I'm curious, do you write your novel with a market in mind, an age-group, or even genre? Or, do you get a story concept and write it, only to try and work out who your market is later? Logic tells me to identify the market first, picture my reader and write a story perfectly suited for them. But I think my muse may be a mischievous little pixie that likes to play pranks on me.
My dad is an entrepreneurial wizard, and I took a keen interest in marketing, undertaking studies in that area and early on in my career working for promotional agencies. I know the importance of identifying a market. You waste resources ineffectively shooting arrows in the air without a target in sight. But the creative side of me says 'I want to write a pirate story, about a little kid, for adults.' And I'm a sucker for the inspiration.
You type 'The End', then look around frantically to see who would possibly want to read this story you wrote aimed at your own individual and rare persona. Some writers do identify their target market first, and I applaud them (you're doing the right thing), but if, like me, you can't do that, all is not lost.
As you develop your story idea, or if you're a panster, as you start writing, think about the plot emerging and what your main premise or theme in the novel will be. What is your underlying message? Who would benefit from this, who will care? It help you immensely in the end with your marketing plans, and with your queries to publishers. But also, by having that ghost-reader, sitting by your side, looking over your shoulder trying to read as fast as you write, I find this helps me push on through the tough parts of any novel. Knowing that they're out there, waiting impatiently for your book to be released. This makes me push onto to finish little zombie dog's tale, or plot out the next murder mystery for 11yr old Kitty and her dog Spade.
How about you? Can you identify your reader? Know where to reach them?
I'M GLAD YOU PSOTED THIS BECAUSE I'M ANGSTING OVER THIS WITH SECONDHAND SHOES. I'VE GIVEN THE MANUSCRIPT TO WOMEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 TO 80. A FEW MEN HERE AND THERE, TOO. ANYWAY, THEY ALL SAY THEY LOVE IT. BUT, MY CRITTERS ARGUE WHETHER IT'S YA/CROSSOVER.
ReplyDeleteANYWAY, WHEN I WROTE IT...IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS I HAD TO WRITE, YOU KNOW. I PANSTERED MOST OF IT.
I can't answer all of these questions right now but I will say that I read this post rapt. Charmaine, you've touched on something fundamental here and if you wrote another post on it, I would read it with just as much keen attention. I'd like to know if you have more to say on the topic. It really struck a chord with me.
ReplyDeleteKnowing your audience can be tough. Sometimes you think you know it and it turns out to be a different demographic instead. But it helps to have SOMEONE in mind!
ReplyDeleteNah, I write it first because I often don't know exactly where it's headed. It might feel like a romance, but ends up as a mystery. Heck, once in a while I've reduced a short story to a poem, because it felt like that was right. Then again, shopping short stories around is not anywhere near as time-consuming and difficult as a novel.
ReplyDeleteMy main problem is that my demographic, guys, apparently don't buy books any more. Makes it a tough sell to publishers. Not really sure how true this is as I think it's more that guys don't buy books with quite the voracity of women but they still buy them. Tricky.
ReplyDeleteI think there needs to be a happy medium between the two. If you wrote for an audience without feeling the creative inspiration then it wouldn't have that extra sparkle. If you just wrote stuff to satisfy your inner You then I think you'd soon lose the impetus to keep on going. I love writing for kids but I love writing my blog too and quite often the main target audience for my blog is me... if other people enjoy it then that's a bonus!
ReplyDeleteAlas, I am also not one of the "figure out the market first" writers. I imagine it will come to me someday, yes?
ReplyDeleteI think you have to write the best book you can, and then get it out there and hope an audience exists for it.
ReplyDeleteYou can't really control what another person likes; it's arguably a waste of time to try to divine what people will want.
Also, books are an oddball thing to market because, often, what reader really wants is to be surprised--to have an experience that is relatable yet utterly fresh and original.
I honestly think pandering to the audience backfires more often than it succeeds. First, the book won't seem very fresh if you're trying to mimic some other book's success. Second, are you really turning in your best work when you're searching outside your heart for inspiration rather than inside it?
I actually just write whatever comes to mind. If it works then hurrah! Sometimes it doesn't (those are the WIPs I weigh down with a brick and throw into the drainage ditch behind my house...LOL).
ReplyDeleteGood to see I'm not alone!
ReplyDeleteMoody - I see guys pouring over books in the bookstores all the time. I think guys can be quite loyal to a series or a writer as well. I know my dad has his fav's.
I think it's a little of both, really. I was at a summer writer's workshop yesterday and an agent on the panel said something that fits this perfectly. "You have to be true to your story." So, trying to make your story fit somewhere it does not, is not such a good idea.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, you have a point; if you write just for your own unique persona, then it'll be that much harder of a sell. So, while this agent was talking about what is selling right now and what they are looking for, ten different ideas came to mind about stories I could target to that particular market. I think it's hard to find that happy medium where you're writing a story you love but also keeping in mind what will sell, but that's the trick of it! If it were easy, everybody would be doing it, right?
I've never written anything with the market in mind. But then, I'm still overcoming the fear of actually thinking I can publish anything.
ReplyDeleteI write what comes to me. I have to be passionate about what im writing or it just doesnt come to me.
ReplyDeleteI love targeting a market. Writing for kids I find, tends to allow for spot on bulls eye kind of targeting ie; a magazine article, a short story, a middle reader. But in the end it's the words which will dictate what market or age group I will be ultimately be aiming for. If a notion for a picture book is welling up inside then that is what will be written. Let us not forget that writing is a creative art form and as such should not be forced down too many technical corridors looking for the right room to enter. As with all things, balance is the key. Know your readers. But trust also in the direction you own words take you.
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