Something to think about:  A really excellent writer, who happens to be a friend of mine, spent the early part of her life as a writer reading and writing romance novels which she has since relegated to the trash bin as being beneath her. And you know what? She’s right that she can write “better” stuff than that. She can compose incredibly beautiful stories that surprise the reader and can rock the world of literature. She is also pretty set on hitting the big time as a writer, making a living at it. If she can write marketable romance novels and sell them while also working on crafting a literary-language based piece, maybe she should. What do you think?

Is it possible to switch back and forth in our writing?

Do you object to what may appear to be an implicit denigration of romance novels in this post? Or do you understand the distinction I’m making, and that I’m not making a value statement so much as a statement acknowledging the different purpose and goals of genre and literary fiction?