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There's an article in this month's SCRIBE! Media Magazine about a piece of erotic fiction that began its life on a fan-fiction Website, Someone from a major publishing house stumbled across the site, liked the fiction, and purchased it for six figures. It's now going to auction for film rights. The work is called Fifty Shades of Grey.
Predictably, with so much hoopla following the purchase of this story, other publishing houses have begun putting out feelers for good, solid, erotic fiction. Houses that have never considered publishing erotica before are not only buying it now, but also setting up new erotica imprints and actively scouring the four corners of the earth for new work. |
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This is obviously good news for erotica authors everywhere, since finding a legitimate publisher for erotic works of fiction has traditionally been something of a challenge. But it's also good news for all writers. And it's a wake-up call to publishers who were getting pretty complacent. It shows them that new, untested writers--even writers in traditionally unprofitable areas of the marketplace--are out there waiting to be discovered.
It also shows Mr. Fifth Avenue that he doesn't know all there is to know about writing, literature, books, publishing, trends, and what the public wants (and is willing to buy, even in these tough economic times).
The bottom line for you (and all writers everywhere) is that you need to get yourself and your work "out there." This month's SCRIBE! column, "Market Smart," has a short article on how to do just that through social networking. That's one way.
Another is to set up your own Website, if you haven't already done so--one where you can promote yourself, your writing talents, and your work. If you don't know HTML from LMAO, consider hiring someone to do the job for you.
If you've already found a publisher for your book and want to promote the Dickens out of it, check out AmSAW's "The Author's Place."
If you haven't yet found a publisher, "The Author's Place" can help you there, as well, by setting up a Web page and pitching your talents to top literary agents around the country.
Another way to get noticed is to find a successful, agented author/mentor who's willing to help you sharpen your work until it's ready to shop around. AmSAW's "Writer for Hire" might be able to help you out there.
The point is, no matter how you do it, do it. Start making some noise. For too many years, writers have chosen to sit off in a corner, working on their literary masterpieces in silent seclusion.
No more. As that great American poet once said, "The times, they are a-changin'." Don't you think it's time you thought about changing right along with them?
Until then...
Smoke if you got 'em.
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