If you have written a science fiction romantic thriller, you may have written a hot mess. Publishing falls into different types of books. Ask yourself which area in the bookstore your book will be shelved. If you don’t know, the publisher won’t know either. That’s how it works. You have to know. Study that area, read a lot of books in that area, and know exactly what you’re going for. This can be less true if you write something literary, but even that has to have some kind of draw. There is such a thing as a literary thriller, a literary science fiction novel, and a literary romance (calling all Brontes). But when you mash them all together, it can become a problem. If they don’t know what to call it, they don’t know how to publish it. Why can’t it just be a good novel? Well, it can, if you are really good. But short of that, you’re a lot better off if you know what to call it. Or maybe you wrote something brilliant that crosses boundaries, challenges the old school, and breaks new ground. That’s great and maybe you’ll start a new trend. But in general, know where your book fits into the market. Imagine that you are the publisher. How are you going to publish this book? Is it just “fiction”? Then it might get lost, unless it is brilliant. Brilliance occurs and we all welcome it. There is always a place for excellent writing, clever plots, relatable characters, and vibrant settings. But go easy on yourself.
Recent Posts from AN AGENT’S LIFE
- THE POWER SUMMIT MEETING August 25, 2025
- THE TRUTH ABOUT MIDLIST August 18, 2025
- #SOCIAL MEDIA August 11, 2025
- 80% OF LIFE IS SHOWING UP August 4, 2025
- pine???tree???!forest#stupidleaf July 28, 2025
- TAKE A BREAK July 21, 2025
- FAQ July 14, 2025
- IT TAKES A VILLAGE June 30, 2025
- IF YOU DON’T LOVE IT, DON’T READ IT June 23, 2025
- LIST OF 20 June 17, 2025
- TAKE A WALK June 9, 2025
- WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU, AND WHAT WE CAN’T June 2, 2025
- WHEN IT’S TIME TO STOP May 26, 2025
- THE BEST MEDICINE May 19, 2025
- BEST BIDS AND PRE-EMPTS May 12, 2025
- JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER May 5, 2025
- WHAT PREPARED ME FOR BEING AN AGENT April 28, 2025
- PASSOVER/EASTER MESSAGE April 21, 2025
- AND THE WINNER IS. . . April 14, 2025
- TEA FOR FIVE April 7, 2025
- LOUISA AND ME March 31, 2025
- THE MAGIC OF THE BACKLIST March 24, 2025
- HIDDEN MONEY March 17, 2025
- FINAL OFFER March 10, 2025
- THE MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCE IN A NOVEL March 3, 2025