I tend to lean toward the weird. My paranormal playing field delves into a different milieu, abandoning vampires and werewolves, but not discounting them. Someday I might like to write a novel about vamps and those furry creatures. But for now I like a different flavor mixed with my romance. A strong hero or heroine confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers and capabilities gets my blood running hot.
A friend recently turned me on to writing short stories. What a wonderful outlet. They're quick, fun and can be any genre I want. They also make a nice distraction when my novel's characters get out of hand. This happens if I allow my characters to lead the way and tell me where the story should go next and frankly, it can get a little overwhelming. So, to stay on track with my story, I will—and this is the fun part—take that idea my character had and write a short story based on their whims and desires. This allows me to keep my current work focused and not stray too much from where I was originally headed.
Tomorrow's my wedding anniversary. We'll be spending the night on a riverboat. Woo, my imagination can run wild with dozens of short stories on that one.
Who knows, maybe one of my short stories will take hold and turn into a novel.
Happy writing and thanks for reading. Be sure to leave a comment. I'm interested to see what you do for an out when your characters get out of hand.
