I’m starting a new writing project and rethinking about how to start in the best way possible. Since the last time I started a longer project, I’ve read a number of books about everything from structure to character arcs. I’ve also ready books about the business of writing books. One thing that is true: there is always more to read. Another thing that is true: you have to write everyday. You cannot wait until you have read every book or analyzed every story that is out there.
In thinking about what I’ve learned, it is a good idea to start with a genre. That is like saying there is a market for what you are writing. At first I didn’t like this idea. It felt to money oriented. That is not what art is about right? It depends on your goal. Do you want people to read your book? To enjoy your book? To buy your book? Then you should think about a market. Who do you want to read you book? Everyone? Maybe narrow it down. Most, and probably all people don’t want to read a book describing your shoes. On the other hand, there are many many people who want to read about zombie apocalypse or epic sci fi adventures.
Most people read to escape. They don’t read for grand literary ambition. Most people don’t read to be educated. Likewise, people watch TV to escape, to get lost in a story, to identify with people. most people don’t want TV to get educated. Most people don’t want to watch experimental short films. This has been a hard lesson for me because I like reading and watching experimental stuff. I like punk rock and abstract art. I don’t mind if it doesn’t make total sense, as long as the artistic expression is high.
But after writing and submitting stuff, I sure wouldn’t mind if I had some people reading my stuff. Enjoying it. Buying it. Good old capitalism. The marketplace as a test of worthiness. It’s not always right but it is a test.
I also remind myself that a lot of very good respectable authors also wrote in genre.
So this time, I sat down and wrote out genres that I liked. I wrote out five genres like paranormal horror, espionage, noir mystery, thrillers, and gritty urban sci-fi. In doing the exercise, I started thinking about all those writers I love reading. Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, William Gibson and Neal Stephenson.
Another author I recently read that I enjoyed was James Patterson. I read Kiss the Girls. It was fun, fast faced, scary and engaging. I also watched his Master Class and found that also surprisingly enjoyable. I always dismissed him as a guy who wrote books to sell at supermarkets. There is definitely something to be said for the easy breezy writing style that pulls you in and compels you to turn pages.
After I picked the genre, I started doing market research. Basically, I did what Chris Fox says to do in his book Write to Market. I went to Amazon, looked at the genre category, look at the top 3 books and then a couple of books around the top 20 and a couple of books around the top 100.
I look at the sales ranking of those books. Some of them sold surprisingly well. I also noticed some trends. In the cyberpunk section, there seemed to be a trend about people playing video games, kind of like that movie by Steven Spielberg movie Ready Player One.
I didn’t see a book specifically containing the tropes I was interested in. I don’t know of that is a problem or maybe a sign my idea is dated?
Either way, market research and genre choosing is done for now.