Blogger: Michelle Ule
Filling in for Wendy Lawton who is out of the office.
Yesterday I discussed ideas about how to investigate book marketing conditions before you start writing from the comfort of your own home.
Today I’m taking you on the road.
Or at least, outside of your personal family world.
4 Places to Research Sales Potential Before You Start Writing
1. Bookstores and Goodreads; Amazon, too.
Find out what readers like, what they’re interested in and more importantly what they’re buying.
Of course you want your idea to be The.Next.Big.Thing and/or at least at the front of the wave of the newest rage.
You can’t really do that by imitating what’s popular now.
You need to examine the current market and project the direction it’s headed.
What? You’re not a prophet?
Look at the types of things that are selling and what they represent as “felt needs.”
How are books marketed? What are the marketers themselves highlighting and could that relate to the project you have in mind?
2. The calendar and perennial favorites
If you write historical fiction in particular, pay attention to the next big anniversary.
President Abraham Lincoln died 150 years ago on April 15. It’s too late now to write a project that might capitalize on that, but look at the calendar two and five years out. What’s coming up?
WWII projects are perennial favorites and anniversaries are well marked. 2015 is the 70th anniversary of the ending of the war.
Too late to write something about that, but the 75th is only five years away.
Given how many WWII novels are written each year, you probably can’t go wrong with the war as a setting–but find a new way to tell all those old stories or your project won’t be viable.
3. Social Media and Strangers
Not necessarily the same people, but asking people what they like to read can give you a sense of the types of books that might sell.
My Zumba class is full of readers always interested in sharing books. I got asked today what I’m reading, and I turned the question back on her.
Some of the best books I’ve read have been recommended by women in their underwear.
Social media, of course, is another avenue. You could poll readers or friends, to see what subject they would like to read about.
Don’t be surprised if they like stories set in Scotland.
4. Traveling out of Your Comfort Zone
I do a lot of research while traveling.
I always investigate what’s left of bookstores in airports and I linger over independent bookstore windows while on vacation.
I crane my neck to see what people are reading on the plane across the aisle (made more difficult by ebooks, grrr).
If I sit beside someone reading an actual book, I ask them about it.
I was surprised at Gatwick Airport to not recognize most books on the rack and to see old classics stacked on the shelf. It never occurred to me to read The Old Man and the Sea while flying over the ocean.
Marketing involves finding new ways to sell your product–stories. While few writers are marketers in real life, most know a lot about books and reading.
Before you spend months/years writing a manuscript, make sure it has a place–even just a niche–in the very busy marketplace outside your life.
You might consider asking the person sitting next to you on a plane.
A friend of mine did once, describing my Navy SEAL story. Her seatmate was the buyer for military exchanges on the east coast, and got very excited about the idea.
See? You never know.
Where do you get your best sense of what types of stories/books sell?
Tweetables
4 places to investigate marketability before you write your book. Click to Tweet
Got a good idea for a book? Check it out in these four places. Click to Tweet
Pre-Writing Marketing: In-House
Your posts are always make me think, Michelle. Thank you.
I like to stand back and study the books displays (even in the public library), trying to figure out the strategy behind the selection and arrangement. And I wonder if one day my book would make the display. An image floats by of it willy-nilly on the Bargain Books table. And I move on to the toothpaste aisle.
Happy Tuesday!
Thanks, Shirlee. Great idea about standing back and trying to understand why some books are placed where. You do know the publishers pay for front and center, end and eye level?
I’m off to Scotland this morning! 🙂 Well, this last work of mine … the idea was taken from a missions magazine article. That I wrote. Writing the article took me to a little city not far from me … and I fell in love. 🙂 You know … you don’t know necessarily if it will sell … but every now and then you come across something so unique, heart-breaking, yet darling … that you just have to take the idea and run with it.
Absolutely, Shelli, which is why the agents here look at everything. No one saw a child in wizard school changing the world–and JK Rowling’s publishing story is worth reviewing. H. Potter was taken off the slush pile by an intern, read and the rest is history.
“Where do you get your best sense of what types of stories/books sell?”
I think I’d go crazy trying to do that. I write the kind of stories I like to read. Anything else and my heart wouldn’t be in it enough to produce a good story or book. Hopefully the market will sync up to me some day.
As long as publishing and money making are not a priority, David, that’s all perfectly fine. I have several manuscripts like that myself. But if you’re looking for a contract from a publishing house, it’s to your advantage to know about the market–if only to be able to explain where your projects fits into the marketplace. IMHO
I confess, I like to peek at what others are reading. Which is MUCH harder with the advent of ebooks. I like the idea of checking books ideas out on Amazon and Goodreads. It would be nice to be a prophet in this case because then I wouldn’t be chasing a trend, I could be not he front edge of it. 🙂
I find it interesting to talk with friends and see what they’re reading. I need to take it a step deeper and ask why they’re reading what they are.
One thing I’m trying to be careful about is not chasing trends, but writing a good story. There’s got to be a balance in there somewhere between writing what readers are reading and writing what’s on my heart. I’m not sure I’ve figured that out yet. 🙂
If they’re friends who know you’re a writer, couldn’t you gently ask, “tell me why you like this book?” I ask friends all the time–and often am disappointed with the answer, though it’s illuminating.
In November of 2013, and through the grace of God, I ended up in New Mexico on a research trip.
At the end of my time in Gallup, I reluctantly boarded a train bound for Albuquerque. (Yes, I did get to visit Barbara and Andrew, and Bella the wonderdog.)
I was happily worn out. Actually, I was EXHAUSTED. I prayed to sit alone and not have to talk to anyone. I know, right? I did not walk to speak. At all.
Annnnnnd so the guy who say next to me, a man named Max Perez, was CHATTY.
Sigh.
Oh, Lord, help.
So, we got to talking. He found out I was a writer on a research trip. He was stunned at my subject matter, the Long walk of the Navajo. He made me tell him the entire book. Seriously, the guy was at least 6’4, and I’ve never heard anyone that size say “and then what happened?” non-stop for the better part of an hour.
He was excited, you see, because he was the principal of an all-Navajo school in northern New Mexico.
Yes, he wanted to know the character’s names. He seemed to smile a wee bit too much at hearing the names were “Natanii” and “Nez”.
He told me about working as a teacher in New Mexico, how much he loved the Southwest, etc. We had a fabulous 2 hours.
I knew God had put Max exactly where He wanted him.
Even though I was tired, I was blessed.
Toward the end of the trip, Max said “Hey, Jennifer, ask me the name of my school.”
I was thinking, why?
“He could obviously read faces, and said, “No, seriously, ask me.”
“Okay, Max, what’s the name of your school?”
“Well, Jennifer. The name of my school is…”
He was grinning.
“…Natanii Nez Elementary School. Next time you’re in New Mexico, you should visit us.”
I know I’ll be going places that appear to be in the cracks, under the radar, or even that seem to be nowhere that counts. Little churches, small Bible colleges, maybe even a few pow-wows, someday. Now THAT would be cool!
No one ever said I just scream “normal and predictable”.
That story gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. Beautiful. Only God could orchestrate that. Only God.
Yes. The God factor always needs to be considered, expected and accepted. 🙂 So much more can happen just because you happened to sit down to write a book. You could end up praying for people you’ll never meet, with a heart full of love.
Love it! Did he provide any additional research? And just think, you could corner the market in NM. 🙂
It is safe to say, Jennifer, that God has a plan for your book. He went far out of his way to confirm it. A gift to you, all golden and sparkly, dropped down in a blue velvet box. Actually, in a train, but nonetheless better than diamonds.
I love this story, Jennifer. Every hearing reminds me of how amazing God is when weaving together stories and hearts. 🙂
I love to hear what people are reading, most of the books I end up loving come from recommendations from friends. My hubby has a few friends who are always giving us fun book recommendations. I especially love to see what my kids enjoy reading. They have a totally different take on things. I love that middle grade insight. “Too many sad parts” “Not enough fighting” “Needs more flying dogs” they are awesome.
Kristen Joy Wilks » Maybe YA fantasy is the spot for you with encouragers like those!