The Stories That Editors Won't Buy

[ysabetwordsmith]

ozarque posted in her blog today about a partly written novel, based on the fascinating premise of a touch-dominant culture, that multiple editors have refused to buy on the premise that there is no market for it.

I've seen this pattern before. When a writer is talking to her fans, the next round of the conversation goes like this: *grumble snarl whiiiiiiiiine* "WHY won't they buy it? Stupid editors! *I* want to read it!"

Cyberfunded creativity is thus uniquely suited to instances where a writer has something, the fans want it, and editors don't think there's a market for it. Just skip 'em and sell direct. This is, in fact, how one of the biggest balls got started: "The Aphorisms of Kherishdar" had been intended for a particular market, which backed out, and the fans were so hooked from the descriptions and free samples that we convinced haikujaguar to let us buy them directly.

One of the best anthologies in my collection (out of about 3 shelves of paperbacks and another 2 of hardbacks) is Sisters in Fantasy edited by Susan Schwartz and Martin H. Greenberg. It started with the stipulation of fantasy and female protagonists, and then went on to say, "what I want you to write is the story you've needed to write and couldn't think of an appropriate market for before I contacted you." And there they are, the stories that most editors wouldn't buy -- some of the most original and thought-provoking material in my library.

This is what cyberfunded creativity is for. It lets you, the audience, buy and read what you darn well please -- anything you can talk an author into letting you buy. If there's something you've been hearing about and hankering after, and you've got some disposable income, consider going to the author and encouraging them to try cyberfunded creativity.