Summary

Karl Drinkwater is a successful independent author who writes and self-publishes novels across multiple genres, including science fiction, horror, and contemporary/literary fiction, while maintaining a strong fan base.

Abstract

Karl Drinkwater defies the traditional advice of specializing in a single genre by successfully writing and self-publishing in various genres, including science fiction, horror, and contemporary/literary fiction. He transitioned from working in a library to becoming a full-time author, leveraging the flexibility of modern publishing methods such as ebooks and on-demand printing. Drinkwater believes that a good story transcends genre boundaries and that a strong focus on character development and writing style can attract readers across different genres. He adapts his writing style to suit each genre, ensuring that his work meets the expectations of readers while still allowing for creative surprises. Although managing multiple genres can be challenging in terms of marketing and maintaining a consistent author persona, Drinkwater's diverse portfolio adds depth to his writing and provides a broader experience for his audience.

Opinions

Drinkwater acknowledges the conventional wisdom against writing in multiple genres but argues that it can be beneficial if there is a natural crossover in the writing.
He emphasizes the importance of storytelling and character development over genre constraints, suggesting that these elements can attract readers from one genre to another.
Drinkwater sees the advantage of writing in different genres as a form of diversification, providing a safety net should one genre's popularity wane.
He notes that the research required for different genres varies greatly, from the technical aspects of science fiction to the historical accuracy needed for literary fiction set in a specific time and place.
Drinkwater adjusts his writing style for each genre, considering the unique "recipe" of elements that make a story successful within its category.
He values the feedback from reviews, which can confirm the effectiveness of his approach to genre-crossing and character-driven narratives.
Drinkwater recognizes the efficiency of having a single large audience but also appreciates the depth of experience gained from writing across multiple genres.
He considers the use of pen names for different genres but ultimately finds the maintenance of multiple author personas to be too time-consuming.
Drinkwater advises other authors to expand their knowledge and skillset by learning from various sources, which can lead to personal success in writing.

Karl Drinkwater Makes a Living Writing Novels in Different Genres

He self-publishes & has a strong fan base

Karl Drinkwater © Karl Drinkwater — used with permission

Most authors are known for their work in a single genre, such as John Grisham for his legal thrillers and Agatha Christie for her whodunnits. But some authors write in multiple genres, sometimes using different pen names for each.

One of the most famous multi-genre authors is Stephen King. Best known for his horror stories, his mind-bending tales cross boundaries between supernatural, horror, science fiction and fantasy.

JK Rowling notably switched from writing children’s fantasy to adult thrillers, under the pen name Robert Galbraith. Anne Rice has dabbled in historical fiction and fantasy, alongside her better known works on vampires.

The changing face of modern publishing, with ebooks and on-demand printing, makes it easier for new authors to enjoy the flexibility of writing in different genres, without the financial risk associated with traditional publishing.

Karl Drinkwater is an independent author who writes science fiction, horror, and contemporary/literary fiction. He gave up his job working in a library to become a full-time author seven years ago and today he makes a living from his writing.

Writing in different genres

“Being a multi-genre author is something you’re generally advised not to do,” he says. “As an author, you don’t want your recommendation algorithms to be confused, so that someone who follows one of your genres (but has no interest in the others) is recommended those unsuitable books. But if there’s a lot of crossover in what you write, it can work.

“I’m always interested in telling a good story, regardless of genre. If you focus on characters and your writing style is good, you will find people get into your work from one genre, then become interested in the others as well. That can be a benefit, as genres gain and lose popularity.

“For example, zombie fiction was popular a few years ago. Werewolves and wizards have also been popular, but these trends don’t always last. When you’re working across genres, you may have projects on the go that fit an upcoming trend. It’s easier to pull yourself in or out. Science Fiction is my most popular genre at the moment, so I’m focussing on that. I love writing it. You should always write what you love”.

Writing across genres enables Karl to write without the limits that might naturally be imposed by sticking to a single genre. “Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket, you have a plan B or plan C if one of them doesn’t work out,” he says. “That can be an advantage.

“If you have enough fans, then writing with the same name across genres can work. If your audiences are more segregated it can be less effective, and you might benefit from using pen names. In my experience, it’s a bit of a mix. With me, there’s enough overlap that some of my readers do enjoy the other genres”.

Keeping life interesting

Writing in different genres keeps life interesting. It enables you to explore different styles and themes, and to hone your writing skills, while finding out what type of writing suits you best.

The research required to write a historical novel will be completely different to research for a science fiction novel. In a historical novel, you might be looking into what life was like in a Victorian workhouse, whereas for science fiction, you might be exploring the mind-bending possibilities of quantum mechanics.

“I always do research, regardless of genre, but it varies a lot,” says Karl. “Science Fiction includes a lot of technical stuff, which I need to get right. I have a good general knowledge of technology, so I write first and check my facts after writing the book. I then confirm I’ve got the gravity right on a planet, or the speed of orbit correct.

“My literary fiction is usually strongly tied to a place, so I need an in-depth knowledge of that place. I do the research before I start writing. One of my books is set in Manchester in the year 2000. I did live in Manchester for a while, but I returned there to do the research, checking what buildings were in place at that time, and taking buses to outlying districts. The research involved in these two genres is completely different.”

Adapting your writing style

Karl says his writing style differs between genres. “It has to. Good writing has certain qualities. There’s voice, story arcs, characterisation, imagery, as well as style at the sentence, paragraph and chapter levels. It’s like a recipe, so different proportions of different ingredients work well for different genres.

“Across my books, I focus on building relatable characters and a good plot. There’s a fingerprint that runs through all my books, but in Science Fiction, I also need to think about alien and artificial intelligence voices. These books are clearly different from other genres.

“In contemporary fiction, the proportion and importance of each element varies. If you write in a genre, you have to make sure it fits general expectations of that genre, but that doesn’t mean you can’t surprise the readers — which is something I often try to do”.

Adding depth to your work

“Fiction by someone who only writes in one genre sometimes lacks the breadth of a multi-genre author. By writing in different genres, you can pull elements of them into your work to make it wider and deeper.

“Some of my Science Fiction reviews have said, ‘You can tell he’s a horror writer — edge of your seat tension!’ In literary fiction, I’m more focused on character than plot, but that helps me build good characters in other genres.

“Reviews offer valuable feedback, because they tell me when I’ve got things right. You’ve always got to find your audience — people who will love your books and connect with them. The downside, is that if you’re writing in multiple genres, you have to do that multiple times, and it sucks up time.”

When to use a pen name

Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner once said, “You need to specialize, because a publisher can’t afford to try and reach a whole new audience with every single book. As an author, neither can you.” But does that still hold true, in the world of independent publishing and on-demand printing? I ask Karl what he thinks…

“This view makes sense,” he explains. “As an author, you need to be efficient. The easiest way to do this is to create a big audience and feed them. Science Fiction has worked well for me.

If you have a big following in one genre, you can sell four books from that genre to one person, which is obviously more efficient than trying to reach a new audience every time. But the downside of confining yourself to a single genre is that you may not get the same depth of experience to help you grow and develop as a writer. It really depends on where you want to go.

“You do save a lot of time by using a single name, not trying to maintain three different author personas,” he continues. “Websites, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook pages and Instagram are basics, and if you have multiple personas, the work of updating these things multiplies. If I had multiple personas, I’d have to cut back on the Karl Drinkwater updates, because doing it for three different personas would take all day.”

Does Karl have any ‘insider tips’ to share? “I listen to podcasts from different authors and pick up bits and pieces,” he says. “Expand your knowledge and skillset as much as possible. This helps you find your own personal recipe for success.”

www.karldrinkwater.uk