Authors Answer 10 – Least Favourite Genres

Last week, we had the favourite genres of authors.  This time, we look at the other side, the least favourite.  Of course, authors usually love to read, but that doesn’t mean they read everything.  It’s very useful to read a wide variety of genres, but what would our authors stay away from?  Let’s find out.  Below is the cover of a book that was voted most hated according to several polls.

Question 10: What are your least favourite genres to read?

H. Anthe Davis

I’ve never purposefully read a western.  They don’t appeal to me.  I also avoid most types of romance — modern, historical, suspense, and even paranormal despite the fact that it often crosses over with Urban Fantasy.  (I’m not a big fan of Urban Fantasy either.)   I’m just not interested in stories based on the forging of a romantic relationship.  That being said, I’ve read some good books that were fantasy-romance and one that was a superhero-romance!  I just need the balance to tip more toward the fantasy- or superhero-side than the romance side.

Paul B. Spence

Everything other than science fiction, thrillers, and fantasy.

Tracey Lynn Tobin

Chick lit is definitely right at the top of the list. Sorry ladies, but even though I’m one of you, I just don’t get you. Most of the kinds of things that chick lit stories tend to be about make me gag and pray for the female gender to both lighten up and learn to not take themselves so seriously.

Amy Morris-Jones

I’m not much of a sci-fi fan—although the speculative fiction isn’t bad. It’s the crazy stuff with aliens or weird creatures that I have a hard time wrapping my brain around. I admire those who have the creativity to write it, but I appreciate it only from a safe distance.

D. T. Nova

Is “kids get lost in the wild and/or live miles away from anyone else” considered a genre? I sure had to read enough of it in school for it to seem like one, and possibly because of having it forced on me, I really dislike it now. (Though it can’t be entirely because of that, because I did like the majority of the assigned books that didn’t fall into that category.)

(Seriously, who picks the stuff that’s required reading in school? For me it was 25% classics, 5% popular children’s literature, and 70% crap about kids in the woods.)

S. R. Carrillo

Strictly romance novels put me to sleep. I can’t stop myself from ever wanting to shake my two protagonists and screaming in their faces, “GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER AND HAVE SEX AND BE HAPPY TOGETHER ALREADY.” But, by the same token, stories with no romance whatsoever, of any genre, also bore me, unless it’s to do with a protagonist who is asexual/aromantic. Otherwise, I feel like I’m being slighted a side of a character I wanna know better.

Jean Davis

Crime and Steampunk. I’ve tried to like both. Really, I have. It would seem that because I enjoy writing dark and violent characters that I should enjoy novels that get inside the heads of those sort of people, but I just can’t seem to get into the books. Same with Steampunk. I like historical and I like sci-fi, but this particular blending hasn’t grabbed my interest enough to get me past chapter three of a book yet.

Caren Rich

Romance and horror.  I don’t even have to think about this.  I have read romance, but I’ve out grown it.  I have “accidentally” read a few recent romances, but there was more to it than just a love story.  I don’t read horror because I don’t like to be scared.  My brain makes it so much worse.

Linda G. Hill

Westerns. Cowboys and Indians always feel slightly dusty and leave me wanting to drink… and not water.

Elizabeth Rhodes

My least favorite genre is romance.  There’s no real reason for it, but romance just doesn’t do it for me.  I’m also unlikely to read comedy.  Keeping in mind the previous week’s question, perhaps I just take literature too seriously.

Jay Dee Archer

Romance is my least favourite.  I won’t touch it.  It’s not written for my demographic, anyway.  I don’t particularly like novels written for teens that are filled with angst, like a certain sparkly vampire series, either.

How about you?

Is there a genre that you just won’t touch?  Let us know in the comments below.

Guest Bloggers Wanted

I’m always interested in giving a variety of posts related to books and writing.  However, I can only give my own opinions.  I’d like to give some other views, and that means I’d like to ask for some guest bloggers to write some posts.

The topic: Books and writing.

The bloggers: Anyone who has a blog or website.

The restrictions: No advertising or marketing allowed (this is a WordPress rule, not mine).

The length: No restrictions, but hopefully not too short, and not novel-sized.

I’m really open to any kind of topic related to books and writing.  However, I would like the generally idea of the post to be run by me first just to make sure it’s right for this blog.

So, if you’re interested, please go to my About page and send me a message.  All guest bloggers will of course be given credit and a link back to their blog or website.  A reblog or link back to the guest post from their blog or website is greatly appreciated.

Online Courses and How They Relate to My Writing

A year ago, I started doing online courses through Coursera, and soon after that, Future Learn.  I did so many in the first half of the year, I found myself burning out a bit.  I then took a break.  But I’ve started up again, and just finished my first one in a while.  I have four coming up over the next six months.

But why I’m taking them you may ask.  It’s really about two things: personal interest and research for writing.  Let’s look at the courses I’m going to do and what I just finished.

What a Plant Knows is an interesting plant biology course that has given me insights into how a plant interacts with its environment.  This course will help me with the development of plants on Ariadne.

Elements of Renewable Energy begins next week.  I’m interested in this course because of both personal interest and research.  On Ariadne, they will be seeking sources of renewable energy for electricity, and I think this will help give me an overview.  It may or may not show me anything new, but I think it’ll be interesting.

World War I: Aviation Comes of Age begins next month.  This is mainly personal interest, as I have an interest in aviation.  However, it may help me a bit with the development of new types of aircraft on Ariadne.

The Emergence of the Modern Middle East begins in March.  I’m interested in this course because it shows about the recent history of a very unstable region in the world.  This will help me with researching about international relations, as well as development of regional politics and conflict.  These themes will be important later on in Ariadne, as well as in any fantasy writing I do.

Hadrian’s Wall: Life on the Roman Frontier begins in June.  This will be interesting for future fantasy writing I do.  History is a good thing to study if I want to write fantasy, as many elements of history can help me develop civilisations that are similar to ancient Earth civilisations.

Of course, this is only one way to do research.  How do you prefer to do research for your writing?  Please leave your comment below.