REACH YOUR TARGET MARKET or PERISH

By Steve Bradshaw

Global book publishing is a robust $112 billion industry. To put that into some perspective, the global recorded music industry is a mere $16 billion. Although these numbers present an enormous opportunity, authors seeking success today face a very different world than the greats of the 20^th century.

Earnest Hemmingway, J.D. Salinger and John Steinbeck wrote their ground-breaking novels more than fifty years ago. In the 1950s, when Hemmingway stood at his chest-of-drawers and pounded out For Whom the Bell Tolls on his Royal Deluxe typewriter, I suspect the most influential author of the day spent little time thinking about his target markets or his productivity goals. Hemmingway and the other greats of that day lived in a world very different. They had half the population, a sliver of the competition, and minimal competing technologies. The Hemmingways of the world could focus on the creation of their masterpieces. Most authors today do not have that luxury.

Unlike Agatha Christie (85 books) and Dean Koontz (91 books) and many more of the most successful, modern-day authors, Hemmingway achieved his greatness with just seven books published, three more posthumously. The Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Peace Prize recipient created exceptional literary works and set the bar high. Today an author must deliver a quality product or perish. However unlike the 20^th century the great authors of this day can be swept away in the tsunami of titles that flow into the world each year regardless of the quality of their work.

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) reports 2,233,893 new books published worldwide last year. Amazon adds ~1,000,000 new titles each year. The Pew Research Center recently reported 65% of Americans read at least one printed book a year. The average is twelve printed books a year (the median four). They also reported 28% of Americans read at least one eBook, and 14% listen to at least one audiobook.  Based on the current U.S. population, Pew’s findings translate into 214,000,000 printed books, 92,000,000 eBooks, and 46,000,000 audiobooks sold in a year. How many of the combined 352,000,000 books sold in America were yours?

Regardless of the decade or century it is safe to say all writers like to write. It is also safe to say all writers want to be read. Unlike the Hemmingway days the writing talent in the world is a hundred-fold greater in numbers, more educated, and more equipped to produce high-quality literary products. As reported by UNESCO, a morass of new titles pours into the world every year now. Would the J.D. Salingers and Ralph Ellisons and Harper Lees and Truman Capotes be found today? Probably not! Are there undiscovered greats walking among us? Yes! Why those answers? And what can we do about it?

Most writers today do not have the luxury of just focusing on the creative process and the quality of their product (book). Most must also identify and aggressively pursue their piece of their target market. More than ever before a writer must understand their market, the segments, trends, and market expectations. Doing the marketing research today (or paying for it) allows you to shape your unique promotional strategy that increases your chances for discovery and success.

Do you know who reads your books—age, gender, education, social media practices, entertainment preferences, and the like? Do you know how your target market finds the books they read? Do you know how they like to experience a book—printed, digital, audio, at launch, on sale, etc.? Did you know printed books are most preferred today, and sales are increasing? Did you know eBook sales are flat, and more people are moving away from eBook readers to tablets and smartphones? Did you know audiobooks are peaking at 14% of the market? If you did not know these basics, I suggest you start doing your research.

Do you believe you write as good as some of the bestselling authors? I would bet writers with five or more published books in the world know their work is good. I also suspect they are focused on writing their next novel and implementing their marketing plan. Do not accept low and slow sales. 

Do not be patient. And do not stop writing. Just market your babies with the same intensity that created them. Unless you are a New York Times bestseller with one of the big five publishers, your great works may never be discovered unless you do your research and implement a sensible market plan.

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Steve Bradshaw writes international mystery/thrillers. He draws upon his experience as a forensic investigator and the founder, President/CEO of an innovative biomedical venture. Steve writes lightning-paced forensic thrillers and speaks at companies and organizations about fascinating worlds of forensic investigation, fringe science, and pursuit of new ventures. Steve has six published novels in softcover and eBooks. His audiobook collection releases the end of 2018. Excerpts of all books can be viewed on his website, stevebradshaw.org. To schedule Steve for speaking and book signing events call (901) 230-7343.

Lessons Learned From #6

By Steve Bradshaw, Author of Terminal Breach

How many authors can open one of their published novels and see the story they had in mind back when they pounded out their first sentence? If you can say your novel is as you had planned from day one, then I am truly impressed with your ability to grasp and commit to an abstract notion. I laud your outlining and organizational skills and admire your control of settings, scenes, and characters. As my sixth international thriller TERMINAL BREACH released on August 28^th, I can say I do not possess that astounding level of discipline. As a matter of fact I am just beginning to understand where my stories come from and who is really in control of key parts of the process.

“The President of the United States is awakened by the two words he prayed he would never hear—terminal breach.” This abstract notion floated around in my head for several years before I sat down to write TERMINAL BREACH. The concept competed with many others that did not make the cut—this time. For me, selecting the right thing to write about is the most important hurdle to clear, and it is totally in my control. The story concept must be strong enough to hold my interest, and to keep my creative juices flowing for months of alone time. It must carry me through hundreds of hours of research, rewrites, and the weaving together of 100,000+ perfect words. If the story concept I select can do all these things, I know the finished product will matter, and it will earn an audience.

Because we come into writing with different skills, knowledge bases, life experiences, and interests, we each find the genre (or two or three) that best stages our creations—the place where we want to live. Because I live in the suspense/thriller genre, before I type my first word I know I will be writing a heart-pounding page turner. I knew TERMINAL BREACH would be a chilling international forensic story based on an abundance of mesmerizing facts and a plausible mega-dilemma (or two). I knew my reader’s ride would be tumultuous, spellbinding, edgy, and real with a touch of the surreal. And I knew the climax would be unexpected and resolution thought provoking. These defining parts of my story creation process are in my being. It is the skeleton I breathe life into. It decides what stays and what goes!

One of my most profound discoveries as a writer has been to find many of the best parts of my stories are written by my characters. Once I create and position them in an environment with a set of situations and dilemmas, they always rise to the occasion to take my story places I never planned nor could have predicted. The dialogue and behavior of characters opens a new dimension in my writing process. For me this creative stream is not a conscious operation. When I write I look for that moment when my characters start talking and doing on their own. When I get there, I close the doors to my study, turn down the lights, and hold on tight. My best writing flows naturally.

When an unknown entity—code name GRAY WOLF—commandeers a nuclear missile silo in North Dakota and threatens to launch a Minuteman III ICBM into the world, the President of the United States is faced with a mega-dilemma. Containment options would decimate a third of the country and kill millions. Can the macabre forensic pieces of an insane international puzzle provide the POTUS with more options? Can a nuclear Armageddon triggered by a rogue U.S. missile be averted, or is World War III the only outcome for a TERMINAL BREACH?   

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Steve Bradshaw draws upon his experiences as the youngest forensic investigator in Texas history, an innovative biotech entrepreneur, and a founder-president/CEO. Now dedicated to writing his unique brand of mystery/thrillers, Steve takes readers into fascinating worlds of fringe science, chilling forensics, and captivating mysteries. His book TITLES: TERMINAL BREACH • SERIAL INTENT • EVIL LIKE ME • BLUFF CITY BUTCHER, free today on Amazon • THE SKIES ROARED • BLOOD LIONS Social Media links: stevebradshawBOOKS.com, steve@stevebradshawBOOKS.com, facebook.com/steve.bradshaw.9400, Twitter twitter.com/sbauthor, Linkedin.com/pub/steve-bradshaw/18/246/660