Imitatable Internalizing

Aren't I cute?

I've got a new avatar. My old one was me posing like the late Princess Grace of Monaco. The new one is a cartooned version of me done up like Pippi Longstocking.

I suppose I could try an original pose, but leaning on books with blue and red pencils in my head just seemed a bit cliche'd and a tad corny. Just don't remind me of that statement when I use it for my author photo!


The other new is that I may have a short story coming out this fall in a known anthology that showcases new writers. It seems to be a legit thing and its previous releases are known and have been seen by my local booksellers (always a great plus as I'm in a small town in corn country).

I have a question for those who write horror, science fiction and fantasy, and/or mystery.
If you only write in one genre, do you read it or just others?
If you write in multiple genres, do you read in the categories you write in or are you concerned about "internalization" (to quote the latest one caught) from other authors?

I write and am hoping to be published in several genres: children's/YA, family saga, fantasy horror, mystery, and science fiction. I read all these genres as well as general/commercial fiction, plays, thriller, medical, suspense, techno/cyber and a host of non-fiction categories.

I'm not worried about "internalization" but I often abandon ideas when I discover they are too close to something already published, about to be published or generally well-known. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

On the other hand, when I was younger, I tried to follow Pablo Picasso's example. He did a chicken foot over and over until he could draw it fast, clean, exact and in his own developing style. I used to take favorite works and rewrite them as I pleased. I never published them anywhere, but I do have several boxes of notebooks of which some copyright lawyer could make a career.

Yes, I have influences, but I hope I've developed my own style and voice. Such that it would not be easily imitatable.