Writing Trends?

[alchemyst]

Walk into any bookstore lately and you can't help but notice the number of novels available today with storylines that have a paranormal/metaphysical theme... characters with psychic abilities of some kind at least - and that's IF they not a full-fledged werewolves, or part of a family of vampires, or shapeshifters, or ...

The same seems to hold true for television in the last couple of years - you can't flip through the line up on ANY given night without finding at least one or two shows with a paranormal theme.

For those of you who have been around the writing/publishing world for a while - I'm wondering how long you think trends tend to last?

I've noticed that more than a few folks here on AW are writing this type of novel as well ... (or seem to be?) ... stories with some kind of paranormal aspect, however large or small ...

So, my question is ... given that writing a novel is a huge, time-consuming task - even when it is a 'labor of love' - for those of you whose current work includes a metaphysical/parnanormal aspect ... do you worry that this whole trend towards high-interest in the paranormal might become passè by the time it goes to an agent/editor/publication?

I'm at a point in my writing where I'm trying to decide whether a paranormal element might make the story pop - or just fizzle.

Are agents/editors/publishers still gobbling up these kinds of stories?

Has this wave already 'peaked' (or will it SOON), in your opinion?

Is this a valid worry? (I know, I know ... no crystal ball)

Thank you for ANY thoughts you might care to share on this ... am I the only one that worries about things like this?
-A

PS Just to clarify - I'm thinking less about true fantasy novels, that take place in an amazing, author-built world - and more about the novels where these extraordinary creatures with the amazing paranormal abilities, live here on earth, among us more 'regular' humans.

[lvcabbie]

Your premise is true. BUT, reviewing Agent websites, it appears that what they're most interested in is Non-fiction.
They say they'll accept fiction from new authors but they readilly admit that non-fiction is far easier to sell.

[Toothpaste]

I think it is pointless to chase trends. I think it is important to understand your genre and audience, but trends, well, like you said, it takes over a year for a work to get published and that's when it's already been sold. That doesn't include the whole, you know, writing the book in the first place. Write what you want. How many times have we seen "Such and such is dead" only to suddenly find the bestseller on the list is exactly "Such and such"?

I wrote a blog entry on the subject in case anyone is interested: Chasing Trends (http://ididntchoosethis.blogspot.com/2008/06/chasing-trends.html)

[IceCreamEmpress]

How many times have we seen "Such and such is dead" only to suddenly find the bestseller on the list is exactly "Such and such"?

A Big Name literary agent told me in 1998 that vampire novels were over for good.

:(

On the other hand, there was a real slump in vampires between then and 2003, so he wasn't totally wrong.

[alchemyst]

A Big Name literary agent told me in 1998 that vampire novels were over for good.

:(

On the other hand, there was a real slump in vampires between then and 2003, so he wasn't totally wrong.

Anne Rice was definitley a path-forger.

So, 2003 would be about when this newer craze towards all things paranormal started? Boy, did the last 5 yrs ever fly.

(I heard that 'House' is returning for its 8th season this year - EIGHT years of 'House'? Wow - time DOES fly).

Trying to remember when Ghost Whisperer premiered on TV - its the only TV show with a paranormal element that I've seen - and then I've only watched it once or twice.

Or, did Buffy the Vampire Slayer come before the Ghost Whisperer? (never watched ANY of that one).

There is almost too many paranormal-themed shows on TV, today - its hard to even name them all - and some of them market themselves as 'non-fiction'.

So, TV popularity seems to be holding, at least for THIS season ...

Now, if we only knew if agents/editors/publishers were still eager for this type of storyline - or if they're sick of seeing them ... *sigh*

-A

[Namatu]

Or, did Buffy the Vampire Slayer come before the Ghost Whisperer? (never watched ANY of that one).
Buffy came first and is a far better example, in my opinion.

Regardless of whether agents are sick of seeing paranormal, it's selling and isn't showing signs of losing steam. It's the quality of the writing and what you have to say that will catch attention.

[Paichka]

(I heard that 'House' is returning for its 8th season this year - EIGHT years of 'House'? Wow - time DOES fly).



As a rabid House fan, I can say that it's returning for its FIFTH season, not it's 8th, but yes...time flies. :)

And I agree with Namatu -- I think if it's quality writing, you've got a shot. Seems like a lot of agents are still requesting and repping Urban Fantasy, and it's definitely still selling.

[darrtwish]

In my opinion, I don't think you should really concern yourself with trends. Write the book you want to write, and if it's good enough to make it out there, then it will speak for itself. Besides, trends have to get their start somewhere, right?;)

[Gillhoughly]

Trends last just long enough for you to finish your trend-book, send it in, and have it rejected because the trend is dead, Jim.

Never write to a trend. Write what turns you on.

That's how you start a trend.

[Phaeal]

I was writing paranormal when the agents now grabbing up paranormal were in diapers, and I'll still be writing it when those same agents are in Depends. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do. ;)

[alchemyst]

As a rabid House fan, I can say that it's returning for its FIFTH season, not it's 8th, but yes...time flies. :)

And I agree with Namatu -- I think if it's quality writing, you've got a shot. Seems like a lot of agents are still requesting and repping Urban Fantasy, and it's definitely still selling.


Only five seasons? Are you sure?

I was loading dishes when I heard the advert, but could have sworn they said 8th season. Whichever it is - I like 'House' too ... that's one show I wait for (the show is a fountain of writing ideas), and I'm not generally a TV watcher. I usually read while hubby watches TV.

Yes I would imagine that it goes without saying that your writing has to be 'quality' in order to get published in ANY genre.

I didn't realize until you named it that the paranormal/metaphysical stuff HAD a genre name - so thanks for that!

'Urban Fantasy' - gotta remember that - I bought a comforter set one time that was listed as "Urban Country" ;)

Thanks again,
-A

[alchemyst]

Love this ... Good advice, thank you all ...
-A

[kuwisdelu]

Just a bunch of writers trying to recreate the sheer paranormal awesomeness that was The X-Files, and consistently failing, because it's just impossible.

Write what you want. Don't worry about trends.

[alchemyst]

I was writing paranormal when the agents now grabbing up paranormal were in diapers, and I'll still be writing it when those same agents are in Depends. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do. ;)

You GO girl ... :)
-A

[Wolvel]

If your worrying more about trends than your story whether it is paranormal or not will suffer.

That being said my finished wip is a werewolf story I first created back in 1986 as a graphic novel I drew. I did not create it to follow a trend. I wrote it because the story kept squeezing my brain until I did.

[ajkjd01]

Look, I'm currently querying a police/crime story with werewolves in it, and it's definitely an urban fantasy.

The DAY I finished the last round of rewrites (that is, the last round that I can conceivably do myself, with the help of my critique group, without further input from an agent or editor) I ran across a newsletter from Michael Stackpole, dated the year before, stating that the urban fantasy/paranormal trend was over and dead. Talk about bad timing.

I wanted to CRY. Here I'd spent years working on the damn thing, only to finish it and find that the "trend" was over. I hadn't been writing to the trend. It was a type of book I enjoyed, and the story had been knocking around in my head for two years before I wrote it, then took a year and a half to write and edit.

About that time I went to a conference, where the keynote speaker was an agent. Upon questioning by the audience as to what editors were buying, and what trends she was seeing, she responded immediately with "werewolves and humor." Half the conference turned around and looked at me.

Not too long after THAT, I went to another conference and asked a paranormal romance writer about that exact issue. She seemed shocked, like it hadn't even entered her head that it was possible, and she provided me with the name of an editor who had said she was specifically looking for urban fantasy/paranormal romance. This was just a couple of months ago.

I guess no one really knows what's going to happen in this market. I can confidently say that I would have written this book no matter what. It's on submission, the full manuscript has been requested, and I'm awaiting the decision. I've moved on to other projects while I'm waiting, and I'm happy to have written it; I'm proud of it. I don't regret writing it even if it doesn't sell. If it doesn't, then the next book will. And if that doesn't, the one AFTER it will. And etc.

If you worry about the trend, you'll distract yourself from making the STORY what IT needs to be, instead of what the market might or might not want.

[smoothseas]

Trendy today? In tomorrow's remainder piles.