Can an author break away from a genre?

Virginia Wright AuthorI’ve thought for many years of writing a romantic novel. Some say when you get branded for one genre that it is hard to break away from that stigma. Two years ago I joined Romance Writers of America, and it has taken me two years to write one chapter of a romantic novel, but I’m giving it a whirl, and putting one foot ahead of the other. I just bought a romantic mystery on Kindle “An Unlikely Arrangement” by Patty Wiseman. Congrats Patty on your newest release! Maybe one day I will get mine finished–until then, I’m working on my next children’s book “The Christmas Secret” and I love how it is beginning to unfold…

I illustrate my own books, The Princess and the Castle, The Prince and the Dragon, Crying Bear and my book “Buzzzzzzzz What Honeybees Do” as well as take photographs for those I feel photographs would be better served. Writing is something I have done my whole life…dreamed of being a writer when I was just a little girl (Virginia Brown) writing in my journal on the veranda in Belfast, Maine. Not every book is a winner, but for me it is a personal journey, and so very awesome to think that people buy my books and read my words and may learn something from what I have written, such as in my non-fiction, Buzzzzzzzz. Or that a small child learned a lesson in Crying Bear, or that a little one might fall asleep dreaming they are a princess after being read The Princess and the Castle…

For me, as an author, and writer…nothing could be any cooler than to hear someone liked something I wrote. I’m hoping, and believe, that if you write for your readers, that your believers and faithful followers will check out your new genre.  It doesn’t mean that they will like what you are writing but they will probably understand and respect your growth as a writer…

Written by: Virginia Wright

 

New Year, Hope, New Beginnings, and Chances…

With the new year, for some, it brings distress thinking about being another year older. For me, it brings promise of hope, new beginnings, chances, and a blessing of yet another year.

For those who are new followers, before I began writing children’s books, I was writer, and senior editor for ten years for an online health and recipe website named “Lowfat Weekly,” that I founded. I loved, loved, loved, writing about health issues and the challenge of adapting recipes to healthier versions. But while I always warned, for folks to go to their primary care physicians with health issues– I still received questions about health issues. People sharing their ills, trials, and hopelessness. I answered every email, but was very cautious to never give any medical advice. However, I started receiving emails that made me feel that I was being tested, seeing if I would break that boundary. With much thought and decision after ten years of writing health articles and designing good food in the test kitchen to make healthier alternative recipes…I closed the door on Lowfat Weekly.

But from the time I was a little girl, I loved writing. I wrote my mom poems, and whenever I wanted to say “anything,” I put it in a note.

There is more to this story, but for now…I shall end saying please look to the New Year for a new beginning, and never give up your hopes, or dreams.

-Virginia