M.F. Gallagher
They say if you want to write a successful book, you must read heavily within your target genre.
It’s standard industry advice. But while writing my latest novel, I completely refused.
Why? Because I didn’t want the subconscious influence of existing bestsellers creeping into my own worldbuilding. My imagination works best when it functions like an alchemical cauldron—absorbing history, fairy tales, non-fiction, and diverse genres, allowing them to simmer into something truly original.
Before diving into my new project, my exposure to mainstream romantasy was minimal: Outlander, Twilight, ACOTAR, and Opal Reyne’s Duskwalker Bride series (which, I’ll admit, was a wildly fun ride that left a lasting impression!). I also tried Fifty Shades of Grey, though I ended up switching to the films because I craved more fantasy depth.
Aside from those? Total dark.
Leveraging AI for Market Research
Because I intentionally stayed away from recent releases, I ran into a hurdle when it came time to query: finding accurate comparable (“comp”) titles.
To bridge the gap, I turned to AI tools like ChatGPT—a method actually recommended by several literary agents for time-crunched writers. The AI confirmed a few of my hunches (my novel, Bartholomew: A Fairy Tale, carries a vibe reminiscent of Outlander meets Twilight set in the Fae realm) and pointed me toward current hits like Rhapsodic and Neon Gods.
Now that Book 1 is drafted, I’m finally allowing myself to dig into those reads. But as soon as I outline Book 2? The genre-reading blackout returns.
Realizing My Book Fails the “Formula”
As I researched traditional querying guidelines for modern romantasy, I uncovered a long list of strict market expectations:
- Word Count Caps: Debut titles are expected to stay under 100,000 words. (My original draft was 144,000! I managed to trim it to under 120,000, but compare that to Outlander’s massive 305,000 words—times have definitely changed.)
- Standard Meet-Cutes: Readers expect a recognizable “Meet Cute” or “Meet Ugly.” My main characters meet when a cunning fae man weaves a trap so masterful the heroine tumbles right in without realizing it. A Meet Trap, if you will.
- Strict Spice Limits: Industry guidelines often suggest roughly 2.5 explicit scenes per book. Mine has high-intensity scenes in nearly every single chapter of a 62-chapter book!
- Built-in Audiences: Traditional publishers want debut authors with pre-existing, massive social followings before signing a deal.
Reading these rules made one thing crystal clear: my book doesn’t fit the traditional mold.
“Not reading heavily in my genre meant I wrote the story purely from my own imagination—unaware that I was breaking every standard industry parameter along the way.”
The New Strategy: Serializing Bartholomew
Instead of forcing my story into a cookie-cutter shape or letting it sit in a drawer, I’m pivoting to an alternative, direct-to-reader publishing route:
- Building a Fresh Author Brand: Establishing dedicated hubs for my writing under my pen name (check out meridianandantoinette.com and mfgallagher.com, plus upcoming video content on TikTok and YouTube!).
- Serial Chapter Releases: Publishing the story chapter-by-chapter online. The opening chapters will remain free to read, while the rest sit behind a subscriber paywall.
- Reader-Driven Polishing: Releasing serially builds an engaged community, protects against pirating, and provides immediate feedback from actual romance readers. Once the serialized run finishes, I’ll take those insights, refine the manuscript, and release the complete self-published book.
Will readers ask me to cut back on the spicy scenes? We’ll find out—though many of them are essential to the plot!
Join the Experiment
This process is a giant adventure. My mind creates weird, unexpected, and unconventional stories that don’t always align with traditional tropes or word-count formulas. But they do feature deep internal conflict, unpredictable plot twists, and guaranteed “Happy For Now” or “Happy Ever After” endings that will leave you stunned.
Are you ready to come along for the ride? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
