I hope I know what I’m talking about, as I have over 30 on-and-off years as a freelance writer, and nearly as much experience as a ghostwriter and editor. Anyway, here goes: you should care, first and foremost, more about your readers than about your own needs. And more, you should worry about the markets for your work, if you ever plan to sell, much more than you want to, unless you really feel that this means “selling” yourself in some way.
Many people, in fact, can satisfy both their own needs as writers or authors and the requirements of their publishers, agents, and marketing teams. But it really helps to know that you have something that is sellable material, something that people will want to buy and read. You don’t want to rip off “Star Wars,” for example: A lot of people think they can trust a craze like the Twilight Saga and capitalize on it. You have to truly offer your readers your own original, marketable material: the more original, the better.
Genre writing, like vampire books, can sell very well, but you need to add an original twist of your own, like the teenage vampire twist offered by the Twilight series. This means brainstorming your own original ideas. And keep in mind that very few people make it into the “best seller” category, especially in the fiction market. Don’t prepare for disappointment. Instead, research your potential writing markets and find out what they seem to need first, before you even put pen to paper. That way, you’ll be able to get to know your audience better and what they’re looking for.
It also helps to attend book fairs, writers’ conventions, and writing seminars. Those are places where you can meet literary agents and publishers, and find out what they’re looking for. You don’t have to let other people completely determine your writing style, but it really helps to know a lot more about what people in the field are looking for before you really commit to a difficult and potentially time-consuming writing project.
And finally, do what you can to get published. This can be done very easily sometimes; For example, you can self-publish what you think is likely to be a popular book, pay to promote or market it yourself through bookstore and library signings, maybe even tour the country to spread word of mouth, and then you have a book published. . Once you’ve sold a large number of copies, you can probably find a commercial publisher who’s willing to take over the marketing and promotions. Double win!
