and vice versa. It all depends on the idea  That's it. No rituals or writing classes--just a wonderful idea and the vigor to actually write it.

And you know what else I learned? Writers are superheroes, man. There ain't a darn profession out there that allows us to be an assassin, housewife, president, maid, alien, prostitute, businessman and cat all in a day's work.