Readers, Writers and the Least Common Denominator
by Deborah Kinnard
This may sound a little ranty. If so, so be it.
Writers often receive conflicting messages. “Write the book of your heart.” “Believe in yourself!” must be weighed in the balance with “The market wants XYZ types of fiction” and “That sort of story simply won’t sell.”
How does a conscientious and sales-focused writer strike a balance?
First, remember that the fiction market is not clairvoyant. Publishers could not have foreseen the success of the Harry Potter or Twilight books. Indeed, TWILIGHT was published two years before its sales began to take off toward the phenomenon it has become. The publisher is sometimes as surprised by a blockbuster book as anyone else.
That said, if a publisher sends a “no-thanks” that includes the statement they have no readership for this story, a writer does well not to take it too seriously. One publisher’s “no readership” may prove another publisher’s blockbuster-to-be.
Once a writer finishes the fiction project of his/her heart, someone somewhere is going to suggest the writer water it down for that elusive creature, The Market. “We can’t have this level of violence/romance/realism/fantasy/science in this genre!”
Can’t we? The problem is that the publishers guess. They cannot know. Writers create their stories to tell a tale to a listener/reader. It’s the tale they want to tell, which they hope will find an eager bunch of readers. Changing it radically to meet the expectation of a publisher that “Genre A must have characteristics X, Y and Z” does no honor either to story or reader. Neither will be pleased with the outcome.
What then do you, the writer, conclude? Obviously you do your market research as best you can. You read in your genre, you wander the bookshops and see what’s brand new and apparently selling. If you feel the vampire-love market has peaked, and you’re passionate about vamp romance, do you write the next one or turn your passion toward another subgenre?
The news here from where I sit at Casa Chaos is—we still don’t rightly know. So far I’ve seen several books published that would “never sell” due to the fact that they dealt with themes the market claimed it wasn’t ready to see. However, if Dumb It Down for the Market lies on the extreme left side of the continuum, and Write What You’d Like to Read Yourself is on the far right side, I think I’m leaning toward the right. So far, anyway.
What are your thoughts?
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Deb Kinnard started writing at age ten, frustrated because there was no preteen girl with a horse on “Bonanza.” From there she progressed to short stories and really bad poetry.
In college, she gained two degrees in health care and spent time observing hippies, basketball stars, el-ed majors and other strange species.
While raising two active girls and cherishing a husband, she enjoyed a career that has encompassed Spanish translation, volunteer work at a crisis line, years in assorted ERs that don’t resemble the one on TV, and a day job at a big Chicago teaching hospital.
She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, serves as Midwest Zone Director, and confesses to being a loud singer at church. In 2002 and 2003, she sold her first and second novels, Powerline and Oakwood to Treble Heart Books. Angel With a Ray Gun was released in May 2009 by Desert Breeze Publishing, “Something Borrowed” in the Brides and Bouquets 2007 anthology by ByGrace Publishing. Angel with a Nail Gun will come out in October 2009, and Damages in April 2010, from Desert Breeze Publishing. Seasons in the Mist will come out in April 2010 from Sheaf House.
When Deb’s not at the computer writing, she keeps busy with reading, playing the guitar, and needlework. She loves to travel and meet new people, some of whom turn up later in her stories. So if you meet a short woman with a light in her eye…
Visit Deb online at www.debkinnard.com
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7 Comments until now.
I’m “right” there with you! Who wants to write something they really don’t want to anyway? What’s the point of indulging thousands of hours in a creative process just to churn out a book that lines up with someone else’s idea of sellable? I’d much rather write what I love, enjoy the creativity in it, and it if it doesn’t sell, fine, at least I had fun and probably learned a lot in the process (or I always have self-publishing available) and if it does sell, great!
Yes! And thank you for stating the obvious: publishers are NOT clairvoyant. And think how subjective the decision-making is. Do we all agree on our favorite type of book? Favorite style? I could go on. But I thank you, Deb, for writing what I am sure many wonderful writers that have been turned down need to hear.
I very much enjoyed your thoughts. A little over a year ago, I submitted an article to a magazine which seemed a perfect fit for my subject. I had written about my son’s enthusiastic approach to life and his eagerness to make others smile. My son had recently passed away after living his lifetime (25 yrs.) with a progressive neuromuscular disease. After waiting six months (and after a few inquiries from me), I was notified by the editor that she was sorry to inform me she wasn’t interested in buying my article. Since this was my first submission into the paid markets, I kept wondering if I had been too honest in my approach, and perhaps should have been more politically correct in my terminology. Two months later, I received an email asking if my article was still available along with their offer of payment. I have now had two articles published in this magazine, and they have just accepted my third article. I have learned to be true to myself in my writing and not to be afraid of rejection. There may be an acceptance just down the road.
Really enjoyed reading this today. I’ve only had a smattering of things published–and a little more so recently; but have been finding that writing that novel I kept putting off is becoming THE most fulfilling thing in my life–ever!
Maybe because it’s my first one, and I haven’t had to go through trying to get it published yet, but I don’t think anything could possibly compare to the absolute elation of just doing it. Even thinking about what happens next, or having to make it fit into somebody else’s tidy little box is simply not an option at this point.
Your insight was very encouraging–made me realize that even those who’ve ‘been there, done that’ still somehow sense staying true to yourself is a viable option.
Thanks.
Do you think the same for submitting a concept and pilot script for TV to assorted networks? I have a great idea and a gut instinct that it would really fly. But so far (which at this point has only been to a couple of Canadian broadcast networks) the answer has been “not interested at this time”
Grrrrr
I think we can only write those things we feel passionate enough about to want to keep going when things get tough. Hopefully that passion will convey itself to the editors at a publishing house and then to readers. If we don’t believe in what we are doing and are only writing to a fomula and the market, how can anyone else beleive in it? Just my thoughts.And eventually in God’s time they will find a home, as happened with my novel Streets on a Map
Brilliant insights from a girl who obviously knows the ropes. Thanks for steering us in the “right” direction.