Rant on Spec-fic and Promotion

[cyn]

Recently Rebecca Miller put out a challenge to her groups to spread the word about speculative fiction.

Talk is cheap. That’s actually the good news when it comes to books, because editors continue to say that “word of mouth” is the number one promotion tool.

Do readers—Christians and non-Christians alike—really want fantasy and science fiction from Christians? We know the truth about the spiritual as well as the physical. We understand the conflict between good and evil, the internal part as well as the external. We ought to care about excellence because of Who we serve. And fantasy continues to be the hottest genre in the general market.

Yes, word-of-mouth has long been held as the best promotional tool for authors. So, why hasn't it been as effective with our genre?

Blog tours are meant to spread the word amongst the readers of individual blogs. Do they? In my experience, the same people involved in the tour are the ones who comment and read the blogs. This is preaching to the choir, so to speak.

The blog tour members make up a good portion of the SF audience, however, they've already purchased or received a copy of the book.

The Double-Edged Publishing ezines have a huge audience. Yet, the books that Bill Snodgrass, et al have published are still awaiting homes. I would have expected the DEP venture to be a no-brainer: there is a large built-in audience eager to read more SF and purchase the books. Bill Snodgrass has a rant of his own on this subject and in it he makes some strong points.

It has been said that getting editors interested in Christian fiction needs to be a priority. My reaction to that is that getting readers interested ought to be the priority. Certainly getting the large publishers involved is a worthy goal. But there are already a healthy number of small independent publishers out there producing quality books.

The question is how do we reach readers? If Bill Snodgrass can't sell a good number of books, what hope do the rest of us have? I find his news very disconcerting.

Is it time to throw in the towel as an independent publisher of Christian SF? sometimes I am the one wondering if I am flushing $$ down the toilet . . . and novelist's dreams at the same time.

[Caprice]

I wonder if it is going to take a concerted effort from several fronts. Bill has one front. I think Marcher Lord Press is going to take another one. TWCP will have a third. There may be other small presses who will join the ranks. We will have to all stand together or fall apart.

If there is a "breakthrough" it will likely be where and when we least expect it and we will all sit here with our jaws on the floor saying, "Who woulda thunk THAT?" After that breakthrough, all fronts will benefit, but the ones who were in on the ground floor will have a huge leg up on all the latecomers, and there WILL be latecomers who want to hop on the bandwagon AFTER it's up and moving. The trick for now is to figure out how to get that bandwagon put together and get the darn thing rolling.

I'm the wrong person to ask about throwing in the towel, for obvious reasons. If you're flushing away your retirement, then that's a serious question only you and your family and the Lord can answer. I hope and pray that you don't have to face such a hard decision.

[Deb Kinnard]

I wonder if, when this breakthrough happens, it'll happen in the form of a breakthrough BOOK. Something that attracts people of all Christian-fic tastes, and bridges the subgenres in a way that buyers (and publishers) can't ignore.

Do I have it in me to write such a book? I don't think so. I write romances and I'm happy there. But trust me when I say, if God gives me the ability to write a book like that, you'll find me sitting here at the pooter, typing furiously!

[Frank Creed]

While it is possible, we appeal to such as small market share I don't know if it would change much. We may need an accompanying element to bust spec-fic out of the gates.

A personality.

An author with a mastery in a couple sub-genres/ genres who becomes popular in a genre outside of spec-fic and then decides to write sci-fi or fantasy. That person's success might be what will give the boost to the popularity and acceptability of spec-fic for the Christian subculture.

[Caprice]

I agree with Frank. We need a personality. I also think a movie deal would help. Something at least as good as Perretti's "Hangman's Curse" but hopefully with a budget and production quality more akin to Disney's Narnia. Come to think of it, Narnia *IS* Christian spec-fic. And it is wildly successful. So why isn't that helping? Or is it?

[gracebridges]

Definitely a movie. Needs to be a sci-fi one though aye? That would be something closely akin to a real breakthrough just wait guys, our time must be coming...

[debkinnard]

Okay, so lemme ask this question: with the wild popularity of those so-so Pirates of the Caribbean movies (fantasy), why is the Christian industry only capable of producing movies made from Janette Oke novels? "Love's Reckless Rash" or something similar. Pah. I envision Christian fantasy writers banging their fists on metal desks and screaming, "But there IS a market!"

[cyn]

Apr 21, 2008 20:16:40 GMT -5 debkinnard said:

"Love's Reckless Rash"

Hey, that's one of my favourite movies!

LOL at your title.

Frank Creed's favourite living author is MaryLu Tyndall -- who happens to write Pirate adventure/ romance novels, heavy on the adventure; marketed as romance. These would make perfect movies. However, in order to do them right, they would cost a lot of money.

Frank's novel Flashpoint would also make a good movie, but same thing: expensive to produce. Compare the settings: high tech cyberpunk in Chicago and horse-drawn buggies on the open prairie.

[Sue Dent]

There won't be a break through book. They won't see it when it comes or they'll ignore it because it's going to come from "outside" what they consider inside. For instance . . . I did not know who the CBA was when I became published. All of the sudden CBA readers are coming to me and saying "thanks" and "oh, we're so glad you stepped up to the plate to write a Christian vampire/werewolf novel. Good work! Way to go!"

What are the Christian(CBA) publishers saying? Well, I'll tell you, "we can't wait for that breath through novel."

And so it goes.

The readers pulled me over but I'm not CBA or ECPA published so and that's what the overall majority of Christians have been led to believe is "Christian."

Put your seatbelts on. It's gonna be a long ride.

[Frank Creed]

Free market I say!
There's too much pent-up energy & talent behind the dam in a waning bookstore market looking for a hot niche. It seems to be flowing around CBA stores rather than through them. You never know. I did just have a potential-reader say she looked and couldn't find my books. That is frustrating.

Faith,
f

[karinafabian]

I'm working it on the Catholic side.

When I edited Infinite Space, Infinite God, the president of a major Catholic publisher loved it, but could not get his company to buy off and sci-fi. I took it to a secular publisher and it's making a literary splash, anyway. I've also kept in touch with the other publisher.

Now I have a Catholic novel that's SF, and I've approached him again with a "Think we could try this?" e-mail. He's willing to pitch it. Now it's my job to make this palatable to their audience while keeping true to the genre.

I won't presume to know God's plans by saying He's pushing me this way, but I do know these opportunities opened up and I've tried to make the most of them. Talking to people, giving that nudge, being willing to go with a secular publisher and push your works, and keeping in contact with others in the field. That may be as much the recipe for success as a single personality or blockbuster.

However, I'm glad to option the movie rights to Discovery, mind you...