Switching Genres as an Author: From Romance to Cozy Mystery with Tara Lush

What if the genre you started writing isn’t the one where your strengths—and your readers—really click? Author Tara Lush, who also writes romance as Tamara Lush, joins Gala Russ on Writing Conversations to discuss her pivot from romance to cozy mystery. We explore the creative and business decisions behind switching genres, finding a new audience, and building on everything you’ve already learned. We talk about: • Recognizing when a genre isn’t the right fit for your writing strengths • Balancing creative interests with reader expectations • Bringing existing readers along—and finding new ones • Planning a series before writing the first book • Choosing covers that communicate the genre promise • Deciding whether you need a different pen name • Giving a new genre a fair chance before judging its success • Taking the long view of your author career Tara also shares lessons from her journalism career, her experience writing paranormal mysteries with midlife heroines, and what working in a serial fiction writers’ room taught her about plotting. If you’re considering a genre change, this conversation is a reminder that you bring your skills, experience, and hard-earned lessons with you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet Tara Lush 01:37 Why switch from romance to cozy mystery? 07:49 Finding a fit with paranormal cozy mysteries 08:47 When writing to market doesn’t click 12:55 Internal vs. external conflict: knowing your strengths 17:53 Will your existing readers follow you? 21:54 Skills and business lessons that transfer across genres 25:51 Learning from mistakes and taking the long view 28:19 Book covers: personal taste vs. reader expectations 34:33 Researching a new genre and its market 36:15 What you enjoy reading vs. what you enjoy writing 39:48 Do you need a new pen name? 50:28 How long should you give a new genre? 54:33 Why comparing author careers can mislead you 56:50 Writing the book is only the first step 58:28 Learning to run an author business 1:01:22 What Tara would do differently starting out 1:03:19 Plotting lessons from a serial fiction writers’ room 1:04:49 Outlining, discovery writing, and genre structure 1:08:59 Where to find Tara CONNECT Find Tara Lush and her books: https://taralush.com/ Find Gala Russ, writing resources, and coaching: https://galarussauthor.com/ Have you considered switching genres? Tell us what you write now—and what you’d love to try—in the comments. Subscribe to Writing Conversations with Gala Russ for more conversations about writing craft, publishing, and building a creative life. ABOUT YOUR HOST Gala Russ is a romance author and book coach who helps emerging writers finish their novels and navigate their publishing options. #WritingTips #SelfPublishing #CozyMystery