Write What You Want, But Don't Be Stupid

One question editors and agents are asked all of the time is "What should we write?" Our answers are almost always the same thing. We want you to write the story from your heart. When you have passion behind a project, you will always write a stronger story. But with that statement comes a warning.

Don't be stupid!

Too often, it seems, writers sit down and write a story that they do put their heart and soul into it. They completely immerse themselves into those projects, researching, revising, contemplating... This is good. We want stories like this. The stupidity, however, stems from the author wanting to sell the book, but never took the time to truly see if the story is even going to be marketable. Is this really a story that will sell?

I remember meeting a really nice writer at the Romantic Times conference years ago. She came up and talked to me after a workshop I did and she was so enthusiastic about her book. You could see it in her eyes and you could hear it in her voice as she talked about it. This was a story about her grandmother and how she lived through the depression. No, the grandmother did not do the "Grapes of Wrath" thing. There was no living in a shed in the mid-west with the dust storms blowing around. Grandma didn't even lose a job. She survived it really well. Sure, she watched others around her struggle, and yes, the financial side of things was not amazing, but this had now just become a story about one woman. 

I would say, there was nothing special here, but there was. It was special to this author and her family. As I listened to her talk, I kept thinking "So what?" What would an average, everyday reader get out of this story? In this case, the story simply was not going to be marketable to anyone outside of her family. Maybe, if she came from a small town where everyone knew the family our the surroundings, the story would sell at the historical society, but for anyone who did not know Grandma, buyers would not be there. 

This was tough to tell her this. I did stress that a story like this IS important and her writing it WAS important. Knowing our family histories is something we cannot ignore. But she did not see it that way.

Now here is where the story becomes tough. I watched her, during the large pitch sessions move from editor to editor and agent to agent, really pushing the story. In every case, I saw the same reactions from the editors and agents. A slight shaking of the head saying no.

But let me take it a step further and talk about those stories where someone really is being stupid. Stories where the project really is morally or ethically objectionable. Stories with plots that are just plain ridiculous. Yes, there might be a slight glimmer of "That could make a good story," but then when it ventures into the absurd, you are wasting your time. 

Look, there is nothing wrong with writing stories like this for personal pleasure, for your family, or even as a writing exercise. I want you to do these stories. Just don't be stupid and deceive yourself think the story will sell and people will buy it. Even if you think you'll self-pub it, don't expect the crowds to come running.