How many of us do actual market research before starting our novels? What I mean by this is does anyone come up with an outline of a novel and then go to the local book shop or library to see if the proposed novel will be in with chance against what is already there?
Hi Adrian, excellent response and I'm liking this idea of writing from the soul but it differs so much from the impression given by some the writing courses I've done over the years (college courses and correspondence courses) that writing is actually a process of consciousness.
In the end, I guess it's all about the level of success one wants. If we want to write for the sheer joy of doing it then that's what we should do and if we want to have writing as our main source of income then we would probably have to know that what we are writing has the potential to sell. After all, that is what a publisher/agent will be interested in.
And on a lighter note, I've had the same toaster for the past 10 years because I did some market research (checked reviews on the internet, asked questions in shops, asked friends about their toasters) and then bought the best I could afford at the time... that reminds me, time for brekkie! Have a great Sunday everyone! :-)
Don't get me wrong, Mark. I like money.
But I don't believe its worth doing market research. It seems an absurd thing to, because your completed manuscript will probably have evolved into something totally different from what you originally intended.
It's best to write what's in your soul. What you know about life. Where's the heart in writing if you choose to use such a manufactured approach. That's no guarantee to success.
If you want a guarantee buy a toaster.
There's to much pseudo-psycho-babble about writing. Everyone's after your money. Most books on creative writing are utter rubbish. The best of them are excellent, but if you follow everything they advise then you're in danger of over-egging the pudding.
Hi Jonathan, excellent response - I suppose I was sounding out if the community thought market research was a prerequisite to starting a novel. I'm guessing that love of writing is what draws people to the W&A site and the 'filthy lucre' bit is a by-product of our lovingly crafted endeavours.
But I also guess that the key to writing is communication and that knowing there is a market for our work is important. After all, what use is a written piece of work if no one (other than the author) reads it?
It ain't easy this writing malarkey! So much to consider.