Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Books & Such agents and staff are on a writers’ retreat with our clients at the Monterey Plaza Hotel this week and lavishing them with attention. (See photo below showing the view from the hotel.) We’ll be re-posting blogs that received a goodly number of visitors and garnered considerable comments.
Today I want to address one of the most subtle career killers you’ll ever encounter–the stealth kiss of death.
But first, let me introduce you to a writer. We’ll call him Will. He’s good. Very good. He’s also a fast writer. Everything interests him. No one could call Will a dilettante. He’s serious and professional about each project he undertakes. He’s more like a Renaissance man. Editors like him and he’s worked with a number of them in the ABA as well as the CBA. Unfortunately, none of his books have enjoyed the kind of sales numbers that make publishing houses willing to get behind him. With a number of articles under his belt, he sold a nonfiction book on parenting. He followed that up with one on how to run a successful business without middle management. He co-wrote a book with a diet doctor and then ghost-wrote a book for an NBA player (who unfortunately was implicated in a doping scandal a few months before the book hit.)
But as Will says, “That was then and this is now.” He’s discovered fiction and Will is passionate about the novel he’s writing. It’s an inspirational international espionage story and his writing friends tell him it’s good. He can’t wait to finish it, but he’s taken a break to work up a synopsis for a category romance so he can cash in on that hot market right now and try to get some impressive sales numbers to make the editors sit up and take notice. And though he’s not serious about children’s literature for the long haul, he has a new granddaughter so he wrote a series of picture books using a princess and the King as a spiritual allegory. Pretty impressive, right?
Wrong.
Will is an agent’s nightmare. His two nonfiction books were for two different audiences. If he gained readers with the first one they certainly didn’t follow him to the business book. Co-writing a modest diet book was a detour that would’ve confused any readers even further. We won’t even talk about the celebrity ghostwritten project. And since his readers weren’t confused enough, he’s turned to fiction. Apparently his genre of choice is the international thriller (a tough sell for the inspirational market which is largely female) but before he even tries to get out there with it, he’s chasing what he thinks is an easy sell. (It’s not. It’s a highly specialized market that requires skill and sensibility.) Will is a mess.
When we talk about branding, many writers tune it out. Each time I bring up the B-word in a workshop I invariably get someone who takes offense.”I refuse to be put in a box.” Or, “I’m a generalist. Have pen, will write.” Or even, “I want to be open to whatever God calls me to write.” Many writers feel the idea of specializing and being branded is somehow dehumanizing.
So let me ignore the idea of branding for now. Instead we’ll talk about focus. You have two choices. A writer can be a broad, meandering steam or a narrow river slicing through a gorge. The broad stream is the generalist, like Will, covering a lot of ground but running slow and shallow. The specialist is like the river. It runs deep and fast. It cuts into the terrain and changes the very topography of the landscape. Which do you think makes the biggest impact?
Will has never made much money as a writer but he feels he’s on his way. He takes pride in the fact that he can write anything and everyone in the industry knows him. Trouble is, he keeps watching other nonfiction writers who write book after book on variations of the same topic. They keep getting bigger and better speaking gigs, and they’re making ten times the money he does. What’s with that? And when it comes to novelists, he sees some of his friends getting bigger advances with each subsequent novel and adding to their readership with each newsletter, blog and book club event.
Will doesn’t understand that a writing career is like building a business. You can’t afford to change your customer base with each new product. If you didn’t build on the base you’ve already won, you’ll be starting over each time. That’s what Will is doing. Instead of giving his parenting readers another book, he dropped them and started over in the business world. And then he dropped both bases and moved to a health and wellness topic. And on he keeps going, spending energy and money to gain readers and then tossing them away.
If one of my clients wants to write in two fields or two genres, one of the first questions I ask them is, “Do you have enough time and money to develop two different readerships? Two businesses? Two congregations?” They’ll have to do everything in duplicate– two websites, two data management systems, two speaker one-sheets, double the mailings, etc. And that doesn’t even address the confusion factor.
When you first start writing it’s okay to experiment— to discover who you are as a writer. But just like in college, you can’t remain undeclared forever. If you want a career— the kind that leaves a lasting legacy— you need to focus and build.
Whew! I didn’t mean to preach a sermon. Am I wrong? Let me know what you think. And don’t be afraid to defend Will. I’d love to see someone present a good case for the generalist.
Let’s look at it this way. And because I’m self absorbed, we’ll use me as an example.
I bake. But I don’t do cupcakes, which are ALL the rage. I don’t do wedding cakes. Nor do I bake designer cookies.
I bake ALOT to raise money for my mission trips. But I know what my market wants. They want my cheesecakes and my cinnamon buns. I specialize in two things. I know if I’m in a crowd and someone walks up to me and says “Can I order a chocolate one?” We both know what they means. Or if someone yells, “I love your buns, can I get my hands on them?” I know they are not hitting on me. Noooooooo. Although, that phrase is beaten over and over. And over. And then again.
I am known all across my town for cheesecake and cinnamon buns. I specialized early on and know my market. I even had a friend who lives 4 hours away take my recipe and start a business. It was called “My Friend’s Buns”. In the last 3 mission trips, I have sold close to 6000$ worth of cheesecake and cinnamon buns, as well as chocolate pate.
If I can apply that focus to my writing, I’m going to do just fine. And people will weigh less!!
PS-I share recipes. I did get a request a while back request, which I lost. Please forgive me and ask again, I’ll get it to you.
Oooh, you’re speaking my food language. Unfortunately, I eat gluten free. 🙂 I didn’t ask for your buns recipe before, but if you’re willing to share, I’d love to see if I can make it gluten free. 🙂
I’ll FB inbox the recipe to you. Do you have a bread machine? The cheesecake and chocolate pate can both be completely gluten free. My mom has a bazillion food allergies, so I speak “wheat free” as well.
Yes, I do, Jennifer. Thanks so much!!
Me too. Would love that GF recipe and I have a bread machine. 🙂
Julie Garmon, check your blog email. You now have the recipe too.
That sounds like I watched alot of those Baldwin sisters and their antics.
“Or if someone yells, “I love your buns, can I get my hands on them?” I know they are not hitting on me.”
Bahaha.
Laughing out loud in Colorado, my friend!
As for the request, if you mean me, you sent it to me last week. I can’t wait to try the chocolate pate!!
Hi Lori, actually, there was another request before yours. Enjoy the “pat-TAY”.
Cheesecake! Yum.
Let me know when you specialize in low-carb desserts!
Wendy, your thoughts make a lot of sense. I know the genre my stories seem to fall into, which is women’s fiction, but I have one niggling in the back of my mind that is a romance. I’m gathering from what you said that our genre is at least a part of our brand, yes?
Thanks for sharing your insights today! Enjoy that beautiful view!
I think you’re right. It’s like that old saying: Jack of all trades, master of none.
It makes sense. You build a following, you have to continue to cater to them. There are some people (like myself) who will read almost any genre (I love romance, but I like a good dystopian too), but I would say most people probably tend to stick with a few.
Of course, if Will gets burned out writing variationns on the same theme, that is neither good for him, his agent, his publisher, and especially his audience, who’d probably spend their dollars on an author who is passionate and dedicated to their work.
To go along with the delicious baking analogy, the cook may not care if their cupcakes are half-baked, but their diners shall.
I think we can write in whatever genres we want, until that first book sells! Then we close ranks and focus on that particular series/area until we’re done with it.
I’m more than happy to write paranormal, historical, or contemporary fiction…the book the publishers pick up first will show me the direction I’ll be heading next.
Makes sense, Heather. 🙂
I don’t think you’re wrong, Wendy. I’ve been mulling this over for a few weeks, and I think just about any idea a writer has can fit into whatever genre they write. It just depends on the main character(s), POV, setting, etc. I had an idea that initially seemed romance to me, but I prefer women’s fiction. If I eliminate the male lead and put in a girlfriend, voila! But then, I’m a newbie, so tell me if I’m wrong.
You are very right, because the bottom line is that writing is a business, pure and simple. Will isn’t really treating it like a business. If he were running a store, he wouldn’t sell toys one month and women’s plus sizes in clothing the next. His customers would be confused (just like his readers) and would find a different store with consistent inventory. Once in awhile someone might wander into his store and buy something, but his sales would be erratic, just like his book sales. He could even be the best salesman in the world, and it wouldn’t make much difference.
You have to be consistent as a writer so people know you and know what they can expect from you. Maybe you could do a couple of things, like Darcy Pattison who writes for children but also creates resources for writers, but that’s about it.
“Writing is a business, pure and simple.”
……When I see thinking like that, especially from other writers, I get to thinking that’s maybe why I find it so hard to find anything decent to read! 🙂
Wendy,
Would a first novel written as a Contemporary Christrian Fiction be too far removed from a Christian Historical Fiction? I have completed the first, but my next is the latter. Have I goofed up by switching? I felt God leading me on the contemporary manuscript and now feel His prompting on the historical–which is what I feel most drawn to.
As a non-published author, I feel free to try all sorts of genres. No one, including me, is counting on my writing. Even my friends don’t mind my dabbling. (The women’s fiction attempt taught me that I write like a dude.)
However, there’s a big difference between my situation and someone whose books put food on the table. When I buy Campbell’s, I want soup. Not one time did I ever see a can of applesauce and say, “Oh if only it was Campbell’s.”
Stephen King writes scary novels. John Grisham pens lawyer related thrillers. Bodie Thayne is a guaranteed hit with a historical romance. When John Grisham writes a historical romance, I’ll let the pelicans have that brief.
Someday, I would love to be synonymous with a genre, but until that time, I’ll dabble until something gets published by a premium publisher. When that day comes,I’ll stick with what works. Meanwhile, it’s back to working on two novels at once in my spare time. BIG GRIN
This makes a lot of sense–especially when I think about successful writers I like. Whether fiction or nonfiction, I think of a certain genre–and expect it–when I think of them. 🙂
Since I don’t have an agent, my take may be a little different. I’ve had 24 books published in several categories–textbooks, devotional books, cookbooks, self-helf (Letting Go), 2 how-to writing books, biographies, and compiled and edited two anthologies. I feel I’m reaching far more people that way because my friends and those to come to my workshops don’t all like the same thing.
Ugh, this hits home. I write all over the place. Thanks for the reminder to focus and be intentional about where I spend my creative time!
I agree. This post, that I almost didn’t read because I was too busy flitting around, really hit home. Thanks again for the reminder to focus on who is my audience. Funny, when I was a magazine editor, I had a picture of who I thought was my ideal reader posted on my bulletin board next to my computer. Maybe I’ll have to do that again.
The more I write, the more I feel you’re correct. I already have two personas I am trying to cope with and finding it difficult, even though they are both in the children’s market.
One thing here stuck out at me: “Apparently his genre of choice is the international thriller (a tough sell for the inspirational market which is largely female)…” I never thought this would be a tough sell in this market. Kathi Macias has a series of books that was promoted as international thrillers (Extreme Devotion series). One of the books in the series, Red Ink, received the prestigious novel of the year award from the AWSA Golden Scrolls, and also finaled in the Carol Awards, through the American Christian Fiction Writers. She also has some non-fiction books to her credit.
Could it be because she was already an established author that this worked well for her?
Thanks for giving me something to think about as I look toward the future.
I’ve experimented with different genres but have come to focus on ya. It’s there I feel most comfortable and the stories flow. I do love historical books too and have written one of those and a time-travel romance but at this point, I don’t want to branch out of the ya market when my heart is there. I struggled with my decision, wanting to be able to write more than just ya, but I’ve come to find I’ve grown to be a stronger, better writer in my narrowed choice. I think it is important, as you said, to experiment when you start off. But when it comes to saleable books, you want to pick a stream and wade in. At least until you’re ready to navigate other waters somewhere down the line, but even then doing just one book in a genre might sink your craft.
I write historical fiction. I also write nonfiction magazine articles, usually on some aspect of history because that’s the pool I’m swimming in.
These two types of writing tend to dovetail. Sometimes research for a novel turns up a fact that would make an interesting article, or or vice versa. So I end up getting more bang for my research buck.
On the other hand, I’m no Stephen Ambrose. I’m not building a reputation for book-length history and PBS specials. Imagine the confusion if Stephen Ambrose had suddenly started writing like Stephen King!
I see the logic, but disagree a little. Dave Eggers, a wonderful writer, has written fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction and an all-ages book. I love Eggers and will read whatever he writes.
Jon Krakauer is known as an outdoors writers with books like “Into the Wild” and “Into Thin Air”, but he also wrote “Under the Banner of Heaven” and “Where Men Win Glory”. I will read anything he writes.
Tom French has written about a year in the life of high school students (South of Heaven), true crime (Angels and Demons (not THAT Angels and Demons)), and a book about the goings-on at a zoo (Zoo Story).
Michael Lewis wrote “Liar’s Poker”, “Moneyball”, “The Blind Side” and “The Big Short” books on Wall St., baseball, football, and the economy. He also profiled Barack Obama.
Erik Larson has done historical true crime in “The Devil in the White City” and “In the Garden of Beasts”, but would his legions of readers abandon him if he wrote about say, a minor league baseball team? I doubt it.
I understand your logic, Wendy, but there is probably some margin of deviation for an author.
If a writer were published in one genre and his or her books didn’t sell well might it help to switch genres, maybe using a pen name?
I have recently been tackling this “branding” issue, Wendy. 🙂 I have developed my author tagline, business cards, theme Bible verse, color scheme, related graphics and ideas to involve my readers within my brand.
I’m doing the best that I know. I hope the agent I query takes note of it all. I’ve been working hard to be professional and be prepared as I can for when I query this month.
Have fun on the retreat!!