Sometimes writers pigeonhole themselves, whether it be into a specific genre, series, or even one book. Have you been working on one book for your entire writing life and never tried anything else? You're stuck in your box.
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It's true that a lot of authors when building their brand tend to stick to one genre or theme. It makes them easy to find, and their readers know what to expect. But guess what? They've found success in that, it's their passion, and they're writing words.
If you're not writing words, then maybe you need to step outside of your box.
Are you a science fiction writer that's always wanted to try romance? Go for it! A romance writer that dreams of writing horror? DO IT. A prose writer that has a passion for poetry but has always been afraid to take the plunge? Take it!
It's not wrong to explore. And it might just be the inspiration you need. It might reignite the fire and passion you had in the beginning that you can't seem to tap into now. And it might give you some insight into why your current WIP isn't working. Maybe that romance you always wanted to try is a way to shake loose a romantic subplot that was begging to weave its way into your current book but you were too close to see it.
See what I mean? Trying things outside of your norm could help in so many ways! And guess what? If it makes you write fucking words, then that's more words than you had before! Who knows, maybe you were meant to write in a different genre altogether! Maybe your first baby isn't being completed because there's another story in your head that is begging to come out, and the more you put it off the more you fall out of love with your current WIP.
Don't ever be afraid to try new things. If you are afraid that it's going to ruin your brand or freak out your readers, then either don't show it to anyone or create an alter-ego. People use pennames all the time to differentiate their genres, so that readers don't get confused. Don't worry, I have an answer for everything. XD
So bottom line is, don't stick yourself into a box that limits you. If you declare that you're a science fiction writer and that's all you ever want to write, and the words are flowing and you've got a great flow, then by all means, go for it! But you wouldn't be here if that were the case, right?
So, your activity today is to ask yourself some questions, whichever ones apply to your situation, and try to be honest with yourself.
1. What type of story do I usually write?
2. Do I like this genre? Why or why not?
3. What genre have I always wanted to try, and never had the guts to?
4. How long have I been trying to force my way through my current WIP?
5. Am I stuck on my WIP because I have fallen in love with a new idea and am just disenchanted with my current one?
6. What am I afraid of?
7. What do I really want to write?
If you're really wanting to branch into other genres but have no idea where to start, the OpenNovellaContest has launched their prompts and there is one for almost every genre you could think of! Give it a perusal!
