What kind of writer are you?

This is a post I've been thinking about for a long time. Like, for almost a year. I've been avoiding it, though, because I tend to avoid talking about the big stuff. Mainly it's because I start writing and then I think, "Hey! Who do you think you are? No one cares what you think!"

Well, that may be true, but I'm going to write it anyway.

I think we focus a lot on what kind of writers we are or what we should be, but lately I've been thinking about what I'm not.

I'm not a romance writer. Period.

I like romance. I like reading it and I like having elements of romance in my works, but I don't write what a lot of people expect romance to be nowadays.

For example, if a reader picks up one of my books hoping to have tingly groin sensations, it's not going to happen and he/she is going to be disappointed. (sorry for that visual)

I like relationships. Real relationships. Between fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, friends, boyfriends and girlfriends. They're not always pretty or perfect because life isn't.

I'm not long-winded and I don't beat a reader over the head with revelations. In fact, one of my absolute favorite things to do is read books that have subtle clues I have to figure out to get to the end. And I love writing that. I love injecting little hints that readers have to be careful enough to find. One of my VERY favorite things is reading a book a second time and seeing all those hints pop out at me that I might have missed the first time. I guess because I love it so much, I want to write that way to give my readers that kind of excitement.

I'm not always serious, but I'm not always funny, either. And I don't always write to entertain. I know that's probably my big mistake. I should write good mainstream fiction, but that's not me. Or at least, it's not always me. Sometimes I like writing pure entertainment (To love or Die is a perfect example), but other times I want to write something that has meaning. Something that conveys emotion, that thrusts a reader into the shoes of my protagonist so deeply that they feel his/her every frustration or joy. Do I accomplish it? I really don't know. I hope I do. And I hope I get better at it as time goes on.

Will I be a successful writer? I guess time will tell. But for now, I'm going to be the kind of writer who stays true to herself. I won't be what I'm not just because it might be more popular.

I applaud those writers who write what is popular and I am so happy for them that what they write has seen such success. I hope they're success continues and I'll always be in the background cheering them on.

And like them, I'll always write what I love and continue to hope that someone else loves it, too.