‘It's Out of Africa meets Pretty Woman’ – The Player
At recent events with authors, I kept hearing people discussing their genre. Mostly in slightly baffled tones. This is another example of the disconnect between a writer and the publishing industry.
An author doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed, stuck in a genre corner, an author wants to appeal to all those readers out there. On the other hand, a publisher – while also anxious to appeal to as many readers as possible – knows that their job once they take a book on will be to define it as clearly as possible to the potential audience.
It might be helpful at this point to remind readers about how books made it into the bookshop (assuming you still buy books from a bookshop of course). A publisher brings out publicity material about 3-4 months before the book’s publication date, and their sales rep takes that in – either to the local shop or to the chain’s head office.
The bookseller (be they large or small) will be judging the book from the cover, the rep’s sales talk, and the information sheet (an A4 sized piece of information that includes genre, previous sales figures for that author, and a basic synopsis). Sometimes the bookseller will also get a book proof to read (a bound copy of the book – not for sale) that will help them promote it to their customers.
When a rep sells books into a shop or chain, they get a frighteningly small amount of time to concentrate on each title. The cover and the basic information are required to do a lot of work.
As an aside, I always find it fascinating to compare UK and US book covers as they can be so different. As a British reader I have never preferred a US cover yet, although I guess there’s always a first time! Have a look yourself and see what you think.
http://www.themillions.com/2012/02/judging-books-by-their-covers-u-s-vs-u-k-3.html
Given this very short time, how would you place your book? Put yourself into the rep’s shoes, and think about it. You’ve not got long, and you need the bookseller to understand what your audience is likely to be.
I am often asked about ‘crossover’ titles – either books that are read by both adults and children, or books that straddle genres. What I’ve observed over years of bookselling and working in publishing is that crossover titles evolve. J.K. Rowling never set out to appeal to adults, it was a combination of the strength of her work and the sense at the time that adults could enjoy childish pursuits and entertainment that made that take off in that direction. Similarly, crossover genres tend to start off being marketed quite firmly as one type of book – it’s the audience that picks it up that takes the definition into a different direction.
So – dare I ask – what genre is your book? And what genres do you enjoy reading?
Historical Fiction is the genre of my novel.
I enjoy reading the classics, and the quality novels of Carnegie, or Newbury medal winners. I also read the runners up of both. I read with dual purpose, not just for the enjoyment. I am constantly striving to improve as a writer, so I am very selective on what I read. I also like to read poetry.
I could list many brilliant authors that have influenced me. But my two favourite authors are, Jane Austen and Michael Morpurgo.
People can argue over what is the greatest novel ever written. But with regard to Jane Austen, I am in agreement with Walter Allen. 'You do not accidently stumble on perfection six times.'
I believe that Michael Morpurgo has an excellent writing style that budding authors could learn much from.
I have also been strongly influenced by Arthurian Legend and Greek Mythology.
I am a big sherlock Holmes fan and am reading the new Holmes novel 'The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz. I like a good mystery. I also enjoy reading Elizabeth Chadwick which is historicl fiction, Ariana Franklin which is historical murder mystery, Harry Potter which is fantasy.
I enjoy writing murder\mystery and fantasy for young adults. I am naturally drawn to these genres. Very different I know but that is the way I tend to lean.
I've been considering genre a lot over the last week. Mine is a very light-handed medical mystery in that there are few doctors involved and everything is kept more or less in layman's terms. With no medical background at all, the characters must look after their very ill friend with only his apparent symptoms to guide them. However, medical mystery wasn't on bookcountry's genre list (I did mail them to suggest it be added) and I've never noticed a bookstore with such a section. I suppose it might be added to general mystery, but usual readers of that genre would probably be disappointed by the lack of resolution to the medical storyline in each of my books. Readers like mysteries to have a nice neat explanation and this one isn't designed that way.
I think I am going to have to call it romance. Having looked again at the storyline across the whole series, the only thing common to each book is the furthering of the relationship between the main characters and the featuring of either their romance or that of someone they love - sister, daughter/son and close friends. Although the main character's illness is always central, even sometimes to romances of those around him, it is not a continuous mystery.
In a search with an online bookseller I would hope to be able to add these keywords:
Romance, travel, medical mystery, mental health, bisexuality.
But in a bookstore that would just confuse. It isn't niche enough for anything other than romance and that was on purpose as I aimed to always keep it mainstream.
So despite the spluttering of the friend who read it and told me I couldn't possibly call it romance, that is exactly where I'm putting it. It's just not your average will they/won't they. At least, I hope not!
Coincidentally (or probably not) I generally read romance, but I once read some advice about writing the type of book I'd like to find in a bookshop and read myself. I love big epic storylines (in any medium) so complex you have no choice but to become completely engrossed in them... so that's what I wrote.