I'm not the sort of reader who will read absolutely everything by my favorite authors. I mean, yeah, I've read every Dessen novel, but it's because I enjoy her type of stories. They're character-driven contemporary novels -- right up my alley. If tomorrow she started a series about a zombie-killing werewolf girl (you know, just for instance) I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be rushing out to buy it.
The truth is: I like how, with some authors, I know what I'm getting. I wouldn't call Sarah Dessen formulaic exactly, but there's definitely a certain comfort in knowing what "type" of novel you're guaranteed to be reading. She's an incredible author whose ability to write complex characters and realistic relationships is pretty much unparalleled in my mind. And I love that.
But then on the other side there are authors like Maureen Johnson, who write a bit of everything YA-wise. I haven't read all of her books. I haven't loved every book of hers that I have read. But she's still another of my most favorite authors and (maybe ironically) a big reason for this is how diverse her books are. Even in her contemporary novels there's a good mix of varying types of POV, series and non-series, and character- and plot-driven stories. She's an author who is so far from being "boxed in" to a certain genre or "type" of novel, and that's a little bit of what I aspire to be as a writer.
All of this makes me wonder: is it better to be an author with a strong "brand," like Sarah Dessen? Or is it better to be an author who writes a bit of everything, like Maureen Johnson? Is there even a "best" here, or is it all so unique to the individual writer? So, my question for you - as a reader, what type of authors do you prefer reading? And for any other writers/authors out there, what type of writer would you rather be?
Both of these questions are still things I'm thinking over for myself and I'd love to see what others think.
That question is hard to answer because i haven't decided on it myself. The only author who i would (and do) go out of my way to buy and read every single book she writes is Ellen Hopkins, because i love her writing and even though her stories are mainly sad or tragic ones, i find i love them. She has this magical way of writing. I think she's a "brand author" because all her books are novels in verse and they all circle around common topics like trouble teens, drugs, abuse etc. On the other hand, i also like it when authors try different themes and styles, it's nice that they challenge themselves and even though i might not read all of their books, they do manage to address a larger audience that way. Although i would hate it if that were the primary reason for becoming an "everything author".
ReplyDeleteYeah. I think that's the double-edged sword of being a brand author -- the fans you have are going to be really, really loyal but there's also less chance to find a wider readership. Like, I'm not going to start reading Ellen Hopkins because her books don't really appeal to me.
DeleteTechnically I'd say MJ still has a brand--it's her style, her humor, the WAY she writes her books. Whether she's writing about ghosts or a family who owns a hotel or a girl who's friend made a deal with devils, her books are always funny, clever, and full of hilarious SNARK. So I feel like I know what I'm getting, and that is what is smart about MJ. She writes in different genres, but she's always herself.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but I think that's a different sort of brand; for instance, I'm not going to read her paranormal books no matter how much I like her writing, because I don't like the genre at all. So it's a type of brand, but it doesn't have the same sort of "rules."
DeleteThis is always a big question for writers, and most of the time you write what you write because that's what comes. You're at the mercy of your inspiration. I've heard editors say you should write three books in one genre before you switch to something else. My first book was contemporary 'issue', my second and third (and maybe fourth) are paranormalish and I'm working on a contemp thriller. My agent says that you should make good writing your brand, like Katie said above. One can only hope.
ReplyDeleteHm. I'd never heard that "three books" rule but that's interesting. I wonder if having a larger body of work in one genre means that more readers will follow the author into another genre.
DeleteAlso: yes, I totally agree that writers are sort of at the mercy of their inspiration -- however, if you get ideas in many different genres then I think this question probably comes into play.
I think it really depends on the situation, and the author. My favorite authors have typically done their first few books the same, then branched out with different books.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Sarah Dessen idea. If she wrote a paranormal book, I doubt I would run out and get it, but when she releases another contemporary YA chick-lit type, I will probably be at the store in the next few days.
Really interesting post, I like it :)
I think I'm the opposite of you, actually. I'll read anything MJ writes because I love her writing style/crazy adventures, while I stopped following Sarah Dessen's new books after a while because after 5-6 of her books, I didn't feel like I was gaining anything new from the experience. I agree it's comforting to follow brand authors, but at this point my reading time is so limited I want to read a variety of POV/subject/etc and following everything authors I like gives me that along with (hopefully) guaranteeing books that are well-written.
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