Rattling All Kinds of Cages

A writing buddy of mine, a buddy who's writing is stellar, got turned down by yet another publisher the other day...and not for the writing. Seems that said publisher is pursuing yet more bonnet books but not contemporary women's fiction.


Seriously? Is there not a glut of Amish fiction on the bookshelves already? I realize this topic has been flogged to death, but here I am, taking one more swipe at it.


Do readers create the drive for a particular genre...or is it the publishers who create the market by what they provide? I've heard arguments on both sides of this debate. Good arguments. Strong, even. Know what I think?


IDK.


Okay, I hear ya. Lame answer. But the thing is, this is really a chicken and egg type of discussion. A Catch-22. We can go round and round trying to figure it out, but the bottom line is that currently sweet yesteryear feel-good stories are what the publishers are buying.


Does that mean you should slap a bonnet on your heroine to sell your current manuscript? Should a writer "write to the market"?


I don't think so.


And now I've just waded into a highly controversial swamp. Before you sink your teeth into me, let me explain. I take the stance of writing in the genre you love instead of the genre that's selling for 3 main reasons...


Genres Are Cyclical
The publishing market is like the weather. It always changes. What's not in vogue today will be selling like hotcakes tomorrow. Because my buddy's writing is stellar, she will sell her book eventually.


Your Heart Is On Your Sleeve
If every word you write is ground out through clenched teeth, that's going to be apparent to the reader. Conversely, writing what you really love is going to show up as well. You can't hide your inner feelings behind proper grammar technique. A generic plot dressed up in the trappings of whatever market it is you're targeting will be as appealing as day old toast. 


You Can't Write What You Don't Read
If you don't read vampire books because you don't like them, chances are you're not going to have a clue how to write one. Each genre has its own unique 'rules'. I'm not talking voice here. I'm talking if you write romance, the hero & heroine must ideally meet in chapter 1. If you don't read romances, you probably don't know that and might not have the H & H meet until halfway through the story. Savvy?


So what is the perfect win-win situation? Learn the craft and write what you love. If God wants your book out on the market, believe me, He'll put it there.