I'm currently finishing a futuristic, after selling my paranormal novella to Lyrical Press.
It got me to thinking.
I write several different subgenres. I like (make that love) my paranormals and that's my primary genre.
But there are times when I write something else. Like my futuristics, which have always been a love of mine. I also have the odd fantasy romance sitting on my drive. Another love of mine.
I just like to spin a good yarn, you see. Genre? Who cares. Seriously.
Of course, most authors are neatly pigeonholed into a specific genre. Frankly, I don't want to get shoved into a niche and end up "having to" write in that niche all the time.
No thanks. It's not how my mind works.
Sometimes a vampire will make an appearance, or an angel, a werewolf, a ghost… other times it'll be an alien, a fairy, or an elf.
I'm hoping people will like "Howl" when it's released, but I'm also hoping I can sell "Kamil's Legacy", my futuristic, and that people who liked "Howl" will also like my futuristics — because they like the way I write.

What about you? Do you stick with one genre? Do you diversify? Do you write mainstream one minute, and off the wall space opera the next?
I'd love to know, because surely I'm not the only one who writes in different subgenres.

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Genevieve Graham raised an interesting question on her blog:

Do men and women write differently when it comes to sex? Can you tell the gender of the author from the way they write?

She has posted five short exerpts (all describing the same scene) on her blog and invites commenters to tell her which was written by which gender. Check it out, it's interesting.

We don't have men in our critique group, so I can't really duplicate her effort. I do think men and women approach writing about sex or first encounters differently. Women are more inclined to get into the emotions of the characters, while men tend to have a more earthy, visual, approach.

I'm guessing the difference in psyche is also the reason why men often refer to romance novels as "mushy" – even if they like what they read. (Not many will admit they enjoyed it, and I don't know any man who would openly admit to reading – and enjoying – a romance novel. At least not in front of other men.)

I sometimes shove exerpts — even the whole story – at male friends of mine. While they know I write, and I even tell them I write paranormal romance, they're willing to just read and give me impressions.
I appreciate the feedback greatly, because if they tell me "Great read, but no guy would ever (insert action of choice)…" then I learn something no woman writer can teach me.
I get insight into the male psyche every day at work, because I'm the only woman here. While helpful in a caveman / MCP kind of way, if I wrote a guy the way they really behave, no woman would like my heroes lol.

Men think differently, act differently and have different values. It reflects in their language and use of words. I'm sure if a man writes romance, he finds it much harder to write for a female audience than a male one. I also think it will read differently.
I don't doubt men can (and do!) write romance, but it will not read the same as a romance written by a woman.

I'll be cruising back to Genevieve's blog to see if I got it right, when she reveals the answers.

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…might contain clockwork laptops and steam driven airships.

Yup.

Steampunk.

As one of my fellow critters asked the other day: "What on earth is it?"

Steampunk is a sci-fi subgenre, based in a world where the future has collapsed and silicone, plastic and any other modern technology has been replaced by — you guessed it — steam powered, clockwork driven gadgets made of brass and copper.
The world is a re-invented Victorian era, complete with long dresses, walking sticks and whatnot.
Never mind that those long skirts are held up by leather and brass buckles big enough to knock out even the most courageous mugger.
We're talking about a very dystopian world, where anything goes, as long as it involves brass bolts, clockworks, steam and copper screws.
And let's not forget the funky goggles!

In case I've whet your appetite… here are some images of Steampunk gadgetry:

Cool, eh?

The idea has been around a long time, if you want to get right down to it, H.G. Wells and Jules Verne were the grandfathers of the genre.
You've guessed it. The Nautilus… is a steampunk submarine.
 
It's kind of cyberpunk in reverse, where the women are strong and resourceful, the men adventurous and brave.
Personally, I love the whole look of the Steampunk stuff, but I couldn't write it to save my life. I'll leave that to the braver souls out there.

It's an up and coming subgenre for romance as well, you mark my words.

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“Substitute "damn" every time you’re inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be” — Mark Twain

But… but… I use "damn" quite a bit!
Should your characters swear?
Maybe.
It depends on the character. What’s more, it depends on their character. It wouldn’t do to have a mild mannered 18th Century schoolmarm go effing and blinding throughout the novel. It would be out of character. (Although the reaction of society would be interesting to observe, if she did.)
Your acerbic demonslaying male lead would most likely not be using flowery prose. (Could be interesting if he did, though.)
Still, where do you draw the line?
Which words are acceptable (and I use that in the loosest sense of the word), and which aren’t? I have an aversion to the C-Word. The female one. I don’t want to see it in books. It jerks me out of the story and makes me dislike the writer. Especially if that writer is a woman.
There is absolutely no need to use such a derogatory and degrading word in women’s fiction. If you’re thinking about it, then think hard. Most women find the C-word extremely offensive.
If you write Erotica, fine. I’d expect it there. Romance? No. Make that a Hell no.
Consider your market before you go down that route.
Other swearwords have become acceptable.
It’s nothing unusual anymore to find a mans penis described as a cock. Or a dick. Or to have the word Fuck in a novel. Shit is prevalent too, and damn… well. It’s everywhere.
Not unusual, but is it necessary?
No, I don’t want us to go back to using "Manhood" etc, but I can truly do without words like cunt, snatch and twat. I’ve seen those in some books already, and I’m sorry… if you’re writing romantic fiction, what on earth are you doing using demeaning words like that to describe a womans vagina?
It’s not easy to get around, but it’s possible. Other writers manage.
I am as guilty as the next person for using words like fuck, damn, crap and shit. My heroes aren’t the kind to think twice about using those words. They would all draw the line at telling a woman they want to fuck her, though. (Even when they do. ) They’d phrase it differently, use make love or have sex, even if in their mind they’d call it something else.
And absolutely NO way would they refer to any part of her by a derogatory name.
Being crude doesn’t make your heroine tough. It just makes her a foul mouthed heroine. I’d much rather see her be tough, take tough actions, make tough decisions – while keeping a civil tongue. This way, actions have that much more impact.

Maybe I’m turning into a prude.
Maybe I’m being too sensitive.
Maybe I’m drawing the line where no one else draws it.
I don’t know.
I do know that, if I pick up a romance, and I’ll read something like "He fucked her cunt.", then I’m going to give up on the entire genre, because it will be a sure sign for me that romance is dead.
What’s more, I’ll join the "Romance is Trash" brigade. Resorting to using demeaning (to women) words for any part of the anatomy is turning something that should be an escape, into something that isn’t.
I want to read a love story, not have my anatomy insulted by the man who is supposedly the hero.
And if you’re an editor or agent who lets stuff like that pass, then you’re as guilty as the author if it hits the shelves.

Aside from all that… I find stuff like that in a romance I read… I’ll be burning it.

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