We talked last time about the first lesson from Traditional Publishing—focusing on the product, the book! Now we continue with the second—knowing your genre.
Often new writers tell me a big reason they want to self-publish is so they don’t have to conform to publishers’ specs. “I want to write my book the way I want to write it!” is a common sentiment. Word count out the window. Structure? Who needs it! “I don’t want to write formula,” comes into play.
And at least daily, I’ll hear something to the effect of: “My book is a YA novel with Christian themes but it’s not just for the Christian market so I don’t want to label it that.”
Well, if you want to sell it, you do. Identifying the right genre isn’t just for those going the Traditional route. It’s how readers buy books. Although they probably aren’t aware of the underlying genre, they know what they like to read, and can identify it on the pages.
And it’s the exact place they walk to in the book store or library.
The genres, categories, and sub-categories are not really formulaic, except in the idea of what needs to happen, and what doesn’t. Some are of course, but the vast majority of specs exist sort of like a clothesline on which you pin your shirts and pants, blouses and jackets to make up the storyline.
So why on earth should someone intending to self-publish care about Traditional Publishing’s specs? That’s a huge reason you’re self-publishing, right?
Big fat wrong.
It’s very true that Traditional Publishers can’t spot trends. Just ask them! The standard line is always: “I’ll know the next trend when I see it.” Everyone in this business is always surprised (often shocked) at what takes off. And then everybody wants that thing, with a different twist. Who saw Urban Lit coming? Or the resurgence of Vampires? Or the Dystopian craze. And don’t you wish you did?
But it is in hindsight that the Traditional model shines. This really is a business of the tail wagging the dog.
But what those publishers excel at is in analyzing what made the tail wag in the first place. In other words, they study the successes, and most importantly, who those readers are and what they expect from the books. They know their customers.
How often have you heard: “Write for your audience”? Again, that makes new writers quite squeamish. “I write for myself,” is often the response. Which, yeah, you have to. But you’re also writing for someone to actually read your work, no?
Your audience exists. If you know where to find it.
People come to me all the time saying, “I have written a romance.” Okay—what category and sub-category? There’s a reason that Harlequin Desire is 50K words, while Harlequin Romantic Suspense is 75K. And the reason is:
That’s what those readers want and expect.
A Desire reader doesn’t want the Suspense part. Period.
For a more stark contrast, let’s mix genres. There’s a reason that Cozy Mysteries are 70K words, with no graphic sex or violence. But if you’re writing Urban Lit, you better have both! Because, again, that’s what those readers are looking for in a book.
It’s not just word count, but what happens, and how it happens. Even the prose is different in a Mystery vs. a Thriller.
Often I see manuscripts that do cross genres, which in the Traditional world is the kiss of death.
None of the agents I know will touch those, because of course, they can’t sell them. Writers get so frustrated by this. They’ve just doubled their audience, no? No.
By crossing genres, you’ve just lost both audiences.
Readers want what they want. Give it to them! They’re waiting for the next great book (in the genre they read, of course).
I often talk to readers, from people I know to strangers in airports. I’ll ask what they like to read, and they usually respond, “Oh, I read widely.” But when I press as to which authors they most read, those authors all line up in one specific genre (even though readers are unaware of the appellations J
Yes, you absolutely can throw all these specs to the wind, but go outside the lines at your own peril.
Recreating the wheel in publishing is akin to climbing Mt. Everest when your goal was actually to hike the Appalachian Trail. Man, don’t you hate when you do the former when the latter would have been so much more successful?
Go to the major publishing sites and peruse their categories and sub-categories and the specs for all, and discern where your book fits best. Revising a bit to fit those specs is not at all difficult, and the results are powerful—you can target an audience that already exists, and is ready, willing, and wanting to buy the kind of books your write!
Now, go be that successful author you’ve always dreamed of being!
As an award-winning author and editor, since 1993, 50 + of my authors’ books have sold to Traditional publishers. Many have won awards, been made into films, been featured in Publishers Weekly, and become bestsellers. I also love English Labradors, red wine, and write literary fiction and co-authored nonfiction,
You are absolutely right. Most people self-publish because they can’t get an agent or a traditional publisher, even a small one, which I have.
The main reason I see, though, is they don’t know how to write, and they’re not willing to take the time or spend the money to learn. So, it’s not possible to tell the genre because the writing is abysmal.
If the writing is good, but they continue to ignore structure and genre, the all the better for the rest of us.
Of course, it’s possible that they are good writers with the structure and genre pegged, and still can’t find an agent or publisher. Maybe they should self-publish. But there’s about three examples of that in the world.
You are so right–the writing itself being lacking is a huge issue with most books, Michael. And that’s one of those things that before the new technology really helped writers–they spent their time perfecting the craft itself. And we just don’t see that happening a lot.
Congratulations on digging in and doing it right, and on your new book!
All Best,
Susan
It looks like I must be one of those writers, Susan. I’m a pantster – plotting always takes the edge off my writing, turns it into something less than it can be. So, I let the story choose the genre, and often that is a mix of more than one. But the writing, judging by the comments made in reviews, is good, compelling even. Perhaps this means I write for a small readership, but what I write is good. I wrote a thriller once, 78,000 words by hand on lined paper, following the advice given by agents, publishers and editors. Before I’d finished it, I tossed the MS in the bin. Why? Because I couldn’t stomach the idea of how formulaic it seemed to me. It wasn’t ‘mine’ it was a ‘production line’ product. Now, it’s possible, even probable, that many readers are looking for just that. But I’m not a factory. I’m a creator. So, what are my options? I can continue writing for a small readership and never make money. I can write to the formula and sell it like so many authors do. Or, maybe, just maybe, I can find a way to compromise; a way to blend my methods of creation with the needs of the market. And that is what I’m learning to do, after many years of writing. Compromise is a difficult concept for an artist, but it’s an essential one to grasp if you’re going to gain a decent readership. Thanks for helping take this process one step further for me, Susan. I do now have a small indie publisher, who loves my work and is willing to put it out there, by the way. As Dan, of Fantastic Books Publishing, would say, ‘Onward!’
I love this, Stuart. You have stuck to your artistic guns, but also found a way to make your work more marketable, and the success is in the story here–a small publisher is putting your book out! So fabulous for you!
Any tips for how you were able to grasp the compromise rather than resisting?
All Best,
Susan
A slow, painful process with my creative aspect fighting all the way! I came across several blog posts on different sites, which were timely and, between them, made some sense about the necessary compromise. I spent a fair time of my employment involved in sales of one sort or another and discovered that the world of sales is largely corrupt and dishonest. This bled over into my attitudes about satisfying the market with my books. But the wise words of people like you have gradually eroded my prejudices and my objections so that I’ve come to realise that I do my readers a better service by engaging their needs before my own. The fact that money has never been a motivator for me obviously doesn’t help. Not that I’m wealthy or even comfortably-off, I just don’t get excited by material things. But recognising that readers will benefit from a more reader-centric approach to my work has certainly helped me make it more accessible.
Great encapsulation of what compromise in art really means! It’s not an abdication, but a sorting through (and yes, sometimes painfully) of what’s working and what’s not; of keeping at it until you find that sweet spot that works for you.
Kudos!
Susan
“Go to the major publishing sites and peruse their categories and sub-categories and the specs for all, and discern where your book fits best.” — wise advice! As a reviewer, I’ve noticed that successful authors understand their genres and write within them. As a result, readers know what to expect from them and they grow their following. It’s not about following a formula; it’s about knowing your niche.
Great advice, Valorie! And you hit the old nail on the head with all of this. Love a reviewer’s perspective!
All Best,
Susan