Should
authors write books that are needed or desired – or the ones that authors need
or desire to write?
Authors
write what they know – based on their experiences, knowledge or concerns. Whether a novel, poetry, or non-fiction,
writers tend to produce the books that feel familiar and true to them. But the marketplace may want or need other
books. How do we reconcile these
differences?
There
are so many books on a vast array of subjects out there that it’s getting
harder and harder to find virgin territory or say something unique or express
it in a truly fresh way. But writers
know what exists on bookshelves and follow through on writing what moves them,
what comes as their calling. However
many readers discover them, well, that’s up to marketing and the proclivities
of book buyers.
But
how many authors write not only with the demands, preferences, and patterns of
the marketplace in mind, but who specifically pour their research, creativity
and writing heart to only produce books that will sell, that people say they
need, or show a receptive tone towards?
It
would be great if no choice had to be made, where the writer wrote what he
wanted and a market would exist for it, while at the same time the needs of
people were being met by the books being pumped into the book arena.
Whatever
authors choose to write, they most certainly must market their works as being
the very thing one needs or should want.
They key is that authors must recognize they (a) must market their book
and not expect the market to come to them, and (b) must present their books in
a way that shows they fit the desires, dreams, or desperate needs of
readers.
The next things authors are tasked with is showing why their book is better than competing titles on the same subject – and why their book is superior to other forms of entertainment or knowledge acquisition, from the Internet to movies, to television, seminars, etc.
The next things authors are tasked with is showing why their book is better than competing titles on the same subject – and why their book is superior to other forms of entertainment or knowledge acquisition, from the Internet to movies, to television, seminars, etc.
In
the end, writers who move beyond their comfort and passion zones, who try to
write for the marketplace but stray beyond what they know and like best, will
leave readers feeling there is something lacking in the writing. People can tell when one lacks sincerity, raw
knowledge, or a deep obsession with what one writes about. It’s hard to fake it, try as you may.
Writers
always write from the heart, driven by a sense of justice, action, emotion, or
fantasy. They write because events,
people, and thoughts have led them down this path. But that said, one can polish their work to meet
the thirsts of potential readers, to give them a bit of what the readers
believe they want or need. When a love
connection can be struck between writer and reader, the marketplace and the
writer will be on the same page.
“As children, some of us liked magic and fantasy more than reality. So we became writers.”
--Dr. Sunwolf
“If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.”
--Maya Angelou
“The writer should never be ashamed of staring. There is nothing that does not require his attention.”
--Flannery O’Connor
“What no wife of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when he’s staring out of the window.”
--Burton Rascoe
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Brian
Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas
expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or
anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and
email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when
discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog
©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings
are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent. This was named
one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby
http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized
by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by
WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on
book publicity for Book Expo America.
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