A conversation with Jim Ament, author of ‘Waiting for Zoë’ | James Russell Ament
I’ve come across a couple of discussions regarding genre recently by thoughtful writers I admire. My question is this: Why do writers feel as though they have to fit into one mold or anything? I could ask the same question of any art or artist. Why? That is all I want to know.
Books I’ve read lately don’t seem to fit neatly into one genre or another. That is exactly how I like it. I don’t like to be pigeon-holed in any area of my life. Again, why do we do this to ourselves? I understand marketing, branding, author platforms, etc., but is this really necessary?
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I completely understand. As a writer myself, I find it difficult to chose just one genre for my books. In the end, I usually follow the reviews from my test-readers to decide how the book should be listed. Though I often find the target audience is much wider, I have no choice but to settle on the single theme. Having to choose a genre leaves me feeling that I will likely miss other readers who I believe would enjoy the books as well. I usually pull out excerpts in regards to specific groups, and post them on their sites for review. So far so good, I think. Very good thought here.
Thanks Tracy! Both posts I include here left me with a lot to think about. I recently looked up an item on Amazon.com pertaining to one of my favorite authors, Laura Ingalls Wilder. I read several reviews, etc. and realized just how labelled her work became. I might just have enough material for another post here….
My question is this: Can an author successfully write for children and adults without the use of a pen name? Can a writer achieve a solid reputation in both areas of literature? Something to think about.
Lindsey