By Laura Childs, New
York Times bestselling author of Plum Tea Crazy
Forty-two books ago,
when I was writing Death by Darjeeling, my very first Tea Shop
Mystery, I scored my first three-book contract based on three sample chapters
and a twenty-two-page outline. But I was knock-on-wood lucky. Because what
worked for me several years ago no longer works today. The world of publishing
has changed big time.
Publishers are large,
consolidated businesses that aren’t making the profits they once were. Even
though their book releases are top-notch, they’re being undercut by
self-published authors as well as hundreds of newly minted small presses. So
there’s been a considerable amount of belt-tightening in the industry.
I received an e-mail
from a fellow author a few weeks ago. She’s written five mysteries for her
publisher, but now they’re not going to renew her contract. Why? Well,
she’s making money for them – just not enough money. An agent I talked to
recently said he’d just pitched a serial killer thriller to a well-known
editor. The editor told him “this is exactly what I'm looking for” – but then
he didn’t buy it.
So . . . do editors
really know what they’re looking for? Not always. Do they know it when they see
it? Sometimes. The radical shift that’s taken place in publishing today is that
editors are younger and under a tremendous amount of pressure. Along with
editing duties, they’re in charge of acquisitions. They’re tasked with finding
the brightest new authors with the brightest new material.
As you would expect,
this new breed of editor is constantly on the hunt for the next big
thing. They’re looking for breakout books that are
different and don’t re-tell the same old story. Books like The Woman in
the Window, Little Fires Everywhere, or A Gentleman in Moscow.
Books that really stand out in their categories.
So, what can aspiring
authors do to increase their chances of success? What can you do
if you've got a story to tell and a yearning to be published? Take a look at
the various categories. The mystery, thriller, and romance categories seem to
be holding strong. Vampire and zombie books aren’t selling like they used to. But
editors are still looking for good Young Adult books and what they call New
Romance. And if you’ve written a domestic thriller, chances are an editor will
want to take a peek.
Today’s tougher market
means that aspiring authors have to write and submit a finished manuscript.
Authors also need to fully comprehend the internal architecture of a novel. I’m
talking plot, pacing, turning points, character development, dialogue, and
building suspense.
If you’re an aspiring
author, you have to implicitly believe in yourself and not get discouraged by
rejections. Know this: John Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill, was
turned down by 30 agents and 15 publishers. Mary Higgins Clark, who helped me
get started, was rejected 40 times before making her first sale. One editor
told her: “Your story is light, slight, and trite.”
You see what I mean
about this being a tough business? Persistence is key. If you know deep in your
soul that your book has great promise, then you have to believe in yourself and
make it happen. Because sooner or later you will bust down that
door! And please, please, don’t pay attention to the old maxim of “writing
about what you know.” If authors followed that advice we’d never have fantastic
novels about outer space, time travel, and dinosaurs. Writing is all about
creating imagery – so stretch your imagination and let your words soar!
_____________________________________________________________
Laura Childs is
the USA Today and New York Times bestselling
author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club
Mysteries. Book Riot recently named the Tea Shop
Mysteries to their list of “25 of the All Time Best Cozy Mystery Series.” In
her previous life Laura was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored
several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob,
a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei
dogs. Visit Laura at www.laurachilds.com or on Facebook at Laura
Childs Author. Laura Child’s new novel, Plum Tea Crazy, was
released March 6, 2018
No comments:
Post a Comment