Middle Grade...and Beyond!
Having spent a good deal of time meeting and chatting with writers, both online and in person, I am aware that we all write for a variety of different reasons. Some of those I've heard include:
1 - I've always wanted to write; I've written my whole life.
2 - I have a great story that I really feel needs to be told.
3 - I enjoy reading a certain genre; I want to see if I can write too.
(These are just a few reasons I've heard for writing - there are many more.)
Obviously, there is no right or wrong reason to write - but it does affect how we write, what we write, and how well we write. The main reason I write is because books played an important part of my early adolescent period. If I hadn't had the works of Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson, and a multitude of others in my life, I really wonder where I would be today. Those well-known literary giants inspired my imagination to dream, and to deal with a difficult time in my life. Consequently, I have an affinity to the genre of middle grade books, as well as middle grade kids themselves. It is such a tough, transitional time that if family and friends cannot provide fully the support needed, a child can really struggle. The thought (dream) of writing a book that might help a youngster, like books helped me, is something that really lights my fire! I have spent many hours reading awesome MG novels (old & new) to give myself a good basic knowledge of the genre. Those books are featured weekly in my Monday post entitled: Bibliophile's Corner.
That being said, I was recently encouraged by a good writer friend to mention on my blog that I also read a lot of YA and Adult novels for my personal enjoyment, since I do. For that reason, I have added another gadget to my blog entitled: YA/Adult Books Read - 2012.
What are your thoughts? Do you read in the same genre that you write?
