It's unbelievable that with all the creative writing courses out there,
that no one teaches the necessity of researching your market before you
set pen to paper.
Yes, we all want to be creative and let our imagination go. At the same
time, wouldn't it be great to have some of your work published? Even
better wouldn't it be awesome to know that you have upped your chances of
getting published by around 80% by simply doing a tiny bit of browsing in
a library or bookstore?
Here is a way to make sure that there is an interest in your type of
story before you pick up a pen or pull out your laptop:
1) Go to the local bookstore and read the writing magazines. Editors
actually tell these magazines what they are interested in, in a fairly
timely manner. Most of the guess work is taken out for you. You know
which editors are looking for what type of stories.
2) Look at the current Writer's Guide. It is filled with editors and
publishers looking for fresh material. And guess what? They also tell you
what each editor wants and what they are sick to death of.
3) Check out the bookshelves to see which children's books are featured.
Is there a trend or pattern? For example the last few years Harry Potter,
Artemis Fowl and Charlie Bone have all been hot. It doesn't take a brain
surgeon to figure out that magical characters have taken kids and editors
by storm.
4) Ask kids what their favorite books are. Ask them why they like one
over the other. Ask if their friends are into the same books. Model these
themes.
There is no need to make over the wheel or hire a psychic to figure out
what publishers, editors and your audience - kids, are looking for.
Gather this information and apply it to your writing.
Watch the number of your submissions rise, while your rejection letters
become few and far between.
See more of what makes a good piece here: www.creativityprompt.com
