What is a market that is almost a guarantee for sales?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Romance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Any kind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second is cozies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reading public is getting older, is mostly female. YA is read by middle-aged women as well as the YA audience it’s meant for. Gay romance is read by women (and now written by women, too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My publisher, next year, is aiming for short works, because that’s where the money is. I don’t often write short works, and I can’t see myself doing novellas. My goal this year was to get a 75,000 word novel out. Fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I want to write a sellable story. Something that will make me money, for God’s sake. I’ve written what I liked, now I’m looking to the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that market is romance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only romance I have in mind is Iron Buitterfly<\/em> that’s been kicking around in my head for the last couple of years. I plotted it out the first third of the book, and lost interest. It got stupid. That’s what I find with romances: they get stupid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I like to write paranormal romance, romantic suspense\/mystery, cozy mysteries (thanks, mom), and gay romance without extra spice. Yeah, I’m getting old. (“Get off my lawn!”) The problem? There’s nothing in the well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only stimulus is Longmire <\/em>and Walker <\/em>that I’ve been watching while in dialysis. Reading is mostly non-fiction because I don’t want to make the effort to stick with fiction. Should I write fan-fiction, just to get things started? Actually, they’re putting their characters through the wringer enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m afraid I’ve lost my imagination. Maybe I’m trying too hard. Maybe I’m tying up the muse and she’s being stubborn. I show up every day and look at the empty notebooks I’ve stocked up on, waiting for Calliope to tell me stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe the idea of writing for money is what’s stopping me. Or her. Writing used to be fun. Now it’ll be a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And Calliope probably doesn’t like that. So I don’t know what to do. Force the money-making story at gunpoint or wait for the inspiration? Man, this is tough.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is a market that is almost a guarantee for sales? Romance. Any kind. Second is cozies. The reading public is getting older, is mostly female. YA is read by middle-aged women as well as the YA audience it’s meant … Continue reading