Genre

I'm currently writing this on a sunbed in Majorca. I know I don't usually post on a Thursday and, frankly, I wasn't expecting to post at all this holiday. But lying here by the pool, people watching, gave me an idea.

How important is genre when we're writing? When you write, do you have a genre in mind? Does it inform your writing? Or do you ignore it entirely? Please comment below because I really want to know.

I like to think that I don't mould my writing to any particular genre, that I just write and see what happens and hope it's original. But today at breakfast I had an idea for a novel. A very vague idea that I won't bore you with. But, as often happens when I'm on holiday, the idea was quite girly. And I thought to myself I can't write this. It's too chick-lit-y.

But why should I deny myself a good story idea because I think it falls into a genre that is stereotypically defined as girly? Should genre matter when we're writing? And why do I feel like chick lit is an inferior genre that I shouldn't bother with? 

I have no definitive answer to any of these questions. I just find it sad that the very concept of genre has the potential to shape, or even, destroy our writing ideas. Please comment below. I'm interested in your thoughts.

Thanks for reading.