Writers are told to “study the market.” For freelance writers, Jenna Glatzer, editor-in-chief of AbsoluteWrite, explains it well in her book Make a Real Living As a Freelance Writer. But how do I do it if I’m writing a novel? I’ve found two answers so far:
1. A technique called “mapping.” I don’t know who came up with this method, but I’m learning how to do it in an online course conducted by author/editor Suzanne James. Mapping helps you identify the patterns common to a specific genre, such as:
- What drives the story: the situation or the character?
