In Part 1 of this post, I talked about how it was critical in my former job as a sales writer to focus 100% on the needs and emotions of my prospects and customers. I pointed out that this was not much different from writing fiction that sells.
It may come as a shock to amateur writers that it doesn't matter what you want to say in your writing. Pros understand that your focus must be entirely on what the reader wants to hear. Say you're selling a spiffy new can opener and you want to gush about all its special features. But those features don't mean a thing unless you show how this wonderful item will make your prospects feel. How that can opener will change their life for the better, make them feel smart, sexy, successful, cool, etc.
Same with fiction. Most successful fiction writers zero in on a specific genre and reader they want to reach and single-mindedly write stories and characters that tickle those readers' fancy. You know, genre fiction as a species of sales copy.
But that doesn't cut it for me !
I used to spend 90% of my professional time writing to sell people things by focusing solely on what turns them on. I didn't want my fiction, which constituted about 10% of my writing time, to be mercenary in that way. I wanted to write about stuff that I care about in a style, voice, and structure that challenges and excites me. In other words, my fiction is written to please an audience of one.
ME! MYSELF! I!
My "audience" revels in writing that's weird and non-formulaic. The kind of books that set my brain on fire! I've been inspired by all sorts of writers and my books are a mashup of many influences. My goal when engaging in the hellish struggle of writing a book is to make my most important customer (that's me again!) very happy. I know I've succeeded when I never get tired of going back and re-reading my books over and over again.
How many of the books you've read can you say that about?
I'll never say that my books are great works of art (I'm not a book critic) or even if they're right for anyone else, but I just love them! If I write something that doesn't amaze me, you'll never see it in print!
This self-centered approach has not rendered much sales success, since my taste in literature is eclectic, to say the least. But it seems some people think my books are pretty good. A couple have won awards and my next book has actually been picked up by a traditional publisher, which is close to impossible to achieve these days unless you're famous or have the right contacts.
It comes down to this: I have retired from sales writing--I've escaped that rut. I'm now free to spend 100% of my creative time to write whatever I want. I don't need to sell books for a living and, truth be told, I don't care how many books I sell. I just want to expose as many readers as possible to my novels and hope they enjoy them.
After all, what's the point of writing if no one reads your stuff?
Learn more about my books at carlehnisbooks.com/
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