After reading some of the posts in the various archives, I decided to do a quick search of the bestsellers from various e-book sellers. (You can find a list of commercial distributors here: http://users.california.com/~parvin/ebooks.html#commercial)
It seems that M/M, and menage erotica (M/F/M) are big sellers, but so are sexy historicals. (Who said historicals were dead? I saw several of them on the bestseller lists.) Paranormals are still selling well. (Especially paranormal menage; it seems anything with two guys getting it on--with or without a female participant--is almost guaranteed a good run.) Books with some form of bondage or light BDSM also seem to sell well.
Does that mean your sweet, straight, one-woman man, cowboy romance is not going to go anywhere? Not necessarily. I noticed that Bookstrand seems to sell a lot of westerns (though again, the hotter the better.) Of course, this was based on my thumbnail sketch and not any in -depth research. Yet even with that quick glance, I could see the trends.
Feeling a little discouraged since I don't write gay erotica, I remembered this interesting blog by Leslie Richardson that I read the other day. (I particularly like points # 3 and # 19 as encouragement for e-book pubs) She has a no-nonsense, take no prisoners approach to writing for a living that I really liked. (There is also a worth reading, follow up to her earlier blog here.)
Anyhoodles... all this has made me realize that A.) I need to get busy and get back to those WIPs languishing over there on my side bar (poor little things... so neglected) and B.) I need to give more thought to promoting the book I do have coming out. In self-defense, I haven't done it yet because I'm still waiting for the release date, but I haven't even said what the story is about. Sheesh.
So... in case you were wondering.... MANAGING MAGGIE is about taming the cougar. :)
Jason and Maggie are business partners, but he wants to carry their partnership into the bedroom and beyond. At thirteen years his senior, Maggie believes she's old enough to know better than to get involved with a younger man -- no matter how sexy he is. But Jason is determined to prove he's man enough to handle a woman like Maggie. He'll overcome her objections -- even if he has to tie her down to make her listen.
So... I'm resolving to do more writing and promoting in the next 6 months and try to have at least 3 more novellas and one novel out for publication this year. What are your goals?
I'm still trying to sell to print publishers. But right now my only goal is to revise my book that I finished last week and start sending it out there.
ReplyDeleteGreat blurb for Managing Maggie. I hope you meet your goals!
Thanks, Edie!
ReplyDeleteI also have a WIP that is about halfway through now (I need to update my sidebar) that I'm going to send to print publishers, too (thinking Silhouette, Dorchester, Kensington), but I liked her take that a royalty check in the bank feels as good as a book in the hands. :) (Although, who among us doesn't want to feel that book in our hands too?)
I know I'm looking forward to holding and reading one of YOUR books. I'll even drive up to Wisconsin to celebrate with you when that happens. :) Fingers crossed that this latest will be the one. :)
Wow.. lots to think over here. I'm in pretty much the same boat. Write more. Promote more. Story of my life.
ReplyDeleteHi Selena! Thanks for stopping by. Good luck with your writing and promotion. My former critique partner and fellow writer, Amber Scott, is part of a group of writers who have a site on promotions. Here's some of their stuff: http://1stturningpoint.com/?page_id=539
ReplyDeleteI have some art goals, if that counts;
ReplyDelete1. Bow to the pressure of the artistic "powers that be" & become a somewhat of a hack (paint the same kind of things over & over & over,) in an effort to gain some kind of strange, grudging "respect" (& maybe some solo gallery shows,) in the field (at least locally.)
2. Try to swallow my horrendous social skills & get "out there" & try to meet more of the artistic "powers that be," as well as patrons.
3. Perhaps try to be more disciplined about painting. I don't know about that yet. I really need to WANT to paint to do it right, y'know?
Good luck w/your plans!
Lana, I don't know whether to laugh or cry over your first goal. But I know you have to do what you have to do. And I totally relate to the second and third - both with writing and painting. Good luck with all of it! :)
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