To Market, To Market . . .

So, characters appeared in your head and teased at you. Poked you. Prodded you. A story began to form as you contemplated the plot. Next thing you know, you've created 90,000 words (or will soon), and typed "The End" and it's time to take it to the market.

Now, the publishing market -- agents and acquisitions editors -- is probably not unlike an old-fashioned marketplace. You have goods to sell. They need to acquire like goods. But they have customers who like their bread baked with a certain airiness -- flaky, but not falling apart. Publishers have readers who are interested in certain books. Today, it appears those are Erotica, erotica, erotica, some paranormal and chick-lit, and history that's barely history with a light romp. Does that about cover it?

Here's the problem for me. I've recently discovered what my voice is, and it isn't any of the above. I'm a cornball. I write corny, sweet, old-fashioned type stories. And I like writing them. I was born out of time. *sigh*. Also, my historical is not a light romp. It's heavy -- both on history and tone. I'm trying to weave the history in, so it's not like a textbook, but much of the plot revolves around historical stuff, so it can't be avoided.

I discussed my marketplace problem with my husband last night. Nobody likes the kind of bread I bake. His response was not to write for money or sales, but write because I have a story to tell. Write that story and if nobody but us ever sees it, so be it. Bless him. I agree.

So, I'll be baking fruitcake today knowing that you'll all toss it in the garbage upon receipt, even though I put a pretty red ribbon on it.

What will you bake? Will you have a care for the market when you do so?