: Re: Why write in a different genre than what you read? This question is somewhat linked with Should you read your own genre?, but I believe it is distinct or at least approached in a different

You mentioned that your could be caused by "knowing it all" and are hesitant to try your hand at something overused because it has the potential to be cliche. But as Kurt Vonnegut once said, "Write with the door closed." In other words, tune out your doubts- especially during the first draft, when the most important thing is to get it down on paper (or on screen). Also, don't think about measuring up or competing with others. It's much more productive to measure up and compete against yourself.

I would also recommend reading Anne Lammott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. I can give you a 95% guarantee that you will be itching to write your opus afterwards.

To answer your question, I think it's important for writers to experiment with other genres even, perhaps especially, if it makes them uncomfortable. This is so you can get a cross-pollination that may yield something worthwhile. What if you love reading dark fantasy but tried your hand at westerns? Can you mix them together? That's where Stephen King's Dark Tower series comes in.

Love high fantasy and adventure, but enjoy brushing up on your Renaissance history? Now, you've got Game of Thrones.

Horror and Victorian lit? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

What if you mixed biography techniques with Arthurian legend? Can you get an autobiography of Merlin? What would that even look like?

The possibilities are endless when horizons are expanded.

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: Re: Why write in a different genre than what you read? This question is somewhat linked with Should you read your own genre?, but I believe it is distinct or at least approached in a different

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: What's the difference between purple prose and vividly descriptive writing? Elements of Style describes purple prose as "hard to digest, generally unwholesome, and sometimes nauseating." In short,

: What are frequently used arguments for recognizing bad writing styles in fiction? I ve heard randomly of remarks used to explain why a writing style is bad. for instance by the argument that

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