Some statistics from the blog of literary agent Rachelle Gardner (as of 19 April):
72 percent of writers who voted in her blog poll are unpublished. (Total number of votes: 1125)
27 percent of voters write fantasy or science fiction – the majority out of all genres listed, leading the next category, general/other by 6 percent. (Total number of votes: 997)
The poll runs till the 22nd, give or take time zones, and there’s probably some demographic bias involved which isn’t shown. But a bit of number-crunching, using the current figures, produces the unhappy percentage that one-fifth of all writers, published or unpublished, write fantasy or science fiction. Factor in the likelihood that people reading an agent’s blog are serious about their craft, and that’s one-fifth of all serious writers focusing their time and energy on fantasy and science fiction. Never mind the pragmatic shelves of Singapore bookstores, which consign sf/f to one lonely bottom row and splash self-help books or NYT bestsellers over the displays instead. There are a lot of people out there writing in this genre and hoping to get published in it.
All that equals one word: COMPETITION.
It’s not good news for those of us who pursue the speculative fiction route. It means we need that much more skill, that much more persistence, that much more sheer luck to so much as get a toehold in the publishing arena. And when it comes to standing out above, or even a little apart, from the rest – well, good luck.
I can’t say what makes a good sf/f writer. I can’t even say what makes a good sf/f read. In fact, I don’t have much say in this arena at all, because while I’ve spent years scribbling, scrawling and scrivening, the only things I’ve gotten published so far are the ones that pay the bills, and here in sunny Singapore none of that is fiction.
(The one time I had a story accepted by Expanded Horizons, I couldn’t bear to cash the cheque.)
I do know how business goes, however. And the numbers I see are not good business for anyone except the publishers, who have the option of picking, choosing and dictating their terms. Even the work of sifting the gold from the dross is done for them by the agents.
Why the heck am I still writing? I ought to go join a publisher!
Oh, wait. I started writing full-time because I left a publisher.
Never mind.
I must say that it’s tough for the publishers as well. They take all the risks and dump so much money into publishing a book that may or may not do well in the market. Which is why Singaporean publishers tend to go the tried-and-tested route, there just isn’t enough incentive for them to put their faith in writers who have yet to prove themselves marketable and bankable. All the art initiatives by the government don’t really go into the realm of fiction writing, regardless of the genre.
Back to the government eh? Then again, there’s no one factor that can be solely blamed. I’ve read essays pointing out how computers and the Internet have made it so much easier for people to write, or how the modern ego has people believing that their every word is a pearl of great price (modern? I have a feeling ego down the ages has been much the same.) I guess we could go in circles trying to pinpoint why the competition is so steep and get nowhere.
Being a pragmatic arse though, I tend to say: OK, we have this problem, let’s deal with it first and talk about it later. Hah, I ought to join MIB. Or whatever that organization is which has the motto “shoot first, ask questions later”.
I like your story “The Wedding Runner”, Mint.
That being said, I think you are right in saying that speculative fiction/sff is competitive. And it’s a long hard road for most of us, because we have dayjobs or have other obligations. I am at the dayjob because it pays my bills. Writing, however, has become a “hobby” – becoming a full-time writer is a pipe-dream (or long-term goal).
At the meantime, I will keep writing though. My WIPs are all clamouring for my attention. Not to mention my essays…