Ok, I'll have a stab at some sort of definition, but only on the condition that you won't whip the pitchforks out and start chasing me down the hillside...

Throughout the site I've noticed writers complaining that they're confused by what publishers and agents mean when they turn something down because it's not 'commercial' enough. I get a lot of complaints about this comment myself, but in my defence, it's tricky to explain, exactly, and all I can do is to tell you what it means to me. Plenty of people (including other agents) will no doubt disagree, but what the heck.

Firstly, yes, commercial implies making money. Sorry to burst anyone's bubble but it's a business. It doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be a blockbuster, but it helps if it turns a profit. But let's not forget that it is possible for something to be popular AND well written.

What's commercial changes over time, which is why people don't define it too rigorously. My choices are affected by what the publishers want, and theirs are affected by what consumers are willing to pay for.
Yes, commercial books are often following a current trend, but that doesn't mean they're simply copying the latest bestseller.

It's also a timing thing. In the current climate big publishers are wary of anything too risky, so the same wariness filters down to agents. But lots of small publishing houses are starting to fight this, which is great.

Ok, examples. Despite their success, no one wants to see any kind of story that resembles Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. It's been done to death.
Personally I have the same attitude towards chick-lit, and tales of childhood in Ireland.

So one idea is to take these tired genres and give them a bit of life, flip them on their head, so to speak. Like 'The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' reinventing Miss Marple in Botswana.

Ideally, you want to be able to spot a trend before it's even started; given the time it will take for you to write the book and then get it published.

For example, over the last few years there's been a growing interest in history and the arts for mainstream non-fiction readers, thanks to Simon Schama, Tony Robinson et al. This now seems to be filtering through to fiction, giving us 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'The Dante Club', so personally, I think intelligent thrillers/mysteries/good yarns that teach a reader about something they wouldn't otherwise come across have commercial potential.

Non-fiction books about politics, 'Stupid White Men' etc have been selling by the cartload, so novels that respond to this in some way could also have commercial potential.

You see where I'm going? For me, it's how it links into TV, films, the newspapers, and so on. How will this book fit into the public's mindset? Because if you can link into a current feeling then more people will buy the book.

At least that's my theory.

So, to re-cap. Commercial fiction has two criteria for me - how does it fit with what publishers are willing to pay for? - and how does it fit in with what consumers are interested in at the moment?

But then any kind of selection that I make is always dictated by my personal taste and gut instinct as well, so it's hardly a science!

If you really want to sell a book and make a living from it (and I salute you, even if it lacks romanticism for some people) then I think the most beneficial thing you can do is really study the market, the news, TV and films, etc etc, to give yourself the best chance of writing about something that's really going to grab people's attention.

If you really want to write for yourself (and I salute you for that, too) then nothing I've said here should really matter.

I must re-iterate that this is intended as a VERY general statement and is just my own view of the matter and I know there are hundreds of exceptions to what I've said.

Hope it helps.

Katie

Kate

thank you for that interesting analysis but and this is a question rather than a statement.My understanding is that


Over the past 20 years or so the way books are sold has changed dramatically, we have seen the demise of the small book shop and even WHSmith falling on hard times. Equally we see the larger book shop aka waterstones etc appear on many high streets, the growth of on line book shops and of course supermarkets purveying books.

Thus it seems that perhaps the pressure for high turnover readily saleable books has grown to the detrement of other titles. i.e the popular authors gaining even more shelf space over the lesser known or new author.

Does this not thus put more pressure on the publisher and agents to select the readily saleable tried and trusted novel etc. rather than perhaps take the risks of old on more quirky or unusal works, thus restricting the market more and eventually closing it off to experimentation and gambles and this will ultimately result in the novels and et. dying due to saturation of the market with what will become boring plots from a selected few authors.

<Added>

sorry posted to quickly

thank you take care

david

I sincerely hope that doesn't happen, but I know it's what a lot of writers worry about. The same debate goes on with films and television.

The way I see it, it's a compromise. The cheap, formulaic (and often boring) books in the supermarkets or wherever make a big profit which then enables publishers to take on new writers or quirky books that might not make them much money at all. It's like Big Brother paying for The West Wing. Now I'm not saying I agree with this process, but it's not all doom and gloom.

What scares me more is that this wouldn't happen if people didn't buy these books, or watch Big Brother. It's not just the publishers with some evil scheme; it's the reflection of a culture.

But on the bright side, think of the success stories; for every John Grisham there's a Zadie Smith. And as I said, there's a growing base of small publishers who are only interested in new writers and great writing.

Yes the book industry has been going through some changes over the years, and not all of them good, but don't give up on it yet. Have a little faith my friend. The fact this website exists is testament to the fact that people will always need stories, and will strive to tell them in the best way they can.

Katie

I certainly haven't given up on it and in my own small way try very hard to encourage more people to read books. Let's face it to start with, it almost doesn't matter what books they read providing they read and then hopefully their taste will develop and they will branch out to the classics or the non pappy stuff. But better to read a £3.99 on offer from tesco than no book at all.

My radio programme's next week main topic is literature for children and how we can go about encouraging children to read and write.We may not have a huge audience but every extra reader is a plus.

I appreciate it is a very difficult equation and must by default go on somebody's gut feeling on the one hand you get a Joanna Rowling on the other you go broke.

There are many more writers out there than sadly the industry can support and what I think is sad is when you see excellant writers who get no where and then you see some of teh trash that gets published just because the name has selling power ( I guess it is like all soap stars thinking they can top the record charts)

take care and thank you for your input

david

I don't have a problem with the idea that writing is a business. However I do wonder if there is a writer out there who has studied the market, spotted a burgeoning trend and then actually managed to write something successful on that basis? It sounds like a very painful way to write to me and not a method that would stimulate creativity! What do other people think of that idea?

I for one, will stick to writing whatever comes naturally! And luckily I like my day job!!!

Catherine

Skippoo

In response to your comments, I agree. It can go against a creative flow if the market says 'thriller' and you have written a heart-rending period drama.

My way around this is to write whatever I feel like writing, with a passion. I then 'shelve' my creations until such time as the trend appears to lean towards one of them. However, I occasionally send them out regardless, just in case someone out there is looking for something different to the tastes of the time.

I hope this is a helpful suggestion.

Elena :-)

Personally I am unsure whether I have enough quality ideas to write around commercially based ideas. MY ideas tend to be quite commercial anyway (in a Iain Banks/ William Gibson type way rather than a Jeffrey Archer/ NIck Hornby). I am not trying to change the world of literature, just write enjoyable, compelling stories.

Hi,

My writing style may be commercial in the sense that it is accessible. In terms of themes, I don't know!

Your idea does make more sense, Elena, but then there's nothing to lose in sending stuff out whatever the state of the market apart from the price of postage and paper! But then it sounds like I'm less prolific than you, Elena!

James, I am not ashamed to admit that I like Nick Hornby!

Actually, for any Londoners interested:Hornby is reading at Bookslam at Cherry Jam on Mon 26th Jan. Bookslam is an excellent night, which I would thoroughly recommend. See www.patrickneate.com for more info!

Catherine

Read one NIck Hornby and thought it was okay. WAsn't a comment on the talents of those individuals (if I could write like Nick Hornby I think I'd be quite pleased!) Just that this idea that it is somehow a waste of talent to be commercial shouldn't be held

Iain Banks, William Gibson, DOuglas COupland are all commercial but I love them. IN fact, probably most of the books I like are commercial. THe only non-commercial book I've read is by a friend (Anthony Joseph if you stumble upon it. Poison Engine Press) called Teragaton. THis guy did poetry in bars and clubs around london and had one called "Europe is in my ass" which was dense, strage rambllings, page after page with no space break. Now that's experimental and non-commercial.

SOrry to those that thought I may have be judging those two writers (not fair to Nick Hornby...) but hoped to make a point there.

I am not trying to change the world of literature, just write enjoyable, compelling stories.

Well said James. Reading has many purposes and I, for one, want to write books that help people to relax and escape from the daily grind (Please forgive the cliche - haven't relaxed enough yet to think of anything more original)

Dee.

Yes, I totally agree with that quote too, James and Dee. And I too think Douglas Coupland is great. He may be commercially succesful, but it is possible that reading Generation X at eighteen may have changed my world a little bit, so the two aren't mutually exclusive.

At this point I could try and start a whole thing about the definition of 'commercial', but sod it, I'm in the middle of moving house and far too tired....

Catherine

<Added>

Actually, the definition of commercial is what this thread is meant to be about. I will now stop being dense and go and pack some more boxes.