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[quote=Anonymous]I'm an author with published books (traditional publisher).

Here are a few thoughts.

1. "Bestsellers" is a very broad category. You will do well to read critically, sort of like you did with Weir. Except I would try to think of it as identifying a book's strengths and weaknesses and not just like/dislike. So, characters are a weakness of Weir, that's valid. Strength: His hooks are amazing and make people say "I want to read THAT!" (Also, fwiw, the simpler characters likely help him achieve a faster pace and allow him to put more energy into the plot.) What are your strengths and weaknesses as a writer?

2. Similar to above, do you have a trustworthy critique partner or two? What do they see as your strengths and weaknesses? You may come up with some things you want to work on, like--do you need hooks that are more high concept? Do you need higher stakes? How's your pacing? etc. (See how this is so much more informative already than saying you like/dislike a book.)

3. Truly, this sounds like it might be somewhat of an agent problem. I'm sorry she dropped you, that sucks. It doesn't necessarily mean that your books are bad. It means that she doesn't know how to sell them and/or match them up with the right editor/publisher. Sadly, since they've been shopped around you're going to need to query with a new manuscript. But happily, hopefully that new ms will be so much stronger and address some of the weaknesses you identified in 1-2. (if your agent at any point gave helpful, specific input then I'd consider it along with the list you make from 1-2, but otherwise: disregard.)

4. It is almost never effective to have a broad goal when you're writing, e.g., I want to write a bestseller. The key for writing well is specificity. Kind of counterintuitively, specificity is what will make your writing resonate with others.

5. Some comments have alluded to this already but in publishing it is 100% true that there is an element of randomness to what becomes a bestseller and what doesn't. Not infrequently, publishers spent $$$$ on books that tank. Books with tiny advances becomes huge sellers. If they knew the formula, they'd use it.

6. Publishers actually aren't looking for every book to be a bestseller. Publishers make their money back well before a book "earns out" its advance. I guess I'm throwing this in there for general information, but it also makes me apprehensive to feel your "swing for the fences" energy. Again, specificity is your friend.

There are so many ups and downs with writing. You aren't the first writer to go on sub with 3, you aren't the first writer to be dropped by an agent. But hopefully you will be a writer who keeps going. Best of luck to you.[/quote]

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