IWSG: Genre Love

It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's time for IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group). This month's question is- What do you love about the genre you write in most often?

The co-hosts for the February 7 posting of the IWSG are Stephen Tremp, Pat Garcia, Angela Wooldridge, Victoria Marie Lees, and Madeline Mora-Summonte! 

Be sure to check them out after you see what I have to say.
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Mostly, I write superhero fiction. My series is the Menopausal Superhero series, which folds in some women's fiction and comedy, but is still, in many ways, a traditional superhero story.

I get so much joy out of writing these books that it's difficult to pick a favorite part, but I'll give it a go.

First there's the imagination. All writing requires imagination, but there's a special kind of freedom when the limits of reality are removed and you can imagine people doing things that aren't actually possible, like flying, or throwing fire, or transforming into a lizard creature. It can be a very omnipotent feeling, knowing that the only limits your characters have are the ones you have created for them.

Second, I enjoy the exaggeration and drama. There are quiet, personal character interactions in my stories, but there are also scenery chewing monologues by maniacal villains and the occasional opportunity to throw a bus at someone.

I live my life with a good amount of restraint (you have to keep your filters on when you teach middle school), so it's great fun to cut loose and explode on the page through my characters. After all, part of the fun of writing (at least for me) is getting to experience things you don't get to do in real life through your creations.

So, that's the pull of superhero fiction for me. How about you? For whatever you prefer to read or write, what's about it pulls at you?