The Breakout Novel & Why Publishing is Desperate for the Next BIG Thing

Kristen Lamb — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 02:46:29 +0000

The breakout novel. All authors want to write one, and all agents want to discover one. Why? Because the breakout novel is the story that tips the scales.

This is the novel that not only ignites avid readers to read MORE, but it also propels ordinary people to do the unthinkable.

It makes them want to read, too!

These stories turn those who normally wouldn’t read a book—unless it was required or there was a test at the end—into book evangelists.

****These people may claim they ‘hate to read,’ but they told everyone who’d listen about Twilight .

It’s True, Most People Aren’t ‘Readers’

This really isn’t anything new. I know it’s super popular to whine that people just don’t read books anymore.

They’ve been singing that same sappy BS song since I was a kid…during an age when there was no Internet—let alone social media—and cable was for rich people.

Daytime T.V. sucked, all television turned OFF at midnight, movies played at a movie theater (no VCRs), and you had to beg your parents to take you to a video arcade if you wanted to play games.

Yet, even back then, when one would think this would have been the Golden Age for everyone and their mother to be reading books?

It wasn’t.

I was a weirdo because I loved to read.

But just because someone doesn’t identify as a reader doesn’t mean he/she won’t read. It simply takes the right book to hook them and then reel ’em in.

‘Readers’ Have ALWAYS Been Outliers

Before the 20th century, most people weren’t even literate. Reading was a hobby reserved for wealthy people who had the funds, education and free time to indulge in fantasy.

Sure, once humans got into the late 19th century then careened into the 20th, the number of readers increased because of higher literacy rates. That and industrialization increased household incomes and offered the average person more free time.

Pulp fiction got its start with the much-esteemed Charles Dickens and this form of storytelling really picked up traction in the early part of the 20th century.

This type of fiction gave the general public access the larger-than-life stories with exotic and sexy characters.

Ah, but it wasn’t ALL roses and unicorns.

Books still competed with work, chores, radio shows, television, bowling, newspapers, discos, roller rinks, and sports.

Ultimately, the insatiable ‘avid reader’ has pretty much always loitered on the fringes of the bell curve.

The guy with the football never got wedgies. Just sayin’.

This is why most book marketing plans are utterly ineffective (unless one counts wasting a crap ton of time and money). Writers are all looking for the readers.

Where are the readers?

They gear all their social media and marketing to 3-5% of the population (the population who eat through books).

Bad news is this folks. The self-proclaimed avid readers aren’t the consumers that turn books (and their authors) into legends.

Who does?

The 93-95% of literate people in need of being educated or entertained who would NOT list reading on their Top 10 List of Fun Things to Do.

These consumers are the hardest to convert to readers, which is why most writers (and ‘marketing experts’) all go for the low-hanging fruit.

The Breakout Novel Breaks the Rules AND the Bank

The breakout novel is the novel that breaks the rules. These are the books readers never knew they always wanted, and ‘non-readers’ never believed would interest them in the first place.

Often, breakout novels reimagine a genre, mix genres, and/or flip the script on the mouldering tried and true genres.

Bloody Good Idea

For instance, Anne Rice didn’t invent vampires. Vampires have been around a LONG time.

Yes, even before the IRS was created.

Bram Stoker allegedly patterned Dracula (published in 1897) off a real historical figure, Vlad the Impaler. Myths and legends about vampires thrived in Eastern Europe as far back as the Middle Ages.

Though there were countless tales of the vampire as monster, Anne Rice wanted to write a different sort of book. What was it like from the vampire’s perspective?

And Interview with the Vampire was born.

Initially, no one wanted to publish the manuscript. Rice faced countless rejections. No one cared about stories FROM the vampire’s POV.

Finally, ONE agent loved the idea and took a chance, and pretty much all modern vampire stories from The Lost Boys, to True Blood to Twilight can thank Ann Rice.

And this genre upheaval wasn’t only limited to vampires.

The concept of casting monsters and creatures as the hero (or even anti-hero) EXPLODED in novels, television, film, and pop culture after Interview with the Vampire skyrocketed in success.

Boys Just Wanna Have Fun

J.K. Rowling reimagined Young Adult Fantasy when she decided to cast a young boy as her protagonist. Agents told her this was a terrible idea, because ‘boys didn’t read.’ And tween and teen boys definitely didn’t read.

***Maybe because all the YA books were girl books? Whatever. *rolling eyes*

Rowling, despite pressure to change Harry into a female protagonist, simply stuck to her guns and kept pressing then—BAMMO—the legend that is The Harry Potter franchise was born.

This success opened the YA door wide, and the genre took off.

Harry Potter was a breakout novel that not only redefined the genre, but it inspired everyday people and got them excited about reading.

The ‘NON-READERS.’

They’re the folks who’d rather be stuck in the DMV with no air conditioning than be forced to read a book…BUT they own every single Harry Potter (in hardcover).

50 Shades of WHAT?

As much as this pains me, Fifty Shades of Grey is traditional publishing’s last big breakout novel. The trilogy wasn’t discovered by a literary agent, rather it was picked up then rereleased by Vintage Books in April, 2012.

As I mentioned earlier, breakout novels will often defy convention and reimagine older, existing genres for a modern audience.

E.L. James certainly did NOT invent erotic literature, but her series certainly sparked renewed interest (and a LOT of controversy) in an old genre.

But let me remind you, Fifty Shades of Grey was the last massive breakout book for legacy publishing (and they picked it up only after it was successful as fan fiction then self-pub).

This means the market has gone over SEVEN years with no new breakout author.

That isn’t good.

Things Have GOT to Change

I recently blogged about the dismal fate of Barnes & Noble. Borders is long dead and B&N is no longer a baller. The independent bookstores haven’t had long enough to return to full strength.

This is scary.

The Big Six got in bed with the big ~~bad wolf~~ box bookstore and gutted their author middle class. NY publishing also never changed how they did business, and thus linked their survival to these mega-stores.

With their MASSIVE overhead and grossly inefficient methods, they had to have those multi-million-dollar preorders to keep the lights on.

But Elliot Management Corps. will be closing those giant B&N stores and they will be replacing them with smaller stores more reminiscent of the old days of B. Dalton.

Those guaranteed orders to fill ginormous twenty or thirty-thousand square foot stores are going away, and the mom-and-pop and indies aren’t yet healthy enough to make up that differential.

This spells serious financial trouble for what remains of legacy publishing. If they ever needed a breakout novel (author)?

NOW is that time.

Amazon’s Got a Bad Moon Rising, Too

Sure it was all fun and games when they weaponized writers against our former masters. They allowed everyone and anyone to publish (and I’m, personally, very grateful for that). But, this created a very different problem.

We NEED gatekeepers. There were over a million novels self-published just last year.

Of that number, how many do you think paid for professional and rigorous content editing and proofing?

This ‘Dump the Slush Pile in the Reader’s Lap Plan’ isn’t going to work. It’s already failing. If the major publishers who actually vet books collapse, then Amazon will take a massive hit unless they can figure a way to sift through those millions for books that are even readable (let alone any good).

I am glad Amazon is opening brick-and mortar stores, but they are smart-stocking these stores using algorithms. Part of that is a really good idea (one NY maybe should have thought of using).

Certain books/authors are more popular in certain areas (e.g. Tom Clancy is super popular in Florida, likely because of the dense population of retired vets).

It makes sense to see what is selling best in what state, city, etc. then use that data to decide what earns a spot on shelves.

But this method of stocking is rife with pitfalls.

Algorithms can be juked, and are gamed all the time. In fact, Amazon spends a ridiculous amount of time and resources combatting those cheating the system (largely China).

It’s one thing when Amazon is contending with ebooks and no physical copies are involved. But what about when those books are printed?

Rise of Plagiarism & Counterfeit Books

A recent New York Times article ‘What Happens After Amazon’s Domination is Complete? Its Bookstores Offer Clues‘ is the stuff of author nightmares:

Amazon takes a hands-off approach to what goes on in its bookstore, never checking the authenticity, much less the quality, of what it sells. It does not oversee the sellers who have flocked to its site in any organized way.

This has resulted in a kind of lawlessness. Publishers, writers and groups such as The Authors Guild assert that counterfeiting of books on Amazon has surged.
David Streitfeld, via ‘The New York Times’, 6/23/19

It’s also being speculated that China Lit is hiring workers who are able to speak English, then using them to convert older successful books into ‘new’ ebooks.

The workers take those mothballed titles I mentioned in the B&N post—the ones that hit the New York Times and USA Today best-seller lists a couple decades ago—and they’re copying the story but changing the titles, then names of places and characters and enough wording that the plagiarism software doesn’t detect the forgeries.

Then, the books are loaded on KU as NEW titles…and this is how they’ll bankrupt the whole shebang.

Careful What You Wish For

Amazon got what it wanted and brought The Big Six to its knees, but now? They’re going to have to get serious about policing what they publish.

Amazon, much like what remains of legacy publishing, NEEDS a breakout novel. The reading world is desperate for a new book (or series) that is evocative, innovative and exciting to come along and revive those of us who’ve all but given up.

…and maybe inspire the next generation to read something other than text messages.

That Breakout Novel Could be YOURS

The problem with the past ten years is that learning better ways to market and advertise a book has taken over learning how to even WRITE one.

As a result, the overall quality of books has suffered.

When big publishing (rather the multi-media conglomerates in charge) kicked the author middle class to the curb, many authors quit writing. Others gravitated to self-publishing and indie.

Those authors who made it out with their backlists did well (REALLY well) self-publishing…until readers ate through their entire catalogue.

Now, many are struggling to write novellas, to be included in anthologies and put out short works to keep the fan fires burning. They’re overloaded trying to do it ALL on their own.

Like the rest of us, they just want to write great books.

These older authors came of age in a paradigm that gave them TIME to create. They had TIME to research, time for revisions and time for thorough edits without the pressure of churning out stories like a Play-Doh Un-Fun Factory so they ‘wouldn’t be forgotten.’

***FYI, no one forgot James Michener between books.

Alas, there is something to be said for books that take TIME to write, and the way things are?

Quality will only go down even more…if that’s even possible.

Hot Pocket Novels & Microwave Fiction

The indie, self-pub Amazon model has made it to where authors can’t take their time. They can’t write a book a year, or every eighteen months and make a living.

Many of those who are still traditionally publishing have chosen to also become hybrid authors (publishing other works via self-pub or indie). They have to in order to make a living.

But I think the novelty is wearing off (or hope it is)

Readers are growing weary of microwaveable fast-food fiction. Authors who initially could write to demand are burning out.

NY isn’t fooling anyone with ‘James Patterson’ releasing zillions of books every year. There are only so many good ghost writers, and those folks are wearing out, too.

That and the fans (okay maybe just me) are getting tired of stories that lack consistency in voice and quality. I enjoy James Patterson’s books, but I gave up because I never really knew what to expect.

Not to mention the generation of fans is aging out. Sure NY can keep hiring ghostwriters for the mega name brands, but those readers are aging out as well.

I’ve actually started reading classics because it’s increasingly harder to find books with a pre-digital age level of quality.

Granted, breakout novels can be fast-drafted (Fahrenheit 451), but a Harry Potter or Dune or an American Gods takes TIME.

Unless a new breakout novel comes along, the industry as a whole will suffer.

***Which is code for ‘opportunity.’

I do believe the pendulum will soon swing back to a semblance of sanity (and I have ways we could accomplish that but leaving for another post).

Forget the Money

For anyone reading this who wants to be the author of that next breakout novel, here’s some advice. Money is WONDERFUL, but too many people are fixated on profit at the expense of product.

The secret to success? Look at any market and see what’s missing and fill the need. And the world NEEDS more fantastic books.

What Are Your Thoughts? I LOVE Hearing From You!

I miss the days authors had TIME to write incredible stories. Do you think the digital age’s relentless pace is harming the industry?

Do you think there is a way Amazon (and others) can reestablish some form of sifting process? Establish gatekeepers again?

I love hearing your thoughts!

Just FYI, I’m extending the CLEARANCE sale a little longer, until new classes begin. We need to test the new Event Espresso license and this site’s functionality (we’ve updated everything). If you need a good plotting or character class, NOW is the time to get it.

I have to free up space on our servers. All my classes are detailed and average 2-3 hours. These are On Demand classes you can watch at your leisure and have fun while you learn (for classes, scroll down).

****For NEW classes, look in the footer.

This not only is to help you guys get the training you need (affordable summer school), but it will open up room for the new recordings of new classes.

Please take advantage of the sale! I rarely drop prices this low.

After July 17th, these classes will no longer be for sale (and will be slated for deletion).

Some, I will offer again later in the year. Others? I won’t be offering again the same way (will be likely splitting them into two classes because they ran long).

Thanks so much for your support!