You’d be surprised how many people make assumptions about authors’ personalities based on their works’ genre. Horror writers have dark, twisted minds and are capable of committing the atrocities they write about. Erotica writers are perverts. Writers of romance tend to be like their heroines—beautiful women who are lavished with flowers, candy and romantic dinners by more lovers than they can handle (and who all resemble Ryan Reynolds, Zac Efron, Gerald Butler, or Idris Elba) And comedic writers––well, they’re all clowns who don’t take life seriously enough. Really? Come on, people!
I have lost count of how many times friends and acquaintances have been shocked when they find out that I write horror and dark fantasy. “But you don’t look like a horror writer,” they say. So what is a writer of horror and dark fantasy supposed to look like?
Is this what I’m supposed to look like?
We writers are unusual creatures, no doubt. We’re in our heads a lot. We often like to sit apart from everyone and just observe. We have outsized imaginations and we can be inspired by almost anything: a picture, a movie, someone’s smile, a word, a laugh . . . anything! But––we are not what we write. Think of us as actors. A great actor can play the role of a psycho, chef, cyborg, monster or saint and be very believable doing it, but that doesn’t mean he or she is any of those things.
Check this out!
Ramsey Campbell. Look at this guy. Doesn’t he look like he can play Santa Clause in the next remake of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’?
Yet, he has written his share of nightmare inducing horror stories like: Demons by Daylight, Alone with the Horrors, and Told by the Dead. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about them.
Meet these lovely ladies of Horror
Mehitobel Wilson
Read all about Mehitobel here.
Kathe Koja
Read more about Kathe here.
Angela Graham––Writer of erotica. Does she look like a perve to you?
Nicholas Sparks is a Romance writer. Does he look like a romance writer?
Nicholas Sparks
The comedy writer’s job is to make people laugh. That is serious business.
Read this article from WebMD: Give Your Body A Boost––With Laughter
Dr. Seuss
Learn more about Dr. Seuss here.
Diablo Cody Academy Award Winning Comedic Screenwriter
Read more about this comedy writer here.
There are many genres of writing and even more writers, and I’m not saying that some of us don’t have a few peculiar quirks and habits. What I am saying is that we are all individuals, and the genre we write has nothing to do with who we truly are. So don’t judge a writer by his or her genre. I guess you’ll just have to get to know us.
Check out these links:
Weird Writing Habits of Famous Authors
The Odd Habits and Curious Customs of Famous Writers
8 Strange Rituals of Productive Writers
Vashti Quiroz-Vega writer of horror, suspense, thriller and dark fantasy
What are your thoughts on this? What’s your favorite genre? Have you learned anything new with this post?
The Writer Next Door | Vashti Q 
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