You know writing rules and career rules are kind of bullshit, right? I mean, yes, generally there are some rules that are a good idea to follow, like not, say, punching you boss in the neck, and not replying to an editor’s rejection with a string of swear words. But, often, we also tell ourselves some mighty tall tales about what we “can” and “cannot” write based around our dreaded “brand.” Here is your permission slip to forget all about that. If you believe that you “can’t” write about a topic burning a hole in your writerly heart because you normally write about something else, I am here to tell you to write it anyway. It’s gonna be okay. Your usual readers might not read that rogue new piece, and that’s fine. They probably aren’t as ready to inspect your every word as you think, and most of them are probably not going to give a shit whatsoever that you published off-genre. And, you might find some new readers. And if you new readers go looking for your back-library of writing and find only your original genre, seriously, who gives a fuck?
Whatever genre in which you think you are “supposed” to be writing, g’head and flip that over and write the opposite. If you’re tied to writing for kids, write for adults. If you’re all in on publishing about local politics, write about international politics, or, better yet, write about anarchy or apathy or whatever the opposite of politics is to you. You get the idea. Stretch your brains, friends. We only get one shot at all this.
Imagine how completely wrong it would be if your epitaph read: “here lies so and so, who would have published in both young adult and non-fiction, but non-fiction seemed off-brand.” Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? Yeah. So, let’s just write what pleases us and forget what people might think. (Also, whatever it is you think they might think? they probably won’t think that anyway.)