When to Ignore Me

From the email received at Mysterious Matters, I have come to see that at least part of the blog's readership comes from unpublished but serious writers who hope to secure an agent and/or a publisher.  Some (much?) of what I write is tongue in cheek, and it occurs to me that I should set the record straight regarding some matters on which I blog in an opinionated way that should not be taken as gospel.  To wit:

I complain:  Mysteries with punning titles are stupid and annoy me.
The truth is:  These books sell.  Punning titles are very good hooks when querying agents and publishers.  When published, they signal a light, fun read--just the sort of escapism that many readers are looking for (and that publishers want to acquire, myself included).  So, when writing your queries or titling your book, don't avoid puns just because I occasionally talk about how they sometimes strike me as silly.

I complain:  Series characters get old and stale.
The truth is:  You stand a much better chance of getting an agent and a publisher if you propose not just one book, but a series and/or a series character.  A successful series is the world's best source of revenue, not only for the writer but also for the publisher--and developing writers who can keep a series (or multiple series) going is every editor's goal.  When I complain that Author X has written the same book 15 times, it may be true, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to have Author X on my list.  I do hope writers will do everything they can to not rest on their laurels, to keep their characters developing and their ideas fresh.  I am actively looking for series books, and I don't know any editor who isn't.

I complain:  I hate the present tense in narratives and would never sign a book that uses it.
The truth is:  The fact that I don't like present tense doesn't mean that other editors hate it as much as I do.  Flipping through random books in the Mystery section at B&N recently, I noticed a good number (more than I would have thought) written in present tense.  So, clearly, these books are being signed, published, and sold.  If your vision requires you to write in present tense, please do so and I wish you all the best!

I complain:  We publishers don't take enough chances.  We keep signing the same types of books over and over and flee from ideas that are truly fresh, exciting, or innovative.
The truth is:  I overstate the case.  At most houses, on most lists, there are intriguing, different books being published.  I can't say that I'm seeing them being overly successful in a lot of cases, but I do think that many of us editors do share the common goal of wanting to bring fresh new voices into print, while trying to balance the need to give readers (the all-powerful "market") what they want.  Many of the small presses are doing excellent work here, and we need your support more than ever. 

In a nutshell:  Take me, and Mysterious Matters, cum grano salis.  Do what feels right for you; listen to your agent and your editor.  As for your critique group--well, that's a different story, but let's not get into that right now....

Comments

[Lexi Revellian]

As one of those unpublished but serious writers who hopes to secure an agent and/or a publisher - thank you.

I'm away to work on my punning title.

[Jersey Jack]

Thanks for the reminder. I was beginning to some of these things personally.

[Elizabeth Spann Craig]

I wouldn't say that I was ignoring you, but I did discount some of your comments. I'd be the same way if I had to read so much of the same thing. Sort of like a movie reviewer who is tired of the Hollywood formula and wants something edgy.
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

[Thomas D. Cooke]

I am a new reader and it was refreshing to see another commenter admit that he occasionally sticks his tongue in his cheek and chuckles when he dispenses great words of wisdom to those of us who probably take ourselves way too seriously. I highly recommend large doses of irreverence. It keeps things in perspective.

[Laura DiIonno]

Coming at this strictly as a reader, I find punning titles pretty much an automatic turn-off, and generally don't give any further consideration to books that employ them. (Maybe there should be a requirement for all namers of books that they study Alexander McCall Smith's Precious Ramotswe series titles, which are on their own reason enough to buy the books.)