These days, everyone is defining themselves: politically, socially, occupationally, sexually, geographically and probably several other ways no one else would consider definitionally. An author is defined, mostly self-defined, by his/her/their/etc. genre, and that's doubly important for a new author because that's how the industry (agents, publishers, editors, bookstores) evaluates whether to invite you to be a member of their club. And that's a problem for me. This is (somewhat) how my attempts at finding a literary agent went:
LA: "So what kind of book is this?"
Me: "Well, it's about the military."
LA: "Great. Not a large audience, but an avid one. There are dozens, or hundreds, of books about every war, battle, skirmish, raid and siege since time immemorial and the readers just keep buying them up. Usually, to see if you found out something new but sometimes just so they can tell you how wrong you are."
Me: "Actually, it's fiction."
LA: "Even better. So where does it lie on the Tom Clancy to Mack Bolan scale?"
Me: "I don't think I'm on that scale. Most of the book is, after a part about Afghanistan and retiring from the military, about procuring military systems. Nobody dies. And most of it is real, and I even snuck some auto-biographical stuff in there. And besides, it's funny."
LA: "Get out of here." Or something like that. Actually, I don't know what he, she, it, they, them might have said; I'm still waiting for all the responses. But I think I'm pretty close.
Look at what's selling in bookstores. There's the politician, celebrity, royalty collection; there's the something is wrong with me/something is wrong with you and I'm going to tell you all about my problems/I'm going to fix all your problems collection; and then there's the collection with all the salacious covers featuring ripped bodices with heaving bosoms or cowboys without shirts whose skin is glistening in the sun. No mostly true, funny but not bloody military fiction collection.
Live and learn. If I ever write another book, there will be torn underwear and sweaty cowboys on every page.
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