So I give workshops and have sat on a couple panels on writing, editing, and publishing. Every time, I freak out and overprepare for really challenging industry questions. And every time, every single time, I get these:
I want to write. How do I start? What should I produce that'll sell?
I am so sorry to disappoint you with the same thing you've heard over and over, but it's the only freaking answer:
Write what you love. Write the book you want to read.
You know what, forget publishing at this point. Just write and write and write, and figure out what you actually enjoy while you're doing it. I know a lot of "successful" authors at this point, and just a couple of them actually make their entire living by it. Writing cannot be first and foremost a job; that's not sustainable for most people. It's too competitive, with too little payoff. Writing has to be your daily routine, it's what makes you happy. If it pays someday, awesome, but virtually all of what you're going to get out of it (even if it sells!) is just the joy of doing it. So concentrate on doing the writing that you enjoy (the only kind you're be any good at), and maybe it'll pay later.
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