Take Pride in Your Genre

I was talking to someone the other day about how my genre (women's fiction) isn't exactly "hot" at the moment, in the market. What's "hot" right now is YA/fantasy. Hunger Games, Twilight, et al.

And it got me thinking -- no matter if my genre is "hot" or not, I should still take pride in it. Should still feel confident writing it. I love women's fiction. I love reading it, and I love writing it. And that's not going to change anytime soon.

My particular genre is what I like to consider "cozy" women's fiction. You know -- grab a fleecy blanket, make a hot cup of something, curl up (preferably with a dog or cat at your feet) next to a fire, and crack open a book. My novels aren't suspenseful page-turners. They're not meant to be. They explore human nature, the intricacies of relationships, of life. And sure, inside of that, there is conflict. There is drama. But it's not as overt as, say, having vampires or zombies (<--that's not a dig at those books - that's just showing that there's a distinct, unique difference between genres).

And honestly, I'm sure that YA authors have insecurities to deal with, in their own genre. As hot as it is right now, the YA/fantasy genre has also gotten some flack (mostly for the inundation of titles flooding the market, many of which seem very similar). But, those books are popular for a reason. They're fast-moving, intriguing, and often deal with life-and-death urgency, which keeps the pages turning and keeps the fans buying.

I guess my point is, choose your genre based on what YOU like the best, and not what's necessarily popular at the moment. If you love YA, write YA. If you love women's fiction, write women's fiction. Even if it's not selling at the moment.

Because someday, maybe, it will again..... :-)