Thanks to say that. It is difficult to believe but I try.
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Absolutely. Hang in there, keep fighting, keep writing!
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Started working on something comfortable but old. Deadline for the halloween jam approaching, unsure if I’ll make it!
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I got 40k words written in 14 days and it’s just really nice to say that I’ve finally finished writing the ninth chapter of my wip. I got it sent off to beta readers so plans on the demo being updated this month looks like it’ll happen 
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Congrats!
Thank you for the inspiration @milaswriting 
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On chapter 19, last chapter of Act 2! Once upon a time, a teacher of mine said writing act 2 was like climbing a mountain. Now, I understand what he meant. 
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Ok I wrote a plot twist and it seems to come from nowhere. My mentor character, Treju, is a witch who can summon and control ghosts to her will. My main antagonist, Cero is after Treju’s magic book which he believes he’s entitled to inherit since he’s her son. I can’t make sense of this. I feel like I’m tired and just wrote pure nonsense.
An earlier plot twist reveals, Yuriko married Cero when she was alive. Then, he killed her. Instead of Cero being Treju’s son, maybe Yuriko is Treju’s daughter and Cero married Yuriko in hopes of getting the book?
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I mean, both are valid. What can’t you make sense of in scenario 1 (blood heir), and how do you feel scen2 (heir by marriage) fixes it?
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Does anyone also write traditional novels? If so, I’d love to hear how you selected the genre(s) you decided to write in.
My friend and I are working on a 5-novel series (in her preferred genre) and although I’m loving the process and learning a ton along the way, I don’t think it’s the genre I would write in if I were writing my own books.
I could see myself writing mysteries (even cozy), thrillers, fantasy, maybe steampunk, but every single resource I read about succeeding as an indie author says “stay to your friggin’ lane, pick a genre, even a sub-genre, build a brand, and stick to that brand so readers know what to expect.”
So it seems like you basically commit long-term up front, and if you later change course, you somewhat have to start all over because so many readers don’t genre hop. And my reading list is all over the place, so my knowledge of any one genre isn’t super deep. I feel like I need to find my lane but I have no idea how to do that. I even asked my patron supporters about their preferred book preferences and it was all over the place; it wasn’t like my IF writing spoke to any particular group.
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That only work for those who have a certain gift. Like say, someone is passionate playing the piano, and want to master the piano only and have no interest playing any other instrument? Sure, that work for them.
But some peoples can play countless instruments, just like some can master countless languages.
Do not let THAT limit you. Only YOU KNOW your own limit and what gift you have and how to use it.
Thats because you are looking at it in…a weird way.
The way I see it? Is like a big mall. Instead of say owning a stand inside the Mall '‘Eric Stand, he is a writer of thrillers, fantasy and a few steampunk’. And he look miserable, cause they put him next to someone who is a pro at Steampunk and everyone is over there instead of his stand.
I see it like a grocery store, I sell everything. I refuse to be limited, the muse dictate and I shall follow.
And in a grocery store? You have someone looking for Tampon, but also 10 peoples who want something else.
I don’t commit. To me the way it work, is like making a painting. I paint it, and once its done…then come the ‘What kind of painting is this? Hm, certainly not abstract…ohhh nature morte then!’. Abstract : 0 , Nature Morte: 1
In short, I write a story and I have no idea what is the genre 
I suffer through that once its over 
Your line is the kind of stories (Or Games) you wanna write more of. Its that simple.
Don’t over think it.
Btw, I don’t mean this to sound dismissive in any way. I personally did think about sticking to one genre myself (Angst). And I think most writers will start thinking about that as they go beyond the 1-2 books (Or games) and think ‘Hm, maybe I should stick to one genre. Look at Stephen King! It worked for him right?’.
But I also do not think there is anything wrong with being the ‘Jack of All trades’. Especially nowdays where you have so much competition.
It really work both ways. You can make all kind of veges and sell them. Or specialise in selling only Broccoli and hope nobody else sell brocoli like you. (I’m hungry, give me a break )
Thats why I said, only you know whats your gift. Only you know if its worth focusing on X genre, knowing that you will have to discard all the others ideas you get about Y,Z,W genre. And thats not easy to do, ideas can be naggy as you know.
But in the end, it is up to you. Is finding your line and succeess is worth that kind of sacrifice? Only you can answer that question.
Because in the end, you will be the one focusing on a genre and forgetting about countless others genre while they whales in the background for your time and attention.
The Good news is: let’s say you take the jump and decide to write only Steampunk games or stories? And it doesn’t work? You can always go back and write about Medieval or whatever your heart want.
Here are a few links that may help you 
1- How To Choose Your Genre - Writers Write
2- https://www.standoutbooks.com/what-genre-book-genres/
3- How do you know what genre to write? — Derbyshire Writing School
What’s more important? Your love of writing and sharing it, or finding success?
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Well, this book was never mentioned in act 1, so why is it suddenly so important in Act 3? That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I think the book would be better if it was a family heirloom.
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I mean, this doesn’t invalidate scenario 1 (it might even strengthen it).
Is there a reason the book would’ve been mentioned in Act 1? “Treju has a magic book” is enough, or even the implication that witches have magic books.
Then, the Plot Twist in Act 3 can be “Gasp! You thought Cero was doing this because he’s the protagonist’s rival, but it was me, Dio after the Book all along!”, and because the protagonist doesn’t know this at that point, maybe they fail to respond to Cero’s actions apropriately, leading to Cero managing to run away with the book (which is how they learn what Cero is really after). Maybe? I dunno, I don’t know your work, so I don’t know if that fits or not. 
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Alternatively… do I need two plot twists? I’ll be real… I only added it because the template I’m using said to add it. I think Cero being Yuriko’s husband is enough.
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Meh. The book I just finished reading is a cozy mystery series from an author who got her start writing m/m sports-themed romances. You don’t have to marry a genre at the start of your career unless you’re already inclined that way. Of course, the more genre diversity there is in your backlist, the more promotion work you’ll have to do to find your audience, but you might also turn unsuspecting readers onto a new genre, now and then.
Some writers use different pseuds for different genres. Even Nora Roberts has done so with her thriller work. Within SFF/genre, Robin Hobb and Seanan McGuire, off the top of my head.
You can build a “personal brand” as a writer without committing to a single genre. It requires more work, because it’s much harder to drill down and find the recurring themes that you always come back to, compared to just saying “it has dragons/robots/people being English a while ago!”
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I cannot help but feel like, in this analogy, I am the dude selling slightly irregular sweatsocks out of a van in the parking lot.
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Grand Pa simpson, that you throwing socks at the cloud? 
Every pair of socks, come with a free copy of Parenting Simulator. Keep them feets warm, while you read about how to raise your little munchkin.
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I mean, I might literally be Grandpa Simpson one day, if my girls have any kids (even if, alas, the Simpson name itself will die with my generation). So the label fits in all sorts of ways.
On the writing front, I am not. Starting a new part-time job, enjoying some Star Wars CCG time (even went to the Worlds championship, since it was in Atlanta), just generally chilling before the release of Day After, and from there, delving into Grandparenting.
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Can someone explain to me how is it possible passing from conceiving a no sense line that’s supposed to be unintelligible language… To conceiving that time Wooden Elves accused Orcs for poisoning because they imported ice cream?
Because I’ve just done it.
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Was there poison in the ice cream or is it the ice cream itself they think is poisonous?
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The latter: they are Orcs, so they are ugly, so they are evil, meaning everything the create is either corruption, poison or both.
Ice cream is sweet and addictive, so they are poisoning and brainwashing them, while frauding them, because they are legally selling it.
Also, since they main customers are kids, Orcs are kidnapping children… For some evil and gruesome purpose. Also, the Empire of Humans is their brainwashed accomplice because they added flavors.
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