Sunday, April 09, 2006
Wrestling match! Plus More
So, my new chapter one is now 18 pages. That is too long. I'm going to have to chop it in half. Plus there is a motivation issue I need to deal with. About half way through, it just doesn't feel right emotionally. Yet. Still, my heroine is shaping up nicely. I did the computer edit, paper-read, computer edit, paper-read thing 3 times yesterday. More today I suspect.
Yesterday, I went to my RWA local chapter meeting (
San Francisco Bay Area RWA). Sue Grimshaw, National Romance Buyer for
Borders Books, Inc. gave a presentation. Writing is a business, and Sue's presentation pointed that out. And yet she gave practical, wonderful and supporting advice about how best to promote and what things authors ought to try negotiating for. Number one: Cover Art. Unfortunately, authors have
zero control over that. She has stepped in and gotten revisions for covers she believed would not sell the book, and she had some before and afters to show us. What covers are selling today: Hunky male torsos. Other interesting tidbits about Romance:
- Historicals are 30-40% of the market, but sales are flat. She believes this will come around.
- Paranormals had 30% growth and she sees this continuing.
- Romantic Suspense had 10% growth and she believes that will continue to increase.
- Erotica and Romantica sales are increasing quickly, and other booksellers are missing the boat.
- Erotica/Romantica buyers purchase the sexy title and 5 other non-erotica titles.
- Romance buyers buy lots of other kinds of books, and usually spend $50-60 a visit.
- POD is proving to be a viable route to print publishing, mostly with Romantica/Erotica writers.
What else? If you have limited promotion money to spend, use it to send bookmarks to the Romance Experts 3-4 weeks prior to your laydown date. If you can't afford to send an ARC, then send a 1st chapter.
My take on this? As authors and readers know, covers are important. They get readers to pick up your book. Authors should try to negotiate coop money with our editors. Sexy is in.
