Tag: romance writing

Sales And Product Development

Yesterday,
I talked about
how I pitch story ideas
to my agent.

I do this
BEFORE I start writing the story.

It makes no sense
to spend months
on a story idea
my agent (salesperson) can’t sell.

It also makes no sense
to not include
my agent’s inputs.
Those inputs
should help her
sell the story.

Sales should
ALWAYS
be included
in new product development.

They are on
the front lines.
They talk with customers.
They know what customers like.

Involve salespeople
in the product development
process.

Can You Sell This?

I pitched a story idea
to my agent.

An agent,
in the publishing industry,
is a salesperson

She sells stories
or ideas for stories
to publishers,
movie studios,
other interested parties.

And that is
the feedback
I truly want from her.

I don’t need to know
if the idea is ‘good.’
I have an editor
for that purpose.

I want to know
if she can sell my idea,
if there is an interest
or a market
for that type of story.

If the answer is…
maybe,
I then want to know
how I can turn
the maybe into a yes.

What do I have to change
in the pitch to do that?

If the answer is no,
I discard the idea
and I work on another one.

Great salespeople are the experts
on what sells or doesn’t sell.

Business builders need their advice.
And we should listen to it.

Development Schedules Post COVID

I’ve had one bout of COVID
and it changed my brain.

I saw that immediately
in my writing.
I’d read the previous story
and the story I’m currently writing
and it appeared like
they were written by
two different writers.

They were both great stories.
They merely had different voices,
different styles of writing.

It took me
33% percent longer
(in my case,
an additional month)
to ensure the new story
matched
the older stories.

Because readers
(customers)
would be unhappy
if it didn’t match.

If the people involved
in your product’s development
had COVID,
they don’t have the same brains
they had prior to COVID,
and if they don’t have the same brains,
your final product
is unlikely to be as expected.

Add some room
in the product development schedule
for a quality
or continuity check.

It IS Possible

One of my writing buddies
told me
her biggest wish in life
was to write full time
and be able to pay her bills.

Many people have told her
that isn’t possible,
not in ‘today’s market’.
Whatever the f*ck
THAT means.
(eye roll)

I know it is possible
because I know hundreds of people
who are writing full time
and more than paying their bills.

I brainstormed with her
and came up with over 100 ideas
how to make that dream
a reality.

That wild dream you hold
close to your heart?
The goal that some people
don’t believe is at all possible?

It is a reality for someone else.
And it could be a reality for you.

Get inventive.
Brainstorm.
Figure out how to make your dream happen.