- Joined
- May 1, 2011
- Messages
- 7,986
Rep Bank
$8,301
$8,301
User Power: 461%
I can 100% relate to that because I'm in a similar position.
If you want to launch it under a pen name without using your current audience it'll be very hard.
As far as I remember, you wanted to write a mystery or a thriller. Both of these are extremely competitive. Also, right now, Amazon is promoting Dean Koontz so heavily (he's published by Amazon Publishing) that he dominates many of the bestselling lists in these genres.
At the same time, if you don't try, you won't know, though it would most certainly suck to spend a few years writing a book only to sell 20 copies regardless if you're doing it for the money or not. Just feels wasteful and from my perspective, it would be more valuable for the world to write another non-fiction book guaranteed to be enjoyed by thousands.
I'd say there are roughly four "types" of fiction writing:
- big niches where most people write for money and competition is incredibly tough - romance, erotica, thrillers, suspense, mysteries. Of course, if your book becomes a success, it'll be a huge financial success because of the sheer scale.
- medium, less lucrative niches where some people write as a passion and some as a business - sci-fi, fantasy, horror. The problem here is that many of these niches require writing long series to succeed because standalone books don't work well. Market is relatively small compared to these big niches (hence also the need for series). Lastly, extensive world-building (for fantasy and sci-fi) and research (primarily for sci-fi) can take a LOT of time.
- obscure underground niches, some of which can turn into trendy niches - these are subgenres of the above genres that appeal to few people. For example, stuff like Christian post-apocalyptic stories, steampunk, alternative history. litRPG used to be something for total nerds, now it's a super hot niche. Anything that's a weird mix of other genres belongs here (including books with LGBTQ+ main characters).
- writing purely for the art of it - literary fiction, poetry, anything else that's way too difficult to read for an average reader to ever become a commercial success.
I considered their novel way too weird to ever reach the goals they set for themselves (as far as I remember, they "only" wanted to sell 10,000 copies). I told them I can't promise any success. They still decided to work with me. I did my best but I think in the end we didn't even sell more than 500 copies. The book got 15 reviews, some very positive, and my client was still happy. The book is maybe selling a copy a month now. I myself would consider it a gigantic waste of time.
Sort of like my last non-fiction book, published under a new pen name, which was by far the most researched and most well-edited book I've ever written. It sold maybe 1000 copies. I lost about $10,000 producing and marketing it.
It was my "passion" project which I hoped would take off because of how much time and effort I invested into it (and in a niche that should appeal to a lot of people). But in the end, my super crappy books written several years ago (I consider them crappy from hindsight, not at the time I was writing them), edited by a cheap editor from Fiverr, made six figures.
The book publishing industry is very unpredictable and rarely matches your expectations (which some huge bestsellers rejected by 50+ editors also prove).
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
Gus ni ov't godvoup puwimt.
