POV Issues relating to marketability

SerenaAkeroyd · May 1, 2015

Hi Guys
I'm having serious issues with POV and tense.
I know we're supposed to write whatever flows, but tbh, I have so many ideas and plots, that in that sense, I definitely write what does flow. HOWEVER, for me, I've just stopped self-publishing and have finally got a few books published. I want to carry on in that vein. My current publisher doesn't accept menage erotica in first POV. But they do accept it for M/F erotic romance. However, they put a disclaimer, warning readers that it's in 1st person POV.
Is that warning enough to make me back away from writing in the 1st POV? I don't know. When I write like that, somehow, it feels different and I like it more. I'm more connected as a writer. But, for my own tastes, I don't appreciate reading that particular style. Strange much? I know.
Basically, this is just querying whether or not I'm wasting my time writing in the 1st POV when it feels like publishers aren't all that keen on it.
I've just shot off a manuscript in 1st POV and in the present tense. I'm going to see what feedback I get, and if it's a big, fat no, then I'm going to self-pub the book.
I know some major books have been written in the 1st POV, but from a publisher's viewpoint, what feels like the unwritten rule?
Thanks so much!

Clairels · May 1, 2015

SerenaAkeroyd said:
Hi Guys
I'm having serious issues with POV and tense.
I know we're supposed to write whatever flows, but tbh, I have so many ideas and plots, that in that sense, I definitely write what does flow. HOWEVER, for me, I've just stopped self-publishing and have finally got a few books published. I want to carry on in that vein. My current publisher doesn't accept menage erotica in first POV. But they do accept it for M/F erotic romance. However, they put a disclaimer, warning readers that it's in 1st person POV.
Is that warning enough to make me back away from writing in the 1st POV? I don't know. When I write like that, somehow, it feels different and I like it more. I'm more connected as a writer. But, for my own tastes, I don't appreciate reading that particular style. Strange much? I know.
Basically, this is just querying whether or not I'm wasting my time writing in the 1st POV when it feels like publishers aren't all that keen on it.
I've just shot off a manuscript in 1st POV and in the present tense. I'm going to see what feedback I get, and if it's a big, fat no, then I'm going to self-pub the book.
I know some major books have been written in the 1st POV, but from a publisher's viewpoint, what feels like the unwritten rule?
Thanks so much!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but would this question be better suited to the erotica-specific forum? It sounds like this question relates specifically to erotica, of which I have little knowledge.

However, I ghostwrite romance, and I know that I rarely read anything in that genre in first person, I don't write it, and none of my clients have asked for it.

However, if your publisher accepts first person and you want to write in first person, then why not go for it?

I think the bottom line is this (and this sounds unhelpful, I know): Write in whatever POV feels most comfortable to you, and whatever feels like it fits your character's voice best.

amergina · May 1, 2015

SerenaAkeroyd said:
Hi Guys
I'm having serious issues with POV and tense.
I know we're supposed to write whatever flows, but tbh, I have so many ideas and plots, that in that sense, I definitely write what does flow. HOWEVER, for me, I've just stopped self-publishing and have finally got a few books published. I want to carry on in that vein. My current publisher doesn't accept menage erotica in first POV. But they do accept it for M/F erotic romance. However, they put a disclaimer, warning readers that it's in 1st person POV.

Is that warning enough to make me back away from writing in the 1st POV? I don't know. When I write like that, somehow, it feels different and I like it more. I'm more connected as a writer. But, for my own tastes, I don't appreciate reading that particular style. Strange much? I know.

Basically, this is just querying whether or not I'm wasting my time writing in the 1st POV when it feels like publishers aren't all that keen on it.

I've just shot off a manuscript in 1st POV and in the present tense. I'm going to see what feedback I get, and if it's a big, fat no, then I'm going to self-pub the book.

I know some major books have been written in the 1st POV, but from a publisher's viewpoint, what feels like the unwritten rule?
Thanks so much!

Some publishers don't like first person POV. Your current publisher (going by your book cover) is one of those that doesn't.

Other publishers don't mind it at all. For example, I've read an m/m/m menage from Samhain written from three different first person POVs. I've written a m/m short story for Riptide from one first person POV.

So I guess it depends on whether you want to publish it through your current publisher or another.

Some readers really like first person. Some don't. But some readers don't like third and some do, so... choose the best POV for your book and the publisher you're aiming for.

SerenaAkeroyd · May 2, 2015

Thanks for your input, guys.
No, actually, this isn't erotica-specific. I'm looking to morph into books with elements of dark romance in them. Not necessarily romantic suspense, but a kind of weird mixture.
I want to appeal to the more traditional publishers. Like one of the Berkeley lines. To do that, I know I need an agent, but I don't want to waste my time writing in a POV that they'll just blackball before I start.
Maybe I'm answering my own questions here. I guess I want a definite no or yes lol.
As it is, I am really comfortable writing in 1st POV, but I am with the 3rd too.
Yesterday, I did an experiment. I wrote the prologue to my story in both and made my mum read them and tell me which she prefers. She's brutally honest most of the time, but in this, she said she liked both! Some help, lol. I'll have to do it with a few more friends, I think.
I can't help but notice that the 1st person POVs tend to be self-pubbed work. Not sure if that's a blanket statement or not.

SerenaAkeroyd · May 2, 2015

I wish publishers were more informative with this.
My current publisher doesn't have anything about POV on their submission Dos or Don'ts. And I haven't seen it on other guidelines either.
Grr

amergina · May 2, 2015

Pretty sure Berkley (and other big-5 publishers) have very little issue with first person. Few publishers do.

They want kick-ass books they can sell.

Clairels · May 2, 2015

SerenaAkeroyd said:
Thanks for your input, guys.
No, actually, this isn't erotica-specific. I'm looking to morph into books with elements of dark romance in them. Not necessarily romantic suspense, but a kind of weird mixture.
I want to appeal to the more traditional publishers. Like one of the Berkeley lines. To do that, I know I need an agent, but I don't want to waste my time writing in a POV that they'll just blackball before I start.
Maybe I'm answering my own questions here. I guess I want a definite no or yes lol.
As it is, I am really comfortable writing in 1st POV, but I am with the 3rd too.
Yesterday, I did an experiment. I wrote the prologue to my story in both and made my mum read them and tell me which she prefers. She's brutally honest most of the time, but in this, she said she liked both! Some help, lol. I'll have to do it with a few more friends, I think.
I can't help but notice that the 1st person POVs tend to be self-pubbed work. Not sure if that's a blanket statement or not.

Okay, this information changes my answer a little. Given that you're planning on writing romance and going for a mainstream publisher/agent, and you're comfortable writing in either POV? Err on the side of writing in third unless you feel there's an absolutely compelling reason the story HAS to be told in first.

Not saying there aren't wonderful romances that are/could be written in first person. I just don't tend to come across them very much.

SerenaAkeroyd · May 3, 2015

Cheers, guys.
Conflicting advice, but I figured it would be like that. I reckon I'll stick to the mainstream, and hopefully, if a publisher bites, then maybe if I threw in a first person proposal, they might take the bait.

Thanks, seriously, for your input. You've made up my mind that it's not a lost, hopeless POV but I just need to wait a while.
Cheers again x

Old Hack · May 3, 2015

As amergina says, big publishers want great books which will sell. If you've written one, and it's in first person POV, they will not reject it because of its POV.

This can change when you consider specific genres. Some genres have very strong conventions, and will not shift from them. So if you're considering writing romance, you need to read a lot of romance, and read a lot of romance from the publishers you hope to work with. Realise that Imprint A is just one of the many imprints a good agent will work with; and that a romance which doesn't conform to the usual conventions might actually fit better into a different genre, so there might be no need to restrict yourself too tightly.

I realise I've just given you all sorts of conflicting advice. But the thing about publishing is it's flexible on everything but the "write a great book" thing. Good luck.

gingerwoman · May 6, 2015

I know Siren has a strict rule about no first person menage. But my publisher Samhain has published first person menage.

There is a strong anti first person POV crowd of romance readers that are very vocal, but then FSOG is in 1st person POV. So I don't think major publishers are going to turn down your book right off the bat purely because of POV.

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