That's probably why services are in far more demand than components in the writing market. When you look at the writing hobbyist "market" of fanfic (though money seldom changes hands, you can see approval and appreciation as a sort of currency here), components like ideas or parts of plot are abundant and are "free." In fact it's usually considered a favor to put labor into someone else's component and make it a finished product, such as writing a fic based on their preferred pairing. Services like fan art and beta-reading are sought out, and the artist or beta-reader is the one who gives the favor.
All this is not to say plot can't be sold. In fact I can see it working well, as long as you understand the nature of the product and the market. Pre-written plot could, for instance, be part of educational material on writing fiction. Working with preexisting plot could be an excellent way to learn about the writing process and how the different parts of story interact with each other. This would work especially well as part of a curriculum, offered together with teaching services. In fact part of the point of the exercise might be turning out completely different stories starting from the same plot, and learning the nature of creativity and individual voice in the process.
Another application might be for writers (including hobbyists) who are in a rut and want to try something different. Again, this would work best in conjunction with services, where the seller might provide consultation and guidance. I doubt the consultation would stop with plot, though, because of the interactive aspect I talked about above. Ultimately I think the service rendered would turn out to be editing services.
In short I can see this idea working if it's paired with a value-added service, given the nature of the product. I don't know how far you plan to run with this, but in the meantime thank you for giving me an opportunity to think through this issue. :)
no subject
That's probably why services are in far more demand than components in the writing market. When you look at the writing hobbyist "market" of fanfic (though money seldom changes hands, you can see approval and appreciation as a sort of currency here), components like ideas or parts of plot are abundant and are "free." In fact it's usually considered a favor to put labor into someone else's component and make it a finished product, such as writing a fic based on their preferred pairing. Services like fan art and beta-reading are sought out, and the artist or beta-reader is the one who gives the favor.
All this is not to say plot can't be sold. In fact I can see it working well, as long as you understand the nature of the product and the market. Pre-written plot could, for instance, be part of educational material on writing fiction. Working with preexisting plot could be an excellent way to learn about the writing process and how the different parts of story interact with each other. This would work especially well as part of a curriculum, offered together with teaching services. In fact part of the point of the exercise might be turning out completely different stories starting from the same plot, and learning the nature of creativity and individual voice in the process.
Another application might be for writers (including hobbyists) who are in a rut and want to try something different. Again, this would work best in conjunction with services, where the seller might provide consultation and guidance. I doubt the consultation would stop with plot, though, because of the interactive aspect I talked about above. Ultimately I think the service rendered would turn out to be editing services.
In short I can see this idea working if it's paired with a value-added service, given the nature of the product. I don't know how far you plan to run with this, but in the meantime thank you for giving me an opportunity to think through this issue. :)