How difficult to get fiction published?

[Twixal]

I know the market is pretty flooded with fictional novels, but I was thinking something small, about the size of a harlequin novel. So how difficult is it to break into fictional writing.. seriously?

[UpAndAtEm]

Wow. I can't believe nobody else jumped in and answered this for you.

Breaking into the fiction market is tough, really tough, and that's putting it mildly. You have just about a zero chance of getting anything published through a traditional publisher without an agent, and most agents don't want to talk to you unless you're a fairly well known author with plenty of previous sales to show.

You can strike out on your own and self publish, but the thing is, with fiction there is so much competition. If you're writing in the romance, genre, for example, your book will be competing with all the other romance novels out there. You really have to know how to market your book, and then market it hard, or hire a professional marketer. If you go the latter route, it's very expensive and there are still no guarantees.

Some people do make it, but it's the marketing that really makes the difference as to whether you succeed or not. Even if you manage to get your book published through a traditional publisher, you will still be in charge of the marketing. Book publishers do very little for marketing your book other than getting it into bookstores. Once your book is being sold in bookstores it will only remain on the shelf for three or four months before it's pulled because they need to make room for new titles and yours is now considered old.

Sorry to sound so negative, but you asked how tough it is. Now you know.

[Twixal]

Awesome!! I love when I ask something and someone gives me a straight-forward answer with no frills!

How's the booklet market these days? I'm sorry I didn't get back to you after all the great info you sent me via PM! I had kinda filled you in on the crazy happenings here at the time.

Then come to find out, after all that stress (threats of foreclosure, my house being sold yadda yadda)... it was a mistake.

...

I'm sorry but how do you mistakenly tell someone their house has a sale date and quote lawyer fees and everything?!?!

Mistake?!

ugh...

[UpAndAtEm]

Hello, Michele.

It's wonderful to hear from you! I'm so glad everything has worked out for you with your house. I can only imagine the stress you must have been under.

As for the booklet market, it's never been more ripe for action than it is right now! Seriously. This market is just huge and growing even bigger by the day. I'm constantly amazed by the events unfolding for me since writing my own booklets. It's been a life changing experience.

Now I'll let you in on a little secret. My prices are going up soon. There are just too many people wanting my time, and I only have so much of it to give. Part of the reason for the price increase is to weed out those people who aren't serious. I don't have the time to work with people who don't have a deep desire to reap the rewards a booklet can offer them. Those people are the ones who get a great idea but don't follow through. They go from one thing to the next and never end up with anything because they don't finish what they start.

I'm letting you know because if you really want to produce a booklet and get it on the market you'll probably want to do it now while my current prices are still effective.

Take care and let's talk!

[smbwallace]

I edit occasionally for a friend who operates a publishing company. Take a look at her websites, www.bygracepublishing.com and www.moonlitromance.com. There are contact emails on there for you. She does accept new authors so it would be worth your time to look into that.