Surprised no one mentioned the book "Write to Market". It's a bestseller for a reason. The principles within apply to non-fiction as well as fiction. The main gist of the book is:
Write a good book people want to read... that fulfills people's expectations with regard to plot, character, and pace. You don't need a college degree to write the next bestseller either. Just READ READ READ, as much as you write.
Read at least three recent (10 years) bestselling novels in your genre. If sci-fi, go for total immersion. Watch Star Trek. Play Mass Effect. Watch Battlestar Galactica. Read the scripts. Outline the chapters in your favorite sci-fi book. What did fans like or not like?
Study the Bestseller Lists for your genre, the Top Books. Read five '5 star' reviews found most helpful. Now read five '1 star' reviews people found most helpful. Take notes. This helps in identifying bad tropes or overused cliches or plots and characters that 'wander around in a fog' but don't go anywhere. Usually for galactic empire sci-fi type novels, there is a rogue captain, a ragtag crew, a huge ship with a cool name (Galactica), some unstoppable alien menace (Borg, Species 8472), a love interest, a rebel.
Authors who do not read in their respective genres do not succeed. Period. Full stop. They sort of bounce around for a few years and then give up. Read at least 1 hour a day.
In 2013-2015 I wrote seven bad novels in several genres but failed spectacularly because I forgot to account for reader expectations. And I did not read enough of my own genre to know what those expectations were. Movies alone will not do it. TV won't do it.
Try to avoid 'strong, independent' female captains. They do not exist.
Profit.
Write a good book people want to read... that fulfills people's expectations with regard to plot, character, and pace. You don't need a college degree to write the next bestseller either. Just READ READ READ, as much as you write.
Read at least three recent (10 years) bestselling novels in your genre. If sci-fi, go for total immersion. Watch Star Trek. Play Mass Effect. Watch Battlestar Galactica. Read the scripts. Outline the chapters in your favorite sci-fi book. What did fans like or not like?
Study the Bestseller Lists for your genre, the Top Books. Read five '5 star' reviews found most helpful. Now read five '1 star' reviews people found most helpful. Take notes. This helps in identifying bad tropes or overused cliches or plots and characters that 'wander around in a fog' but don't go anywhere. Usually for galactic empire sci-fi type novels, there is a rogue captain, a ragtag crew, a huge ship with a cool name (Galactica), some unstoppable alien menace (Borg, Species 8472), a love interest, a rebel.
Authors who do not read in their respective genres do not succeed. Period. Full stop. They sort of bounce around for a few years and then give up. Read at least 1 hour a day.
In 2013-2015 I wrote seven bad novels in several genres but failed spectacularly because I forgot to account for reader expectations. And I did not read enough of my own genre to know what those expectations were. Movies alone will not do it. TV won't do it.
Try to avoid 'strong, independent' female captains. They do not exist.
Profit.