Tuesday 17th November 2020

Writing is a funny old business.  When you start you learn all these ‘rules’.

They tell you that you have to write every day.  They say that there are no writing rules.  They say not to write for market.

But as you dive deeper you find it’s much more nuanced.  Many professional authors will tell you that they don’t write religiously every day, or even read heavily in the genre any more.  You learn that there are elements of craft.  And you learn that the market decrees that certain genres sell to publishers better than others at times.

Dive even further and it’s even more nuanced.  Professional authors write such that projects get turned in on time – however erratic.  You learn that you can break elements of craft but it’s good to know you are doing so and that you do so knowingly.  And you learn that it’s easier to break the market as an established writer.

So who knows?  Maybe Jay Kristoff can change publishing’s views on vampires with his upcoming epic vampire novel, but it’s unlikely anyone not in a similar position to him would be able to sell one right now.  Unless, in typical writing fashion, you can.

There are always exceptions.  The market is in a constant state of flux.  And for that reason it’s impossible to anticipate the market.

But I have a number of projects I’d like to do next year.  More than previous years.  And you know, for one of them, I want to try to write to market.

I know, I know, I’m playing with fire.  The market will change before I can get it done.  It’ll have to be original so there will be some spin on it, but I’m going to try and spin it in the direction of market.  Can I create that infuriating thing the market tends to want – “like things that have come before but different”?

And look, I’m not going to write a novel I hate.  If I can’t come up with something of the quality or quirkiness of something I want to write, then I’m not going to do it.  I’m sure there will be some creative decisions I make that go against the market (the story always comes first) but I’ll do so knowingly.

I want to counter all this and say that the first draft I’m writing right now is very much not to market.  This isn’t some “direction” for me.  This is me having the time to write a couple of new pieces next year, and as such, looking at taking vastly different approaches.  Different ideas suit different approaches, and indeed in one case, an idea is spawning two radically different novels – to the extent that if they ever get published, I doubt anyone will realise they came from the same gem of an idea.

Look, I don’t know if it’s creatively possible, or even worth doing, but it’s something I would like to try, if only for the experience.

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