I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned this before, but I write domestic thrillers, and when I’m not writing DTs, I write murder mysteries. All my protagonists are flawed women who make a controversial choice that starts the novel’s plot rolling. One of my protagonists hit and killed a kid in her car and drove away.  Another was an opioid addict who chose her addiction over her daughter. Occasionally, when I tell people this, someone will say something like, “I don’t get it. Why don’t you write something more positive? A book that actually helps people? Hey. I know. You should write historical fiction. People learn by reading historical fiction.”

Usually, I just laugh and say, “Yeah. Okay.  Good idea. Maybe I’ll try that.” As if I hadn’t thought of writing a novel that would make people smile and laugh, like a romance or chick lit, or a non-fiction book aimed at helping readers learn, such as a parenting manual or a book on combating climate change. It would certainly be much easier from a marketing perspective.

Brutal honesty, I’ve hesitated to ask my local libraries to carry my book because of the dark subject matter. And when I took my books to local book shops to ask if they would take them on consignment, I found myself saying things like, “I want to make sure that you’re comfortable. Trigger warning: This book addresses opioid addiction and suicide. It’s not a cozy murder mystery.”

But I’m a firm believer in the notion that stories and genres choose writers. We don’t choose them. When I was a kid, I devoured Trixie Belden Mysteries. Then I graduated to Agatha Christie novels. I went to college and graduate school, where I studied psychology. So, in my mind, it makes perfect sense that I’d lean toward writing stories with a dark psychological bent.  With that in mind, usually when someone says something negative about my genre choice, I tell myself that my writing just isn’t for them, that they’re not my target audience, and that’s okay. That darkness exists in this world, and it helps to understand it.

But if I’m being honest, it does irk me when writers from my critique group tell me that they simply don’t like my dark genre. And I get it. There are certain genres that don’t speak to me either. I’m not a fan of adventure stories. And I’m fully aware that domestic thrillers and murder mysteries about serial killers aren’t the only books that get side-eyed reactions from readers. Many people are turned off by horror, basic bloody thrillers, and erotica, too. Still, in a world where violence makes headlines and people are struggling to remain positive and hopeful on a daily basis, what do we as writers tell ourselves when a reader confronts us about the dark tone of our novel? How do we respond when they say, “Why would you choose to write that crap?”

First off, I tell myself that they’re reacting before ever having read my novel. Cause ninety percent of the naysayers haven’t. And second, I remind myself that my books aren’t crap…that maybe the Book Gods selected me to write novels about dark, difficult topics because they know that I can. They know I’ll be intentional about the pose, that I’ll create highly developed characters, that my novels will entertain and make readers think and feel. That the darkness I incorporate will be germane to the plot, and that my writing and storytelling skills will carry the book, not the violence or sensationalism. Finally, I’ll take my job as an author seriously, precisely because the subjects I’m dealing with need to be handled carefully.

So, the next time someone asks you why you’re writing that true crime novel about that serial killer or that memoir that doesn’t shy away from your experiences with sexual abuse, consider saying simply, “Because this story needs to be told. Don’t worry. I promise to tell it well.”

FYI, I believe the Book Gods choose readers too.

Thanks for reading! Has anyone ever asked you why you write what you write, and told you that you should consider writing something less dark? How did you respond to them? What advice would you give writers like me who’ve felt uncomfortable marketing their work because it’s not squeaky clean?