Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Your Story Has Too Many Genres

There is a huge misconception by authors to try to do too much with their stories to reach so many different people. This happens, more often than not, when you try to blend too many genres together. Although there are writers who can do this, for many, this becomes more of a negative instead of a positive.

As an agent, we have to decide where to send your project. Each editor is looking for different things and, no, they don't like everything. One may like historicals but hate paranormals, another might like contemporary but not like mysteries. Now, think of the confusion when I send a story that is mystery, contemporary and paranormal. Who do we send it to?

Although you might think you are trying to create something completely new, you are forgetting that the business of publishing is about marketablity. Where will we place your book on the bookshelf? What tab will we put it under for those e-readers? No, your story will not be placed under each of the shelves. Instead, we simply will not sign you because we don't know how to classify your writing.

Scott

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