For authors who are endlessly trying to mould their book to fit the latest fad, switching from genre to genre, theme to theme, in the hope of huge sales, I have just three simple words for you. It doesn’t work.
When male/male romance first became popular, hundred of authors hastily changed their Sam and Samantha book into Sam and Stan. It didn’t work. It was very obvious what had happened and won the author no friends whatsoever. Men react and think differently from women. A tweak here and there doesn’t make the genre fit or a heroine into a gay hero.
Then vampires became the big sellers and the hero suddenly couldn’t go out in daylight without sunglasses. Once again, it didn’t work. Where is the mythos, the world building?
If you want to write a book in the latest fad genre, go ahead, do it. But start by planning your world building, make your characters fit, do all the background work. Only then will you have a chance of your book becoming a success.
Cramming a square book into a round hole never works. Readers are discerning. They know instantly that the author has been lazy. Writing is a tough profession. It takes hard work. So begin with research. Never ever tweak and hope it’ll work. Because it won’t.
Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com
3 comments:
But they'll still try - they want to be like the cool kids...
And then there's timing...by the time you finish your book you're on the down slope and there's something new out there.
Amarinda and Anny, you are both so right.
Helen
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