Into the Fire

Passionate thoughts about the world of writing and the Power of God

recent posts

about

Passionate: right or wrong. Writes love stories with a passion. Raw Romantic Redemptive

I confess . . .

 

. . . I have no idea how to reach my target audience. I don’t. I know writer friends who do women’s fiction with the smattering of romance, but they’re writers and readers. What about the romance readers who are dissatisfied with the category/formulaic romance? How do I find them?

 

I’ve spoken with them at writers’ conferences. Some are like me: once upon a time I read CBA romances. Don’t anymore. A well-written good little romance can be refreshing, but there’s got to be something that sets it apart, and usually that comes in a different kind of story with a voice I appreciate. I don’t take many chances with them anymore. And, quite frankly, if a reader loves the current menu of romances, they aren’t my target audience. And please don’t take that as an insult to their tastes. It isn’t. Mine are simply different.  

 

So where are they and how do I find them?

 

 

God, thank you. Period. For so many things. For so much grace in my life. Thank you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Posted in

4 responses to “I confess . . .”

  1. Brenda Jackson Avatar
    Brenda Jackson

    I’m as bewildered by how to do this as you. I’m not a romance reader but I would assume your target is the people who WOULD read CBA but choose to go elsewhere for the same reasons.
    So where do those choose-to-go-elsewhere people congregate online? Are there any resources through RWA that would be beneficial? Do you have a website separate from this blog? (No offense intended–but if the blog serves as your website, the color of the blog doesn’t shout romance, and other than the romance mentioned in reviews/discussions, the content doesn’t really point to it either). And this blog markets to fellow writers, not readers of romance (at least that’s my perception).
    I’ve got to sit down and have a discussion with myself about these very same things so I’m really thinking out loud. Only in my case it’s the opposite—how do I find that small niche market of people who love to read NON-romance historicals? I currently do not have a website, but I do have a blog, but the blog, like this one, is geared more toward writing than marketing my wares (even though my wares are not yet available for marketing. LOL!)
    Oh to be Zane Grey, and all I had to do is write my manuscript, turn it in, let someone else do all the work and collect the checks! 😎

    Like

    Reply
  2. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    You’ve made some really great points, Brenda. And maybe that’s the problem. Since I read outside my writing genre, I don’t want this blog to come off as a “romance” blog or even gender-restrictive.
    And even though I write love stories (except for my very recent effort at something else), I guess I want to draw the kind of reader that I am – those who will read a love story/romance but also invest their time in other genres. Those who love to get inside characters’ heads and walk inside their skins for the time it takes to read a book.
    Your niche market could easily gravitate to your current blog. You’ve got that Arizona desert theme which alludes to the western concept, and you could slip in those posts which pertain to your market on a regular basis without breaking your theme.
    Good points, Brenda.

    Like

    Reply
  3. Brenda Jackson Avatar
    Brenda Jackson

    And even with a website, that’s just the tip of the iceberg–we still have to know how to drive traffic there. And social media? UGH! I’ve been trying to avoid facebook, twitter and all the rest but I can feel it coming for me. LOL!
    I do believe word of mouth is the best form of marketing but you have to have some sort of following for the word of mouth to begin. And there are so many websites, blogs, etc. Gee, this conversation is giving me a headache. I need to go watch Hawaii Five-0. That’ll make me feel better. LOL!

    Like

    Reply
  4. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    I rarely visit author websites unless I need a contact point for some reason. Most of them don’t keep their websites current and are just a showplace for their work. They’re far more likely to keep up with their blogs if they have them and feature their work there too. If people go to the web to find them, their blogs are listed along with everywhere else they can be found. Not sure it’s necessary.
    And, yeah, you need an internet “place” that features what you do, where like-minded people can find you. I can hear the “Hawaii Five-0” theme playing in my head . . . 😉

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to Nicole Cancel reply