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 Hatrack River Writers Workshop
 Markets for Our Writing
 Target audiences?
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Collin Member |
posted April 12, 2009 07:19 PM
  
Who decides what your target audience should be? Is it you, your agent, your editor, or your publisher? Does it just depend? It seems confusing to choose what age group I want to write my stories for when I just want to write. Anyone can read them! IP: Logged |
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Kathleen Dalton Woodbury Administrator |
posted April 13, 2009 02:19 PM
Write the story first, Collin. Then figure out what the target audience is. IP: Logged |
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MarciusAlman Member |
posted May 24, 2009 08:06 PM
I want to preface my answer with the fact that I am not published, not have I wrote anything over 3K in a very long time. Actually, my mom, who loves me, hesistates to read my stuff... Anyhow, many of the publications I have read said that you show do one of two things: 1. Write what you know...and then shop it. 2. If you don't know something, research it. The first, writing what you know, will allow you to put something out that is you are confident and secure in shopping. There are a few things I know and one of them is fishing...well, bass fishing in the Midwest. I'm not a pro, but I am a solid fisherman. I feel very confident in writing about the where, what, when, and how of bass fishing in Michigan. The drawback is that my writing will be...well...limited and narrow in scope. In short, I could submit articles to a few magazines and that is it. The second might be some work, but will allow you much more latitude in writing. Start with something you are interested in and then walk into a bookstore...or better yet...Wal-Mart. Look at what the popular books are...young fantasy...vampire love stories...romance...cookbooks...there are many options. Then, take the time to learn as much as you can about it. Then start writing. ...I am working on a love story about a young man adopted in a farming family, but is really heir to the throne, who loves a vampire who loves to cook... My point is that certain things are hot right now. Look at the size of the book in the genre...many bookstores don't care for traditional fantasy because they are so long and take up so much shelf space. However, they love young fantasy because they are quick reads, take little space and kids have a taste for them thanks to Harry Potter-esque bandwagon everyone has jumped on. Good Luck [This message has been edited by MarciusAlman (edited May 24, 2009).] IP: Logged |
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BenM Member |
posted May 24, 2009 09:20 PM
About the only thing I do when picking an 'audience' Collin, is to simply imagine who the narrator is talking to. It might shape the voice of the narrator; something I'd like to keep consistent. Other than that? Once something is complete it becomes pretty obvious what genre it is, and an agent can be chosen who represents that genre.
quote: Be careful with this thinking - if you think, for example, that religious allegory is hot because The Shack just sold a bajillion copies, remember: It might take a year to write a novel, then after it's been accepted by an agent it may be up to another two years before it appears on store shelves. What's hot in two to three years from now? Who knows - maybe it'll be stories about insect colonies. Anyway, in summary, I agree with KDW Collin - don't get stuck thinking too hard about it - just write. If you keep thinking about the perfect audience, the perfect opening, the perfect characters, perfect plot... you'll either still be starting the first chapter months from now, or have given up. Just accept it's probably going to be garbage (in its first draft form), and just get the story out and onto the page. You can shape it from there; the audience will make itself obvious to you when you're done. IP: Logged |
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