If you're an author in today's independent publishing world, and if you're an established author but not a bestselling or "noteworthy" author, and if you're a rebel at heart as far as certain parameters are concerned in the genre(s) of your choice, you realize that taking a risk really won't much matter if you're inclined to take one - or more.
"Why?" you ask. Taking a risk in the writing or production or marketing of your work probably will not draw attention to it either positively or negatively because your reach - or fan base - isn't large enough to cause you any kind of damage to sales or reputation. Of course you're working hard to expand your readership. . . . That "you" is me.
"Whatever it takes" is the mantra for many indie authors. Not necessarily for me.
Others waltzed into publishing with just the right steps, talent, approaches, and have cashed in on the market for their genre.
The individual cases each have their own accounts of what they did and how it helped them or how it did not.
For me, I want to briefly discuss the actual writing risk - that is, when you are that rebel that dares to do something a bit different with your novel. Let me give you two examples from my own books. The Famous One is written like a fictional biography and begins in the omniscient point of view but eventually morphs into third-person. It focuses on the one character's life, that of Joey Parr. My other risk was my first primarily first-person story from a male POV with all of his (Michael Jamison) narrative in italics, but it also included the third person POV in standard text. A normal complaint about using italics to that length would be the possibility of it being hard to read. I can say honestly that is not the case with Breath of Life. The italics are done well and just as easy to read as the regular font used.
In my writing world I have nothing to lose. Most novelists can't say that. Many of them are younger and full of the energy and stamina it takes to figure out a marketing scheme, willing to write what is trending/hot. Some of them have had other careers prior to writing and have the "chops" and contacts to know who to call upon for assistance. Some have a built-in audience for their work when they're ready to publish. Others know how to cultivate readers within the genre(s) they write. The writing world is made up of all different kinds of people with all different levels of success - and many diverse needs.
Personally speaking, my writing risk arrives with each new novel I publish. Will it be well received by those who do in fact love my work? Will this next one produce the desired effect I want them to experience? Will they tout it to their friends because they "loved" it?
The writing life is full of risks, but then life in general presents risks. Do we take them? Do we avoid them? Do we welcome them? What do you do about risk . . .?
Father, you lead me. I hope to always follow. You lead us into risks at times and walk through them with us. You have a plan. May I stick to it as it unfolds before me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.