- Joined
- Feb 5, 2009
- Messages
- 139
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- 11
Let's be realistic here. Publishers want something highly marketable.
Pretty, sexy characters are highly marketable.
Big bad guy vs. good guy tropes are highly marketable.
Love angles are highly marketable.
90k word novels are highly marketable.
Have none of these things?
No, you are not highly marketable to a trade publisher. You just -are not-. Doesn't matter if the story is good, doesn't matter if you are skilled, you are not highly marketable to a large audience, and they will not touch you if you are not highly marketable. That's not hostility, it's just the truth. I have nothing against the big publishers, but I know that what I'm trying to write is not going to be what they want, because I've got none of the above as a story focus. Hell, in all actuality, I doubt I'll sell that much as a self-publisher, but again - don't care. I'm doing this because I want to, not because I feel the need to be famous or make loads of cash. If I'm willing to put in the extra effort doing my own editing, PR work, etc - why discourage that for a pipe dream? Doesn't seem at all logical to me.
It'd be like going to a grocery store and trying to see if they'll sell your brand of bicycles. It's not going to happen because that's not what they want, it's not what their customers want.
That's all I'm trying to say. Also, I do NOT have the money to hire an editor. Wish I did, but I don't. I just. do. not. Repeating that advice isn't going to put the money in my pocket to hire one. I understand it's a great benefit to do so, but it's not going to happen. I don't have the bucks.
On another note - maybe the thread could be locked or something at this point? I just feel it's going in circles about this publishing thing rather than the original question about beta readers. It's really not serving much purpose and, if nothing else, would belong in the "publishing" sub forums.
Pretty, sexy characters are highly marketable.
Big bad guy vs. good guy tropes are highly marketable.
Love angles are highly marketable.
90k word novels are highly marketable.
Have none of these things?
No, you are not highly marketable to a trade publisher. You just -are not-. Doesn't matter if the story is good, doesn't matter if you are skilled, you are not highly marketable to a large audience, and they will not touch you if you are not highly marketable. That's not hostility, it's just the truth. I have nothing against the big publishers, but I know that what I'm trying to write is not going to be what they want, because I've got none of the above as a story focus. Hell, in all actuality, I doubt I'll sell that much as a self-publisher, but again - don't care. I'm doing this because I want to, not because I feel the need to be famous or make loads of cash. If I'm willing to put in the extra effort doing my own editing, PR work, etc - why discourage that for a pipe dream? Doesn't seem at all logical to me.
It'd be like going to a grocery store and trying to see if they'll sell your brand of bicycles. It's not going to happen because that's not what they want, it's not what their customers want.
That's all I'm trying to say. Also, I do NOT have the money to hire an editor. Wish I did, but I don't. I just. do. not. Repeating that advice isn't going to put the money in my pocket to hire one. I understand it's a great benefit to do so, but it's not going to happen. I don't have the bucks.
On another note - maybe the thread could be locked or something at this point? I just feel it's going in circles about this publishing thing rather than the original question about beta readers. It's really not serving much purpose and, if nothing else, would belong in the "publishing" sub forums.
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