What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
I'm hoping--since you seem to be a group of avid readers, and you're probably quite close to my ideal target audience--that you can give me some good advice.
The book-publishing industry is dying. In the past few years I've sent at least a dozen book proposals off to do the rounds. I'm fairly sure that ten years ago, all would have generated some interest. Not anymore. The print publishing industry is well on its way to obsolescence, and the major publishers haven't a clue how to make money from new publishing technology.
I'm just not sure what kind of book to pitch. Writing fiction is out of the question. It just doesn't sell. Besides, reality these days is mighty interesting--why bother with fiction, I keep thinking, when the world seems stranger and more interesting than anything I could imagine? But non-fiction books about the things I'd naturally think of writing don't seem to sell, either. I was certain that a lively book about Margaret Thatcher would have real commercial potential. I was wrong.
Still, some books are selling. Some writers are still finding a way to make it work.
Suppose you were to commission me to write a bespoke book, just for you. What would it be about? Is there a subject you're just dying to know more about, but you just don't see any books about it in the book stores? What kind of book would you actually pay money to read and to own these days?
As long as I can make a reasonable living, I'm willing to write about just about anything. I'm willing to move anywhere to do it. The idea has to have obvious commercial appeal, because I need to convince a publisher to give me an advance: I don't have the savings to do it on spec. Besides, if I can't convince a publisher to buy it, I probably won't be able to convince anyone to buy it.
Beyond that, I'm open to anything.
Apart from writing, I don't actually have any marketable skills, I don't think. I'm just not seeing a real future for myself in the martial arts, whatever that fight promoter in London might have thought.
So I need to figure something out.
Ideas?
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Comments :
May '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
"Places Paul Theroux has never visited" (And I mean that half-literally/half metaphorically.)
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Could you elaborate a bit?
May '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Fiction doesn't sell? Why are all these Harry Potter with the Dragon Tattoo books by Stephen King cluttering up the homestead? I like historical fiction. Was working on a book set in the Italian Renaissance called "Vipers of Milan". Filled up a whole notebook with, uh, notes, but couldn't get the same right characters in the right time frame. Planned to follow it up with "Lions of Venice", "Wolves of Rome" "Balls of Florence" etc. You can have it if you want.
What you need to sell a book is one simple phrase, tacked on the the end of any concept: "who solves crimes". So, you could go with "kickboxing journalist in Constantinople...who solves crimes!" There. Problem solved.
Jun '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
I'm a sucker for long historical fiction. I love the way James Michener picks a place and stays there from genesis through modernity.
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
I like it, Kennedy Smith! "Why Margaret Thatcher Matters--and Solves Crime!" I'm going to test-market that phrase in my posts in the coming days. We'll see if it really works.
Jul '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
How about a comic book? I know you said no fiction, but it could be about Ataturk or something.
I would definitely buy a comic book about Ataturk.
Jul '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Someone actually wrote a book about places no tourists ever go, not because they are particularly dangerous or disease-ridden, but because they are boring, ordinary places. The down side is obvious -- who would want to read about them? The death rattle of the book publishing industry has reached crowd-noise levels. Is it possible the age of the professional writer is over? You wouldn't think so given the fact the MFA programs turn out 10,000 or so new ones each year. The superfluity rivals the output of the lawyer mills. If I were in your shoes I would look for some overlooked person or event in history, research the hell out of the subject and write a graceful 500-page book. With luck, you might win a movie deal. Absent that you income will be roughly comparable during the years spent on it with what you could make passing french fries out the drive-in window. These are the best and worst times, heavy on the latter.
May '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Let me see if I have the problems identified correctly: Book writing takes such a long time that the market may have moved on to the latest fad by the time you're finished. Worse still, publishers have no concept of what the public really wants so they only pay advances for things that would personally interest them and their small minded liberal clique.
That kind of leaves you with "The Crime Solving Gay Jihadist Cookbook."
Jun '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
A tourist's guide to Istanbul's religious landmarks.
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Round the world dating etiquette/experiences or something? Could be part journalism/part personal experience. In other words, as someone who has keenly observed youngish people in many countries, maybe you could summarize (in your typical humorous style) some of the tendencies, customs, traditions of various countries regarding dating, breaking up, family involvement, decisions to have or not have children, etc. I would read that AND I would trust that you could make it funny and interesting. Idea #2: Undercover at different mosques? Are the "services" different? Are women treated differently in some, what do kids do? Are there kid-friendly aspects to Islam? I don't know; perhaps this would get you killed. Still, I'd read it and I bet it would sell...
May '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Ursuala - I have a book for you to write. For many years I traveled with a MLB club as part of my TV work and I witnessed stuff that never got reported by the beat writers because they were afraid that would cost them access and inhibit them from doing the routine aspects of their jobs. So here you go: What I Saw on the Team Plane (Tales That Will End My Career in Sports Journalism) by Ursula Hennessey
May '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Paules, if you like long historical fiction you can just sink into like a comfy chair, start with The First Man in Rome, by Colleen McCullough. Six chunky doorstops of 800+ pages each. Starts with the rise of Gaius Marius, ends with the assassination of Caesar. Dizzying, and you get your money's worth (though I never got to ask VDH what he thought of them). But anyway, it goes back a bit earlier than most pop-Roman stuff.
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Wylee Coyote: How about a comic book? I know you said no fiction, but it could be about Ataturk or something.
I would definitely buy a comic book about Ataturk. · Aug 8 at 6:08am
I wrote a great comic book called CATSTANTINOPLE: The Adventure of the Seven Kittens of Istanbul. To my astonishment, I could not find a publisher.
Jun '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
I don't think writing non-fiction works like making fine art. The sales don't automatically pick up just because you're dead. :)
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
I mean, wouldn't you think this would sell? Nope!
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Yep. That would sell, for sure.
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Hey, I wrote it! Go check out Menace in Europe.
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
That sounds like a realistic career plan! Let me just write this up, go to the bank, and ask for a small-business loan.
May '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
There are obvious lines here about "cats," "houses," and Istanbul and what sells, but it's best if we don't go there.
May '10
Re: What Book Would You Actually Buy if I Wrote it?
Here's a takeoff on Ursula's great idea. Did you read "Does Language Influence Culture?" in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago? Fascinating article about how the specific words we learn in our language profoundly affect how we relate to the world around us. It was written in pretty technical terms for the average audience (I hope you're thinking best seller so you don't want to attract just the Ricochet audience, right?) but the concept is fascinating. If you worked in some of the common cultural errors people make when visiting other countries (or recent immigrants from other cultures) it would make a very interesting read. Most Americans don't speak a second language and have no real concept of the value of learning another language/culture beyond the obvious basic communication needs. If it were presented in an attention-grabbing way (not the typical Kumbaya liberal argument for learning other languages, but a pragmatic "How Americans (or Businesses or Members of Generation Whatever-It's-Called-Now) Can Thrive in the 21st Century Global Community" I'd definitely buy it.