Tina Sue wanted me to spice things up and stop being so politically correct when I post as it's probably boring some of you. Believe me, it bores me to have to always watch what I say and make sure I'm not offending anyone. So, the first order of business: Offend someone. Tell your momma I said hi. All of you.
Now to the real issue. I recently had this discussion with a fellow author who writes M/m romances and erotica for a living and she told me it irritated her when she saw authors who didn't traditionally write M/m start to jump on the bandwagon for sales purposes. I mean if you're writing straight or menage all the time and doing well, why bother crossing into another genre?
For one, M. Christian talked about stretching in an early WritESEX post entitled Flexing. Stretching those writer muscles helps us to grow for one. As he writes "A writer is nothing but pure potential, but only if that potential is utilized."
That being said, what do writers do? Writers write! And while we could all remain one trick ponies, that won't do much for expanding our possibilities for more income. So what if we want to capitalize on the M/m trend? As long as the stories are good, well written and speak from the writer's voice, they'll give us an experience we hope to remember.
Of course this does present a problem. Readers who buy ebooks may not like the jumping around an author does, they may not be a fan of M/m or those fans may discover a new favorite author. The "stick to one genre" purists fear that quality in their genre may drop.
It's possible. But if those purists have done their homework and built their audiences, what's the problem? I'll tell you.
It's mindset.
95% of the time when someone gives off any statement that sounds like a quality issue when more players are added to the board, it's often a mindset of "There aren't enough." There aren't enough readers in m/m and if someone else cuts in and steals my readers--you can see where this is going. It's bupkis.
The truth is, especially in this sub genre, there are TONS of readers DYING to read M/m. Just look at any of the fanfiction boards. Yaoi is a HUGE genre even though it seems sort of wrong. But authors make it work. Stephanie Burke, Morgan Hawke, Katrina Strauss, they're not worried about competing for your dollar in M/m. They've done what any true author does when it comes to the business of writing.
They've built an audience that hungers for their particular voice. Burke has written in numerous genres, Hawke has as well. Neither of them are worried. Strauss is becoming a bigger name in M/m because of her characters and her voice.
So instead of focusing on your competition, what are you doing to distinguish yourself as a M/m author from all the rest? And if you think I'm going to take your readers, you're probably right.
Buy Lifting Spirits from Amazon
More Posts you May be interested in:
Cautiously Optimistic
The Occupy Post - Author sounding off
Show Stella Price some (cover) Love!
I'm not writing a m/m erotica book but it is a science fiction book with gay characters. However, I'm also gay so it seems perfectly natural to me. I don't understand the whole gay for pay thing personally. But if people can write it "realistically" I have no problem with it. But I can tell if the authenticity is not there.
ReplyDelete(Sascha,
ReplyDeleteYou know it drives me crazy, when you start your posts off with "Tina-Sue...", now that isn't exactly what I said. I only said something along the lines of, "let's not worry so much about offending people". Actual posts on this blog are new and at first I was probably being overprotective. Then I relaxed and got over it.)
Thank-you for another wonderful post! As usual, I think a lot of your points and advice can certainly be applied to other genres. And writers :o)
Hmm--not sure if this goes against other posts on here that plainly said writing is a business. If we think of writing as a business and are aware of what is trendy and now, then really I see no reason NOT to jump on the bandwagon. This idea of competition drives me crazy. Its a big wide world of books out there ,growing bigger by the seconds.
ReplyDeleteI dont write Gay for Pay, I write it because I love a good story.
ReplyDeleteAs a mostly m/m writer I saw to those who want to do it for the "money" just do your homework.
Sadly, I've seen some who haven't and it took away from the story, Do research! Ask gay friends and if you don't have any, read gay authors who've done it before you. I'm not perfect at it, never will be but do try to get it right.
A great story with the right amount f research will sell whether its your "mainstay" genre or not.
SLira aka Michael M and BLMorticia
Michael, that's good to know you're not afraid of the market and of other authors. Competition is healthy and needed if for no other reason than to make us stronger writers.
ReplyDeleteTina-Sue :P YOUR momma owes me :P
Anonymous - indeed that's why I'd jump on the bandwagon. For money. You have to love what you're doing and be versatile.
BLM-what the hells you're name? Anyway (Michael Mandrake)is right. Do it for the money but do the research.
There's nothing wrong with "gay for pay." There are many authors who ENJOY writing M/m and who ALSO make good money doing it. There's a lot of jealousy out there. The more successful you are, the worst the jealousy gets. What successful authors need to do is invest in a good pair of earplugs to tune the haters out. Mind your own business, write your fiction and do your thing. You're writing for your fans, not fellow authors. (Unless they're fans too.)
ReplyDeleteWell said Jolie du Pre, this is why I tagged you on facebook. For the rest of you, she is an established author (and one I apparently mentored?) ten years ago. Her advice is often wise.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe anyone should be prohibited from writing in any genre they choose, providing they've done their research and get the facts straight (this is not directed solely at gay sex scenes m/m - I can't tell you how many straight erotic romances I've read where the writer has misplaced the hymen and other various lady bits).
ReplyDeleteWho decides who's in it for the money, and who's in it for the art, and why do the two need to be mutually exclusive? That's a dangerous road to travel, full of exclusion and discrimination potholes.
I write what interests me, what I find sexy and fun and endearing, what makes me laugh and cry...what touches me. For a long time that wasn't M/M because I figured two guys in the room didn't want me watching, but lately I've done menages that worked out that way and I have a novel plotted that is M/M but for the reaosn I write anything, I love the characters and their story gets to me!
ReplyDeleteSascha, buddy, I almost choked on my nosh when I read you describe yourself as "correct" and not wanting to offend people! You are the most direct person I know!
ReplyDeleteSince I am GAY, I write M/M from my experience. Love, not money - but the gelt (money) is nice.
Right now, I am editing that basically M/F Bondage story (there is some F/F stuff), so I guess you can say I'm going straight for money. However, since I didn't come out until I was 25, at least I know that action, too. (You should get "Blazing Revenge" next week.)
BTW, you know what a nit-picker I am - you used bubkis wrong. It means "nothing", as in "I've got plenty of nothing." "We searched all day for a decent manuscript, and came up with bupkis
(http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bupkis) I suspect you meant meshuggah (crazy) or mishegoss (craziness)
You could try narrischkeit (foolishness, nonsense) but that doesn't mean crazy; more like a waste of time. "Writing M/M romances is narrischkeit!" (Says who!?)
As Woody Alan once said, in the rest of the country, everyone believes that all of us New Yorkers are "Gay Jewish pornographers".
(Yiddish accent on:)
"By me he got it right!"
Thanks for inviting me to comment! Jolie du Pre I think you are completely right!
ReplyDeleteDon't listen to negativity!
I am surprised this is still an issue. It's been raging since I started writing M/M four years ago. I happen to love the genre and I've been hearing it's flooded and soon to be the cold genre since the day I started! Nothing could be further from the truth.
As far as I'm concerned, there are some wonderful authors and the more the merrier. I think there are as many wonderful women writers as there are men. BUT BLMorticia mentioned research and it is crucial. I am staggered when I read sex scenes that simply don't make sense. For example I had to stop reading a book when the hero - a virgin - is fisted on the roof of his car on an open road (how uncomfortable and...weird) without benefit of any type of preparation or lube.
I find most authors and gay porn stars very open to giving advice.
If an author is experimenting with a genre I say go for it, but at least check with a reliable source if an extreme scene like this is plausible. I wish good luck and happy sales to everyone writing ANY genre. Let's keep books alive!!!
I didn't know that there exist a homoerotic romance. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteI came back to look at those abs again. I wish my stomach looked like that.
ReplyDeletegreat post! truly! I jumped on the m/m bandwagon mainly because I found some amazing authors in the genre and wanted to give it a try. I have done m/m/f and m/m now and they are my best sellers hands down.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from all of you. Now if some of the older regulars on this blog came back in and gave us some feedback LOL!
ReplyDeleteAt any rate it's a discussion worth thinking about when it comes to writing for a living.
Hello there, Sascha,
ReplyDeleteSome of us old regular readers (literally in my case) can barely figure out how to leave a comment, never mind how to order an ebook. M/M and erotica in general certainly aren't popular genres in my crowd. But we're lurking. And reading.