***
Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Jemi!
So, I love middle grade. There’s something thrilling about
writing for kids, and the conversations I’ve had with young readers have been
the best part of my job as a writer. But I didn’t start out writing MG.
I started out writing romance.
I’ve written short stories of all different genres, but when
I decided to get serious about being a
writer, I was set on writing romance
novels with college-aged protagonists. (I guess today it would be classified as
New Adult Romance, but back when I wrote my first few novels, it didn’t have
such a clear genre.)
Here’s what I loved about romance:
- The moment when the hero and heroine meet. I love introducing two important characters and seeing how they react to each other!
- Showing the sweet side of the hero. My favorite heroes are the ones who are just so loving and thoughtful… even if they try to be a tough guy on the outside!
- The ups and downs of the relationship. I enjoyed putting my hero and heroine through some challenging, heartbreaking times, as long as it ended in a happily ever after!
- Even though there’s no romantic love, I still have fun introducing two important characters, such as two soon-to-be best friends, or two long-lost relatives.
- There might not be a swoon-worthy hero, but I like showing the depth of young characters, too. Maybe the carefree class clown has a very sensitive side, or the rough and tough tomboy secretly loves pretending to be a princess.
- Other relationships, such as family or friendships, can have ups and downs just like a romance. I enjoy making my characters argue and stop speaking to each other, only to be good friends again later.
Two totally different genres, and yet, they’re more similar
than you’d think! I’m pretty attached to MG right now, but I do look forward to
returning to romance sometime in the future.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about writing in multiple
genres!
Shelley Sly lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with her
husband and their chocolate lab mix. She writes middle grade novels about
friendship, family, and figuring out where you fit in. Shelley is the author of
WISHING FOR WASHINGTON, and her brand new release, ONE HUNDRED THIRTY STARS.
You can find her online at www.shelleysly.com.
***
Thanks Shelley! I adored Wishing for Washington and can't wait to read One Hundred Thirty Stars!
I love reading in so many genres (obviously MG is on that list) & I've dabbled in writing multiple genres too. I can totally see me branching out into other genres & age categories once I've got myself some more time!
How about you? Do you write in multiple genres? Want to?
