The key to selling your works is knowing the market. Being a professional
writer means being an entrepreneur. Successful entrepreneurs “scout”
the competition. You should know who is popular, who is winning awards,
and who is a fading star. Writing, like any business, has trends. What
is popular one year might be passé the next.
While some suggest reading everything in your genre, that can lead to
unintentional mimicry. Be careful not to let others influence you too
much.
To monitor the book market, we suggest reading the major “bestseller”
lists on a weekly basis. The New York Times might publish the best known
lists, but there are others to consider, so look around. Independent
bookstores maintain the Book Sense lists, for example.
Other markets can be monitored via websites, “market” guides, and genre
specific publications. Magazines for almost every form of writing can
be found in major bookstores.
In sales, people matter. Therefore you should network with anyone and
everyone who might be able to help you someday. Some ideal networking
opportunities:
- Writers’ groups
- Conferences
- Bookstore events
- University seminars