Some think you should focus on a single genre to be a successful author. In some regards, it might be true. After all, an audience who is looking for nothing but horror would want someone who makes horror their career. Since I focus a lot on fantasy, would I ever genre jump? Yes…and I have.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a huge fan of fantasy since my early teens. However, I also know it’s not my only passion. For example, I love science fiction. I also enjoy horror, thrillers, and I published my own dark western in 2025.
Is that going to hurt my career as an author?
The Audience Today
Forty years ago, it might have made a difference by sticking to the genre you love writing. But in today’s world, it may not matter as much, especially when so many people are consuming the quick McContent throughout the day.
Did you know that people generally have an attention span of 47 seconds? What’s sad is that the average adult dog can maintain focus for up to 30 minutes. Of course, dogs aren’t doomscrolling on social media or consuming 60-second video clips of various degrees.
My point is that jumping genres isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Being able to provide all of the needs for your audience might actually help you in the long run. Well, at least expanding into different audiences might help with consistent sales.
The sad part is that people are reading less for pleasure. Over the past 20 years, there has been a steady decline in reading, and if you spend any time on social media, it shows.
Then, add in the AI-slop books that flood sites like Amazon, and the entire industry is writhing on the floor like a four-year-old wanting a Snickers bar in a Walmart.
At the rate we’re going, it’ll be AI reading AI books to duplicate for more AI writing. It’s quite sad, really. It feels like I am always on the ass end of things. I should have been writing and publishing books back when Create Space was a functional tool for self-publishing.
Anyway, the audience today probably wouldn’t even realize that you jumped genres. Well, your ardent fans might, but the average Joe, not so much.
Writing What Sells?
A very common bit of advice I see from a lot of “experts” in the publishing world want you to focus on writing what sells best. This means writing to appease a market, which isn’t inherently a bad thing if all you care about is money.
It’s like building a new blog. Yes, personal finance and fitness industries are among the top industries for blogging. But I would rather put my time and effort into writing in general. For me, it’s not always about the profits, and I’m sure I would be bored out of my mind trying to write about personal finance.
The same ideation can be applied to writing books. Yes, romance and erotica are the top performing, but it’s not something I want to consistently write.
When I sit down and outline a new book, I’m not thinking of the riches that may or may not come. I’m thinking about the story I want to tell. While I may add a romantic scene or a love interest, romance is not the overarching theme.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with focusing your energy on writing what sells, especially if those topics are appealing. My point is that focusing on genres you’re really not connected to in some way will feel more like a chore than a way of life.
I’ve seen a lot of folks burn themselves out both with writing books and writing for clients by covering topics and genres they really didn’t like. The end result is content that falls flat, feels rushed and forced, and lacks engagement.
While you may be able to fake it for a bit, you’ll find that you’re going to get typecast as an author for something you don’t really enjoy. Eventually, it’ll show in your work.
My Interests Vary Wildly
Yes, fantasy is often my go-to for stories and books. However, my interests are stretched across a variety of genres and topics. Mostly because I love experiencing and learning new things.
When I write a story, I feel as though I am experiencing the events through my characters. My imagination is quite vivid, being hyperphantasic. So, I often feel that I am there, in my story, living those events as my characters.
While I love writing the Witcham series (fantasy), I loved every moment of writing Shadows of Atlantic City (dark western). And one of my future projects is a time-traveling sci-fi, not to mention the fan fiction I have planned for Fallout (post-apocalyptic) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
My point here is that I am quite literally all over the map when it comes to writing various genres. And if I actually marketed those books to the right audience, I would probably make quite a bit in sales.
That’s the crux of it nowadays. I don’t think it matters if you genre jump as long as you’re putting the book in front of the right people. Given how we have access to everyone all the time, there is great potential there. The trick is to learn how to market to those who are more likely to buy a specific book.
You wouldn’t market your time-traveling science fiction to someone who heavily reads horror. Yes, a few people might buy both books. But successful marketing dictates you reach those two specific audiences.
The Fun of Exploring Different Genres
You’ll never know what you enjoy if you don’t try. For instance, I always fancied myself a horror author. Then, I explored the potential of fantasy. Then, I explored merging the dark side of horror with a western. Now, I enjoy writing a wide scope of stories, often incorporating aspects of others into each other.
Yes, I’ve tried romance a few times as short stories. And while I have a knack for steamy stuff, it’s not what drives me to keep writing. I don’t mind adding a spicy scene into a fantasy or dark western, but not as a whole storyline. That’s OK…you don’t have to write everything.
All I am suggesting is that you explore the potential of writing other genres. You may find something that turns into a prominent cup of tea that will get the ball rolling for you as an author.
Long story short, no, I will never get tired of writing fantasy. In fact, I have a world of stories and ideas planned for my fantasy world, Denaris, and not all of them center around darkness. Some are more fun and lighthearted compared to the Witcham Chronicles.
Yet, I’ll continue to write whatever story jumps into my head, regardless of the genre.
Write What’s In Your Heart
I’ll always side with the idea of writing the story you want to tell. While some will want you to censor yourself or do something different to make more money, I say write what is in your heart at the moment.
Even if it just turns out to be a short story published on something like Vocal.media, just write it. Don’t hold yourself back because someone said the idea sucked or because you might offend a group of people. You’re an author; you’re going to offend someone.
Look at all of the books banned in Florida right now. No matter your intentions, there will always be someone who hates your story. You can’t please 100% of the people 100% of the time. Write what drives you to write.
For now, I’m going to keep writing all of the different genres that I enjoy, including the massive collection I have planned for fantasy and dark western. And I doubt that will change any time in the near future.
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