Excellent article. At what point do you and your agent or editor discuss the marketability of the proposed book? The book concept needs to have appeal to an audience. Is this vetted early on or during the draft process? No matter how well written, a book concept with a narrow audience appeal, I suppose, will never see it's way onto bookstore shelves.
You're absolutely right. Assuming you're referring to a traditional publisher like mine, discussions about marketability happen before the book is sold and long before it's written. A novel of commercial fiction will not move forward unless it has a strong hook. Many times I'm writing jacket copy before or at least simultaneous to the actual manuscript.
This doesn't apply to debut authors since they have to query agents with finished manuscripts. Emerging writers will know if their story isn't marketable because they'll struggle to garner agent/publisher interest. If your hook is strong enough, you can write just about anything.
Note: If you're writing literary fiction or for a small press, the rules are different. Their sales expectations are typically smaller, so a narrower audience is okay.
Excellent article. At what point do you and your agent or editor discuss the marketability of the proposed book? The book concept needs to have appeal to an audience. Is this vetted early on or during the draft process? No matter how well written, a book concept with a narrow audience appeal, I suppose, will never see it's way onto bookstore shelves.
You're absolutely right. Assuming you're referring to a traditional publisher like mine, discussions about marketability happen before the book is sold and long before it's written. A novel of commercial fiction will not move forward unless it has a strong hook. Many times I'm writing jacket copy before or at least simultaneous to the actual manuscript.
This doesn't apply to debut authors since they have to query agents with finished manuscripts. Emerging writers will know if their story isn't marketable because they'll struggle to garner agent/publisher interest. If your hook is strong enough, you can write just about anything.
Note: If you're writing literary fiction or for a small press, the rules are different. Their sales expectations are typically smaller, so a narrower audience is okay.
Appreciate this speedy and thorough response. Fascinating business, especially to us neophytes! Thank you.