Writing is our job

At the Fiction Agency, we are not writing for artistic expression or personal satisfaction. While this hopefully will be a part of the experience, the reason we write is that it’s our job. Like any other job, it requires that we show up on time, put our butt in our chairs, our hands on our keyboards, and hit our daily target. To this end, we break all projects into small, manageable tasks that you can work on comfortably. Word-count expectations will be kept realistic, but they are not vague and distant goals. They are requirements to be met daily. If you cannot hit your word goals, please speak to your editor as soon as possible so that everyone’s expectations can be kept in line.

We write what people want to read

Every project you work on will be part of a commercial genre fiction series. The genres we focus on are thriller, mystery, and romance. When you are asked to come up with a story, it is expected that you familiarize yourself with the conventions of the relevant genre and try your best to meet those conventions. In turn, we will endeavor to match you with a project you are excited to write.

The primary yardstick by which your work will be measured is whether you are giving the readers of your genre what they want. This means adhering to genre tropes and customs. While this may feel formulaic, and it is certainly more structured than having complete writing freedom, adhering to the structures of an established genre can be an immensely rewarding and creative exercise. We also find that it is the surest way to develop the skills necessary to succeed professionally as a fiction writer.

We write professionally

While hobbyists have the freedom to take their time and move where the muse takes them, professional writers do a number of things differently. With their editor, they must decide consciously what needs to be written, how long it needs to be, and much time it will take to write. Then they come up with a schedule and stick to it.