You are right, of course. We write what we love. And I would go further and say that we are probably best at doing what we love, because it adds quality and value to what is written. No book - genre or mainstream - is ever going to be liked by EVERYBODY. And from the reader's point of view it doesn't have to. Because there are so many writers and the variety of their writing will guarantee that "every pot will have its lid" (German saying). I found it difficult to sell my book because it is a genre mix, alternate history fantasy (mystery) with a love plot. I wrote it because I like historical novels (I got aan M.A. in history), I like fantasy and I got a little tired of all those virginal protagonists. We'll see whether I find a readership with a similar taste. My agent keeps trying to talk me into writing one specific book because there is a market for it. She found an old short story of mine and wants me to turn it into a full length thriller. And I just don't want to - even though she probably would find it easier to sell that. But it's just not my thing. And I could not do it credit.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-05-03 07:41 am (UTC)No book - genre or mainstream - is ever going to be liked by EVERYBODY. And from the reader's point of view it doesn't have to. Because there are so many writers and the variety of their writing will guarantee that "every pot will have its lid" (German saying).
I found it difficult to sell my book because it is a genre mix, alternate history fantasy (mystery) with a love plot. I wrote it because I like historical novels (I got aan M.A. in history), I like fantasy and I got a little tired of all those virginal protagonists. We'll see whether I find a readership with a similar taste.
My agent keeps trying to talk me into writing one specific book because there is a market for it. She found an old short story of mine and wants me to turn it into a full length thriller. And I just don't want to - even though she probably would find it easier to sell that.
But it's just not my thing. And I could not do it credit.