We've had some great discussions these past few weeks on plotting, "pants'ing", insecurity vs. security, and genres. Thanks for the participation everyone! And remember, any new suggestions or topics you'd like us Chicks to focus on soon, just ask in the comments or email us. :) We're here to help!
Today I'd like to talk about selling out.
And I don't mean of your print run ;)
This past week we've talked about genres, how to know which book to write next, and if a certain genre feels the most natural to you, if that's a sign to stick with that for awhile. (all of those comments and feedback are under Christa's post last Thursday if you want to review/catch up)
Erynn also wrote on Monday that a good story will sell (eventually! we still have to have patience! ::wink::) regardless of the genre or what is hot on the market.
I wanted to add on to that a little because she's so right!
I've known some authors who hop bandwagon to bandwagon, writing stories in multiple genres based on what the market was producing rapidly at that moment. But the sad thing was they were always behind, because the market was always changing. Historicals were hot, then not. Chick lit was hot, then gone. Romantic suspense ruled, then declined. Historicals came back, then YA shot up in popularity while suspense dipped back down.
Etc. etc. etc.
So you can see the vanity in this desperate attempt to chase fads to get published. For example, a lot of people started writing supernatural stories after Twilight's success but really, how many do you remember reading/enjoying/staying with you? How many even actually made it to the shelf? (especially in CBA)
Exactly.
So don't be a fad chaser. Stick to the story of YOUR heart. Your passion will shine through regardless of genre, regardless of marketing, regardless of what industry professionals forecast.
Here's a secret that I firmly believe will take you FAR in your writing career. Don't miss this!
You ready????
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You sure?? ;)
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The best way to make a story impress an editor is to believe in it.
There you have it. Passion. Faith. Belief. If you care about your story, an editor/agent will be 1000000000000000000000000 timex more likely to as well. Fad chasing doesn't leave much time for passion...
So don't be a sell out!
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Preach it, sister! Love this post! :)
ReplyDeleteQuestions for future posts:
ReplyDeleteWhy Christian fiction?
Any tips on choosing between ya & 20something lit? Is there a difference in the type of writing?
Great post! I think you're right on sticking to what you love to write. Even if Amish goes out Beverly Lewis will still probably do well! & Karen Kingsbury has practically created her own genre!
ReplyDeleteIm in the progress of moving & it reminds me a lot of staging our house! It's so important to buy decorating things & staging the house so it'll appeal to buyers but all my belongings come along with me after the house is sold. So when buying things I have to be aware of what others find attractive while being true to myself & what I love because I have to live with it! Does that make sense?
Petunia, YA is a broad range, the genre technically can go from a readership targeted at children all the way up to early/mid 20's. It depends on the subject matter and the publisher. But YA is the general label that encompasses all those age brackets.
ReplyDeleteThere are always variables of course. For instance, a book could have a main character be a child and it still not be considered a YA because of subject matter. Such as Mary DeMuth's "Watching the Tree Limbs" novel.
Just FYI! :)
As for "why Christian fiction" - what exactly do you mean? As in, why try to publish Christian publishers instead of "secular"?
Tonya that sounds exhausting! But great analogy girl ;)
ReplyDeleteYes, why Christian & not secular?
ReplyDelete& do you ever feel like you reach non-saved people?
I just wonder because I think fiction could be a great tool to witness. I could be wrong on that but also you can still be a great witness with a Christian publisher too
So true. It's super easy to get caught up in the trap of writing what's hot now. I like to challenge myself to focus on what other writers aren't doing, this helps me find different ideas and keeps me writing. :)
ReplyDeleteDebra