What, in your opinion, is the hardest genre to conquer in general? Also, what genre do YOU find you struggle the most/the least with? I find horror to be somewhat difficult (in general), but romance seems to be very easy. The standards are lower for romance novelists.
Romance is the great barrier to most... including me. I stear clear or just keep a low tension alive.
Humor. Few writers can successfully write a humorous novel, although most competent writers can inject SOME humor into their writing.
I would agree with humor specifically. But generally, I think any genre you are not particularly fond of can be difficult (mainly because it's hard to study a type of writing you don't like), or any where the 'mechanics' are things you aren't comfortable with or knowledgeable in. For example, writing Sci-Fi could be very difficult for someone who really doesn't care for hard science. Romance could be difficult for someone who's more practical than romantic. Westerns could be hard for someone who doesn't know about horses or guns. One can enjoy reading them, but without those basic genre "attributes", it's much more difficult to write them.
I agree too that humor is the hardest, but I am willing to write a short comedy novel with a humorous theme. Plus not a lot of readers seem to read humor books.
I agree with what's listed above. Horror is very difficult, for me anyways. It requires attentive word placement and pacing in order to build up suspense, and with todays desensitised generation it's almost impossible to 'scare' through writing. So I generally class horror and suspense as the same. Humour too, as mentioned. I don't write comedy, but I like to add mild, sarcastic humour into certain scenes. A technique that I find helps is to read the scene back weeks later, if not months. If you're able to raise a smirk from you're own writing then you find other people may as well. But as shadowwalker says, it's generally hard to write out of your genre comfort zones. So basically, writing what you like is easiest.
I agree with a few posts in here, but I find that humour is the most difficult genre to write. Horror is also quite difficult, but there's something about deliberately trying be funny that's just that little bit harder, at least in my opinion.
Whatever I can't tap into with ease is the hardest. I like being kooky and slightly weird ( not that those are a genre but it helps with horror and fantasy. ) A straight story without either of these traits would be hard for me. Sci -Fi - if it's based on a theory requiring lots of science to back it up - this would be difficult for me. I don't mind research but I don't want to have to go back to the basics - this is a bunser burner - this is a beaker ,hey , like the muppets. Try and stay focused Peach. Fantasy is easier, based more on whimsy than actual fundamentals or accepted concepts. Romance - I always thought it would be the easiest to write - I've read so many and would often scoff - anyone could write this slop. But that's the trouble - I don't think I could take my romance scenes seriously. Every time the hero tries to swagger, and macho-flirt with the heroine - I want her to look down and say - Your britches are unlaced. Horror I don't mind, but I prefer psychological to actual gore. I think the hardest problem with horror for me is I can write myself into a corner - building up a monster, spirit, or entity that is so horrorifying and unbeatable - that I'm always head scratching as how to end it. Endings in horror are the worst.
Good question... I'd have to say romance. I have no real life experience (which is kinda sad) so it always ends up just being either totally sappy... or extremely awkward. Awkward is the extent of my experience (also sad). I have no problem writing Sci-fi and Fantasy, but when I try and write anything else, I haven't had enough life experience to write from. It usually ends up coming out shallow or unrealistic. I have a crazy imagination tho (if you don't believe me, there is an interdimentional space dragon named Peter who would like to have some words with you ) so fantasy and sci-fi work pretty well for me.
In my sci fi stories, I add a little science based on what I know or what sounds like a true fact. You don't have to go heavy on the science part if you are not a scienctist.
The problem with romance is also when you have real life experience - who wants to read about sweat and other sticky things...
I would have to say romance, I'm never good at expressing feelings so things like characters being in love are extremely difficult to write for me.
