Questions and input on shapeshifter books

[Koda]

Hello all, I hope everyone is having a great week and some good reads! :) I was looking for some people's opinions on some questions, I do apologize if you are seeing this on more than one group you are in as I am trying to get various thoughts and opinions on this.

From what I have seen, most books that are about or even vaguely consisting of shapeshifters seem like there is only one or two types at a time. On top of that, they seem to typically consist of wolves, bears, lions, dragons, maybe the occasional tiger... Are there any books with all types of animal shifters or do they mainly focus on one type?

Is there any interest in an actual world of animal shapeshifters? Or do readers want more magical beings as well such as vampires, witches, and other mythical type beings and beasts?

Do readers tend to prefer a longer book or a series of shorter installments? I suppose the better question to ask would be Do readers feel more comfortable purchasing a book from a first time author if it is offered in shorter installments (therefore giving a cheaper price to "try" them out)? Or do readers prefer to just buy one larger book?

Thank you for your time and input. Any opinions you share are most appreciated!

[E. C.]

Hi!

So, I'm a big fan of shapeshifters, so I'll throw my opinion out there.

I think as far as only having one or two different types of shifters goes, it's easier for the reader to follow when there are fewer types. It allows for a more specific, centered story instead of having additional types of animals which then have different reactions or rules. Like, wolves are pack animals and so are lions, but cougars aren't really, and while coyotes *can* be, they are more scavengers and only work together occasionally to take down bigger predators. That's all really important, because that gives your shifter credibility, but you have to explain that these animals are different from each other instead of just lumping them all together in a single category. It's not that it can't be done, or even that people would necessarily have a problem with it, but it's easier for both reader and writer when there's only one or two types. (I have seen a few that have just multiple animals in them, and honestly, I'm not a *huge* fan, though is the first book in a series that does really well with it.)

I think also that adding in other magical creatures is a draw for some people and a turn off for others. The key is, don't do it *too* much like everything else that's out there. People like what they like, so a lot of the time they'll go after similar books, but they don't want to read *the same book* in different formats over and over again. So if you have something really clever, go ahead and bring in other creatures, but if they're just thrown in there as an afterthought, you should consider just sticking with shifters. I never like reading about a werewolf story that mentions how there are vampires and witches, too, but then we never see them and they might as well not be there at all. What's the point?

And for length, it might be a good idea to start with a shorter story, but only if you're going to use it more like a promotion. Do it for free as an ebook or do it for $0.99. So cheap that the reader isn't upset that it's such a short book and if it's good, they'll go after the rest of your books. However, if you've got your story planned out and it's meant to be a long one, just write it that way. Yes, it's a risk as a new author, but it'll probably be better received in it's entirety instead of feeding readers little clips of the book, which can get annoying for the reader. If you're going through an actual publishing house (as opposed to self publishing), I'd do a longer book for sure. It's okay to break it up as a series, but keep in mind that the minimum word count for a book is about 50,000 words. Anything below that and you're writing a novella, which is a really short book.

I guess in the end, don't worry so much about what your readers are looking for. Yes, you should know your audience and it's a good idea to get a feel for what people are reading, but if you're writing a book to make lots of money, you're going to be disappointed. So make sure you're writing for yourself, not for the reader, because the reader's tastes and cravings shift depending on what they've read recently. So go with your gut and write what *you* want to write.

Maybe that's all just my opinion, but I thought I'd throw it out there. :)

[Alexis]

I'm an animal lover, big cats especially, so I'm happy with shifters in that respect.

I prefer books that are 400+ pages. Smaller ones are fine unless they're infrequent in regards to series.