I’m sure this is a subject that includes too many selections and variations to cover adequately. So let’s just come up with a few.
The business-like novelist. Disciplined, successful, efficient, productive. Kind of churns out the tales within a decent allotment of time, and in that way keeps his/her particular fans happy while providing an ample supply of books for the new reader of his wares. I tend to think of James Scott Bell or Karen Kingsbury in this crowd.
The laborer novelist. Every word is crafted and honed. Books don’t appear that often, leaving their fans wanting, eager, sometimes wondering if there are more to come.
The fun-specialist novelist. Trip, delight, fantastic stories. Nothing too deep but still provides a barely disguised poignant message. For those who desire fluff and need relief from the pressures of reality. Usually quirky with doses of humor and a few skin-deep characters, nothing that requires heavy thought to “get”.
The intense novelist. Creating suspense in the simplest of situations, portraying the darker side of humanity but exposing the light.
The supernatural novelist. Heavy on the heavenly or demonic superimposed throughout normal life occurrences mixed in with characters who are aware and those who are oblivious.
The historical novelist. Providing insight through their research into a distant time, allowing it to be experienced in present tense.
The science fiction novelist. Those who yearn for unknown civilizations far, far away and take their readers on the journeys to find them.
The fantasy novelist. Providing visions of all kinds of beings and places of both incredible beauty and macabre practices.
The romance novelist. Since this is my specialty, I will say there are different kinds of these writers. Those who focus on relationship, contrasted between the world/secular viewpoint and that of God’s definition of love, romance, and sex (moi), and those who write more traditional “boy meets girl”, conflict, strife, resolution, yahoo. There are a few who write the star-crossed lovers stories and only arrive at “happy” endings after much sorrow. Heavy on the tears.
So, where do you fit in? Or do you? In more than one place?
Father, thank you for the place you have me right now. Thank you for the stories and those who have read them. Thank you for allowing me to write and giving me a passion for it. Please, as I always ask, use me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.