Should writers study market needs before they write or does good writing sell itself?
It certainly can’t hurt to know what’s current stylistically and to know which genres are strong at any time. But really, what the market’s doing is beside the point pretty much. If you were to trying to jump on a trend, usually by the time you’ve submitted, been accepted and finally published, that trend has come and gone. Conventional wisdom says write what you love, write the book you want to read and the market will take care of itself. Does it help first-time authors to establish a relationship with a certain publisher (such as through short story submissions or other smaller pieces) before sending the Great American Novel? Publishing credentials always help a writer get the attention of an editor. They show that your work has already passed one editorial test if not more, which gives the editor advance confidence that your work may be pretty good. The vast majority of literary fiction writers begin writing and publishing short stories and a lot of genre writers begin that way too
