I review books for my website, but only if I like them. I had trouble articulating exactly what wasn’t working for me in a book a writer submitted for review. I thought it was because I’m partial to historical novels and her novel was contemporary, but that didn’t feel right because I love oodles of contemporary books.

You’ve helped me understand that I’m partial to “night” books. Thank you.

In my own writing projects I can make a distinction between work that has, for example, been commissioned (and is of necessity more outward-looking/’day’) compared to work that is self-generated and originates from within. However I find any piece of writing I do an (almost) intolerable struggle with words!

I enjoy reading your comments. Thanks for all your contributions so far. Fiona x

Also, it seems that many writers do seem to make that transition from ‘day’ to ‘night’ books over the course of their writing careers, or indeed – but less commonly I think – from ‘night’ to ‘day’. Some, like Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine, alternate with each book.

Emma, I like all your different distinctions! In fact on my previous blog post there’s been a great debate about the differences between ‘male’ and ‘female’ writing. You might find it interesting:
http://fionajoseph.dev/?p=1010
Fiona x

Are day books about physical adventures and night about mental ones? But the two cannot always be easily separated. Do we have dusk and dawn books I wonder, the transition from one state to another? Perhaps I’m taking it too far now!

Greer’s distinction looks quite serviceable; it describes the differences I might note between, for instance, Alan Garner’s The Owl Service (day) and his later book Red Shift (night). At the moment, I’m aiming for day – I’m still learning the principles of storytelling, so no matter how tempting night writing might be, I don’t feel I’ve earned the right to play fast and loose with my readers. This makes me wonder if night stories might be more suited to the mature writer (mature in their craft rather than their age necessarily). Are there any first works that succeed in the “night” mould?