If you’ve been thinking about writing fiction, there are a number of questions to ask yourself before you start.

1. Can I write what people want to read?

There are two key aspects you need to think about:

• Are you a great reader?
• Are you familiar with the bestsellers in the genre you want to write?

If you are a reader, you should have a good idea of what you enjoy. Chances are that other people will have similar tastes. If you tend to read the top bestsellers in your favorite genre, such as romance, mystery or horror, you will also have a pretty good idea of what sells.

It may sound crass to talk about bestsellers and money, but the fact of the matter is that publishing is a business. You might be disappointed to find out that it has very little to do with creativity or even talent and everything to do with providing a “product” that people want to buy.

2. Can I write something with broad appeal?

Since product is what it’s all about, you need to consider writing something with broad appeal. A lot of people aspire to write the great American (literary) novel, but the fact is that literary fiction is a small percentage of the book-buying market. If you want to be successful as a writer, a better strategy would be to aim for one of the top genres mentioned above, such as romance (55% of the US market) or mystery (27% of the market). Horror and fantasy are around 10%.

Each of these genres have avid fans, but they also have top writers who command attention every time they release a new book. Nora Roberts is synonymous with romance, but she is also associated with mystery and suspense under her pen name J. D. Robb. Stephen King is the master of horror, but he used to write other novels as Richard Bachman.

3. Am I prepared to be my own brand?

Even if you use a pen name, you will still have to be prepared to be your own “brand” and take the criticism along with the adulation. It can be intrusive sometimes. Success can actually make it tougher to find the time to write. It can be difficult to write a book and market it, and to not earn a lot of money, but sometimes it can be even harder to suddenly make it big and become the center of attention.

4. Am I a good writer?

If you haven’t picked up a pen to write a story since high school English, you might want to start small, with short stories and creative blogging, and get some feedback on your work.

5. What am I prepared to sacrifice to become a writer?

Most aspiring writers think about fame and fortune. They don’t think about the many hours alone working on their novel. Writing can be a lonely business. It can be even tougher if you have a family. You might have to sacrifice sleep, TV time and more to make your dream come true.

Be realistic rather than starry-eyed, and you should soon determine whether or not writing a book is the right move for you.

The post Questions to Ask Yourself before You Start Writing Fiction appeared first on Larry Cockerham.

Whenever a fiction writer decides to self-publish their work, they can be so excited at the prospect that they slip up on some of the most basic details. These details can make all the difference between success and failure. Here’s a checklist of essentials which go beyond the mere writing and contribute to the bestseller status of a book.

1. The Cover

People really DO judge a book by its cover. It has to be as good as anything you would see on a store shelf, or side by side with your book on Amazon. Don’t skimp. Unless you are a professional artist and book designer, hire a pro on Fiverr.com. Check out their portfolios to make sure their style is in line with your vision of what your cover should look like. Discuss your ideas, and make sure your contract allows for revisions.

2. The Proof-Reading

The book should be as error free as possible. Make sure you have at least one person other than yourself read over a printed copy of the book, not just a digital one. Word’s spelling and grammar checker are useful, but not perfect.

3. The Editing

It can be tough to judge your own novel, especially if you have been slaving away over it for months. A professional editor, or a friend who loves to read, can make sure you have a powerful beginning and ending. They can also look for inner logic in the novel, such as characters, situations and settings. You would be amazed at how many characters’ eyes start out brown and end up green by the end of the book!

4. The Marketing Copy of the Book

There are two forms of marketing copy that will appear on or in the book:

• The “Blurb”
• The teaser copy

The “blurb” goes on the back of the book and sometimes on the first page inside the book as well. It is like a summary of the story and should entice people to read it.

The teaser copy can be on the back as well, and/or on the first page inside the book. It should be a dramatic excerpt from the novel that draws the potential reader into the story.

5. The Marketing Copy for the Book

A lot of different marketing copy can surround the book. For example, the blurb and teaser will appear online in most cases. You might even include them in a promotional package to a book reviewer. Once the reviews start to come in, if they are good, you can quote from them to help market your book.

If you know any prominent authors or agents who might be kind enough to take a first look and write a comment or two, or even a foreword, this would also be incredibly useful for selling more books.

6. A Great Author Biography, Website/Blog, and Social Media Presence

Readers love to feel they “know” authors and that they are accessible, not hiding in a cave writing all the time. In order to convey that you are a real person, write a great biography, include a professional headshot to use as a promotional photo anywhere you need one, and create a great website or blog to showcase your work.

Have a page at all of the most important social media sites and interact with fans regularly, and you should have no trouble making sales.

The post It’s Not Just about the Writing When It Comes to Fiction appeared first on Larry Cockerham.