(Originally published on January 9th, 2014, over at Novel Rocket.)
No one wants to listen to advice from an author who hasn’t sold much of his or her work. Writers want to hear from those elite authors who’ve ended up on The NYTimes Bestseller List or have actually repeatedly and impressively sold their novels in large numbers, causing the average reader to remember their names, not just the title of their books. Who can blame them?
Perhaps these special authors have discovered the secret key or code to producing, marketing, and selling fiction. Notice I didn’t say “good” fiction. Because, honestly, sometimes what sells well isn’t written well, uses a clichéd plot, stereotypical melodrama, and/or cardboard, smarmy, or super-hero characters. What does this mean?
It means many things. A specific audience was ripe for picking up that drama, comedy, thriller, or period piece and the writing techniques were inconsequential to the subject of the book. There was just enough emotion, laughter, blood, or lace and swords to capture a significant part of the reading population at any given time. The simplicity of the story gave a good many readers just what they wanted for entertainment, escape, and excitement. Somehow it worked.
Could other writers follow their successful leads and reap the same benefits? We see those attempts frequently from publishers wanting to cash in on what appears to be working, i.e. Amish/Mennonite novels; Vampire novels. Trends that work for a season flood the market until signs of saturation reduce the inventory.
I’m not one of those authors who qualifies for giving advice of any kind concerning writing endeavors. In spite of that disclaimer, I will say I’ve learned that different types of writers exist, and some of them will do whatever it takes to be published. Others not so much. E-publishing has given the second group opportunities to fulfill their writing pleasures be they good, bad, ugly, or indifferent. Everyone has an opinion about who should or shouldn’t be published, but it’s almost become a moot point. Those willing to compromise and meet the needs of editors/publishers to secure a contract find a certain satisfaction in obtaining their goal(s).
Having said all that, I’ve found, for myself, authenticity matters most to me. The heart or the head, and very often it’s a combination of both leaning heavily toward one or the other, dictates how authors write their stories. Big surprise I lean toward the heart – which isn’t always a good thing. However, writing a novel must immerse me in its deep waters, only allowing the gasping eruption surfacing back into my current reality in order to function in the day-to-day. The story absorbs me into each personality and produces the voices and circumstances of those individuals. It has to.
So how’s that workin’ for ya, you ask? Well, it works for me. However, it hasn’t produced bestsellers or an author who will give you advice or pretend what she has to say will in any way affect how you choose to write your novels.
Father, thank you for every mini-moment of success in touching someone's heart. No words for that feeling. No words big enough to thank you enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Into the Fire 
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