I've always written the kinds of stories I'd want to read. I've never considered the market or a target audience when creating a story. But I've heard some people do and are quite successful because of it. Do you consider the market before you begin a project or do you write first and worry about who's going to read it later?
I write stuff I'd like to read. I don't really have much time to consider the market. If I have to write stories I don't want to in order to get a book published, then what's the point? There are easier careers with less stress and letdown. So what if my name is attached to a book if I didn't have it in me to write it. I write the stuff I want to read and as a result, I hope that the quality will increase and it'll be something others will want to read too. And despite how much I put myself down, my work actually does seem (at least to me, based on other works I've seen) to be relatively commercial. So I think it will fit in the current market. But that's not really my consideration. I write cause I'm driven to.
I do, in a way. I know that the genre I'm writing in is doing okay, but I don't watch the bestseller's lists to see "how" okay. I know that M/M romance is growing, but it's not something I'd write. I love westerns, which is practically a dead genre right now - but I can take elements of it and use them in my current writing. I guess if something were really selling, and the outlook was for it to continue, I'd consider it if it were already something I had at least a little interest in as a reader, but I wouldn't write anything if I had no interest or liking for it otherwise.
I don't really consider the market. I write what I would enjoy reading and enjoy it. I hope there are others who will feel the same about my work, but that comes second to me following my heart. Sorry for the cliche.
Not at all - I write what I know and love, and don't care who'll read it. I mean sure, some genres may sell better than others. But I'd rather earn success from writing something I enjoy than writing something that I don't enjoy simply for the sake of making it easier on myself.
I follow what I like to read and am interested in, which I know is intriguing and sells well. That's just a coincidence. Because, if I really wanted to follow trends, I'd probably write about vampires and all that. Not my thing (although I happen to love True Blood, which still shocks me). I took a writing class and everyone except me and another student wrote vampire stories. It was annoying. Sorry to anyone who is into that, it's just my opinion. I just try to follow things I find interesting and explore them through writing. I've researched all kinds of weird things lately that I never would have if my writing hadn't taken me there, so it's also a way of learning about the world and myself!
No. I write what I think is an interesting story--something others would enjoy. Then I seek a market for it.
I am half scared to check the market numbers most days; I don’t want to know what the odds for me publishing something is.
Hi, No. There would be no point. I write for me. I write what I like and what comes to me. And if I tried to change to something that was potentially more commercial, I believe detective is really hot at the moment, I'd probably fail miserably. I can't imagine being interested enough in the story to complete a novel, and if by some strange fluke I did, the chances are that it wouldn't be very good. Cheers, Greg.
Nope, because by the time you've written it, rewritten, edited, sought representation and MAYBE been lucky enough to get a publishing deal, the market has probably shifted anyway. Much better to just write a story because you feel compelled to, tell it well, and let it find its own audience.
^^ Markets, e.g. for magazines (short stories) or certain genres like historicals don't change as quickly as that, although I do get what you mean. I was getting depressed with getting rejections for work it seemed was only interesting for people of my background, so I write directly with a market in mind now. I still write short stories that are experiments for myself, and academic papers to keep my hand in. But you can't write 'just for the market' as it comes over as slick and cynical, IMO. You have to enjoy what you do.
Ha, no way. Not by any high noble intentions on my part either. I am just that horribly out of sync with what is popular. I don't hop onto a bandwagon until it is old, on fire and has been abandoned. Not out of lack of trying though. Often it feels as if I am walking against the current. I end up writing what strikes me as interesting and the type of story that I can't seem to find. I do try to pay attention a little to current styles, since a book from the 50's is written differently then a book from the 90's. As best as I can of course.
i just write whatever i want/need to write... it makes no sense to consider 'the market' because by the time you write, edit, and polish the ms; query agents; hopefully get one who'll then query/submit to publishers and snag one who'll take on the book, taking 18 months to 2 years to get it into print and onto bookstore shelves, 'the market' is likely to be a completely different one than what it was when you got the idea for your book...
What I have been researching.It is best --to consider the market first or you going to experiences alot of rejections.
Never. When I start writing I don't even consider the possibility than someone besides myself will one day read it. That is something I think about once it has started to take shape.
Unless you are the luckiest guy alive, you are going to experience a lot of rejections no matter what you do. Might as well write something that you want to write so at least you have a rewarding piece completed if you don't get published.
the only market you really need to consider before writing is age/gender/genre... in other words, your target readership... make sure you'll be writing what those you want to read it will relate to... so, if writing for the YA market, don't be writing as if it's for the adult market and v/v... and if writing a shoot 'em up action adventure that you want men to buy and read, don't mush it up with lovey-dovey stuff that would only fly in the p/b romance market... and so on...
That makes sense. But what about a book that has shoot 'em up AND lovey dovey mushup? Wouldn't that appeal to a broader audience? And aren't some books so good they cross all age and gender boundaries?
And what I was going to write. Anyway, if your story is well-told and enticing enough, some agent/publisher, somewhere, will be interested; the challenge is to find an agent who believes in your story.
I don't necessarily write what I want to read: I write what I want to write. I usually enjoy reading what I wrote, but it's impossible to compare it to something I read that is written by others. Maybe because I already know what will happen when I read it? I know my characters, my plot, my fictional world etc. No, I don't think much about the market. I haven't really started writing "seriously" (the real thing) yet. I write almost every day, but I mostly write short stories to explore the characters, the fictional world etc. I really want to start on the real book project soon. Sometimes, I think about the market in the sense that I might be copying someone/writing something that is "already written". Even if people had told me that I would have no chance if I wrote about sorcerers, I wouldn't let them stop me. I write about sorcerers, and I really want to write about sorcerers. But I try to make them as different as possible from sorcerers in other books, which can sometimes be difficult. I've heard this phrase from people all the time: don't write about sorcerers, don't write about vampires, don't write about this or that. But there are hundreds of books out there about vampires, and it seems like the publishers take in what they can sell. But I don't write to become rich. I would be glad if my books were published and read by thousands of people, even if it meant that I had to publish them for free. It would be nice to be able to live of it, but that is not why I write. I write because I love to write, and I would love to share my stories with the world. Some people have told me: "But you can be rich like J.K. Rowling!". I always tell them, time after time: "That is not the reason why I write!". I don't really know what market I'm writing for. I don't think (when I write) that "this is not appropriate for that type of genre". I add what I want to add. I don't really consider age group, gender (certainly not!) and even genre.
