Need Help Going Into The Fiction & Playwriting Niche...
A short while back, I wrote how my spec script made it to the second round and scored in the top 25% in the nation .
This really motivated me to write more. Up till now, I've only been writing screenplays (already finished 3 feature length screenplays). But since most of the general public cannot read screenplay format ("what's 'FADE IN'? "What's 'EXT' and 'INSERT'?"... "Series of Shots???" :confused, I'm trying to break into the fiction market.
Now, in screenwriting, I was told what's "hot" right now (and what producers are looking for) are those stories that are based on real life. You know... "based on a true story". In internet marketing terms, that would be the "hot niche" to write on.
I think "coming of age" movies might also be making a comeback with "The Spectacular Now" (gotta go see that).
Of course, the other hot movie niches to write on are Marvel Superheroes, Boy Wizards and Vampires .
So anyway...
My question (s):
In fiction writing, you have genres romance, erotica, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, period pieces, thriller, etc... Other than possibly "erotica", are there any genre topics that are "hot" right now, that readers are looking to buy, or does it really not matter as long as you're a good writer?
My other question is this (now, I know this is an internet marketing forum, but perhaps there are some fiction/novel writers out there who can answer this): I'm thinking of branching out to other genres (the script I submitted was in the "family Christmas/drama" genre). In your opinion, is there any genres that are more difficult to write in than others? I think I heard somewhere that "period pieces" can be VERY hard to write, as they require extensive knowledge of whatever historical period you're writing in.
Finally, since I've done theatre in the past, I'm also considering going into playwriting. What I'm thinking of doing is writing a short play (hopefully in a hot genre ) and either find an inexpensive theatre space along with some actors in my local area and film the entire short play and putting the play online or find some actors online who have access to theatre space, submitting my script to them and paying them to workshop and record the play. I don't know how successful this may be, which is why I'm asking if anyone ever tried this? If so, how successful were you?
Thanks !
Cheers, Laurence.
Writer/Editor/Proofreader.