Vampires: Oversaturated? Economy: Unbreakable Wall?

Jack_Roberts · Mar 2, 2009

My depression leads to a desperate call for advice.
I’ve just finished a year off from submitting my only novel to Literary Agents. During that time I was part of a critique group and scrubbed the heck out of my manuscript.
Now I’m resubmitting and getting the usual rejections. We all get them but I can’t help but wonder two things and maybe this post is in the wrong place, but…
1) My novel is an upper middle grade vampire adventure story. I’ve been working on it way before Twilight was popular but now, with vampires every where, is it too late? After all this, am I forced to wait and work on other things? Did she get there first and now I’m stuck in her dust?
2) With the rough economy, do any new 1st time authors have any hope to break in? I’m trying to find an agent but no one has money to invest in 1st timers.
So am I in a stall zone now? Thoughts?

Jstwatchin · Mar 2, 2009

In regards to point 1:

Vampires were around long before Edward sparkled and will still be around after his light has burned out..

In regards to point 2:

This one may be more valid. I however would let that get me down. You don't need dozens of agents. All you need is one - irrespective of what the economy currently happens to be like. So just keep submitting...

Good luck.

kimmeunier · Mar 2, 2009

Hmmm

Speaking from a purely reader's standpoint, I might find it difficult to buy a book about vampires. I've read the twilight series and quite enjoyed it, but..., I love vampires. I wrote half a novel myself and gave up. Everyone who read it told me it needed a lot of work and maybe it did, but I should not have given up on it and neither should you. If your story is unique and well written, I think publishers might give it a whirl. People love vampires, zombies, werewolves etc. We never get sick of this stuff, but it does have to be unique. I think what I would do is concentrate on your submission letter, giving them a reason to pick it up and read. By the way, as much as I enjoyed the Twilight books, I don't think she's a great writer. She kept it interesting, but by no means was it really well written. Keep on plugging. You've worked too hard to give it up now.

windyrdg · Mar 2, 2009

Everything runs in cycles and that may work against you. As far as being a debut author, I think if you've got what excites 'em, you'll get picked up. The biggest frustration that I feel is realizing that in a time when most publishers have reduced their slots, some of those slots are going to go to celeb books. Oh, but I forgot, they have a platform. Blah!

Gillhoughly · Mar 2, 2009

Jack_Roberts said:
Now I’m resubmitting and getting the usual rejections.

Post a sample on the Share Your Work forum, the password is vista. Your crit group might have missed something.

with vampires every where, is it too late?

No. I was told 30 years ago that vampires were OVER when King came out with Salem's Lot and when Rice had her ongoing rumpy-pumpy affair with Lestat and Louis. The Toothy Ones are still selling--providing the writing is good.

With the rough economy, do any new 1st time authors have any hope to break in? I’m trying to find an agent but no one has money to invest in 1st timers.

Trust me, it is CHEAPER for a publisher to pay a low advance to a new novelist than to keep a mid-lister on the roll.

And please--use a larger font on this board. The tiny print is hard to read. Verdana set on 2 is just fine. I could be your next editor, so impress me.

Yeah, I know, I can enlarge the fonts by hitting Ctrl and +, but I don't want to 'cause I'm all crabby and tired.

Grr. Argh.

James81 · Mar 2, 2009

My personal opinion is that people should think long and hard about attempting to write Vampires (or fantasy of any kind for that matter).

It's such an oversaturated market that is absolutely INNUNDATED to the point where agents specifically spell out that they do not want to receive fantasy submissions, that you'd have to be some kind of maschist to want to try and break into that genre.

That's just my opinion, though. If you think that your writing and your story is so far beyond fantastic that you put others to shame with your golden writing skills, even then you might want to think "hmmm, should I get into this genre."

Not to be discouraging or anything like that. Just saying that you gotta be 100% serious to get into that stuff, and even then be prepared to go through a flogging to get your work sold.

Charlie Horse · Mar 2, 2009

Vampires will always make good books when written well. Vampires in YA and MG, however, seem to be the flavor of the month so yeah, that market right now is being overrun.

My only advice to you is to start writing something new. I know it seems like you've poured everything you've got into your novel and the thought of having to start all over again is daunting. But believe me, once you get your head around a new project you'll fall in love all over again. Sure you can keep submitting your completed work, but even if it does land you an agent, you'll have to have something to follow up with, so you might as well start now. The best advice I've ever gotten is you have to write to be a writer.

So keep writing.

blacbird · Mar 2, 2009

Ditto James. The problem is, simply, that vampires have been done to death. Sucked dry. Bled out.

You could blame Anne Rice.

I blame Dawno.

caw

Jack_Roberts · Mar 2, 2009

LOL
Will do on the font and the Share Your Work. Thanks!

Gillhoughly said:
Post a sample on the Share Your Work forum, the password is vista. Your crit group might have missed something.

No. I was told 30 years ago that vampires were OVER when King came out with Salem's Lot and when Rice had her ongoing rumpy-pumpy affair with Lestat and Louis. The Toothy Ones are still selling--providing the writing is good.

Trust me, it is CHEAPER for a publisher to pay a low advance to a new novelist than to keep a mid-lister on the roll.

And please--use a larger font on this board. The tiny print is hard to read. Verdana set on 2 is just fine. I could be your next editor, so impress me.

Yeah, I know, I can enlarge the fonts by hitting Ctrl and +, but I don't want to 'cause I'm all crabby and tired.

Grr. Argh.

Jack_Roberts · Mar 2, 2009

blacbird said:
Ditto James. The problem is, simply, that vampires have been done to death. Sucked dry. Bled out.

You could blame Anne Rice.

I blame Dawno.

caw

If that's true why does Barns & Noble have a vampire section?

Huh. Guess I do need to get serious on my non-vamp YA.

James81 · Mar 2, 2009

Jack_Roberts said:
If that's true why does Barns & Noble have a vampire section?

Think about what you just said for a minute. lol

A vampire....SECTION.

How many other genres do you know that have a dedicated section for just one area within it?

James81 · Mar 2, 2009

Sorry, though, I'm really not trying to discourage you. You have a finished work, which is great. Don't give up on it. I think my comments are more a general "rant" of sorts than aimed directly at you.

Feathers · Mar 2, 2009

My opinion: Yes, the vampire market is wayyy over-saturated, and yes, it's hard to get an agent at this point in time with the economy and rise in submissions and all that.

But the thing is, agents are still looking for clients, and are probably accepting about as many - or more - than they used to. If you do your research and write a good novel, and persists to do so, you ARE going to get an agent. Right? It's just a matter of time. The same goes for your vampire novel. The market is over-saturated, but they are still being bought and published. If yours is truly worthy of publication, it will get published, just a matter of time.

Maybe that's my naivety speaking or maybe it's because I haven't begun the submission process yet, and my rose-colored glasses are still intact. But my point is that a good writer is a good writer. I don't think that because the market is over-saturated, and the economy is struggling, you are doomed.

Anywho. My two cents.

-Feathers

blacbird · Mar 2, 2009

Jack_Roberts said:
If that's true why does Barns & Noble have a vampire section?

They vant to bite your neck.

caw

rugcat · Mar 2, 2009

Gillhoughly said:
Trust me, it is CHEAPER for a publisher to pay a low advance to a new novelist than to keep a mid-lister on the roll.

How about a low advance to us mid listers?

dgiharris · Mar 2, 2009

Here is my take on the "Are Vampires Overdone?" question.

I think the answer is yes and no.

Sure, Vampires have been around forever, but you can make the argument that any and all stories are overdone. There are a million elf stories, dragon stories, etc. etc. but yet we still keep writing them.

I think the real question here is: "Is YOUR Vampire story overdone?"

If you are writing the same story that has already been sold a million times, then yes, your vampire story is overdone, bled dry, and any other analogy you want to use.

BUT

If you have a unique take or spin on the Vampire genre and tell a 'different' story than what has already been told, and that story is interesting, then you have nothing to worry about (other than the usual 'someone please accept my brilliant MS' stuff)

I think as writers we sometimes get too hung up on the novelty of something. The real question IMHO is whether we have

1) Written something that is good
2) Written something that has a slight 'edge' so that it is distinguished in and of itself

I have a friend who just wrote a great Vampire story (Vampires are part of a larger world) and it is an incredible MS. In a nutshell, he brings magic to the modern era in a way that is similar to Joss Whedon. It is a great story and has enough 'edge' where it is distinguished.

anyways, good luck

my $0.02 cents

Mel...

Jack_Roberts · Mar 3, 2009

Thanks guys. Sorry to be sore. I'd like to believe mine is original. If I look at the facts (story content, mc, voice, setting) it checks out as original. I suppose I have the normal fears.
I’ll keep trying. I’ll submit to more and more agents while building on and writing my second novel that is not a vamp story.
Thanks for giving me some perspective.

James81 · Mar 3, 2009

Jack_Roberts said:
Thanks guys. Sorry to be sore. I'd like to believe mine is original. If I look at the facts (story content, mc, voice, setting) it checks out as original. I suppose I have the normal fears.
I’ll keep trying. I’ll submit to more and more agents while building on and writing my second novel that is not a vamp story.
Thanks for giving me some perspective.

Yeah, man, keep at it. To answer your original question, I figure the economy has a little bit of an affect, but my guess is that people are still looking for great writing.

Shara · Mar 3, 2009

Jack_Roberts said:
If that's true why does Barns & Noble have a vampire section?

Barnes & Noble have a vampire section??

In the UK, vampires get lumped in the 'horror' section. That's assuming the book store has a horror section...sometimes they end up in 'fantasy' (or best sellers, if the author's a household name).

I think maybe vampires are doing better in the US than the UK!

Shara

Phaeal · Mar 3, 2009

A friend of mine reads nothing but historical bodice rippers of the sort that used to put Fabio on the cover. Several times I've caught her rereading one without knowing it -- having bought exactly the same book a second time. Obviously these books are so alike that she can't tell them apart herself, but she keeps right on buying (and rebuying).

Don't underestimate the power of familiarity. Lots of people don't WANT a revolution in every book they pick up. They want the same old, same old comfort food.

If novelty were all, much genre (and lit/mainstream) fiction would never see publication.

Characters that provide readers with wish fulfilment will never go begging. Hence we'll never run out of beautiful heroines who get the perfect man and rugged adventurers who save the planet on a weekly basis. As for vampires: sleep all day, party all night, live forever? Yeah, vamps will be around as long as we are.

dawinsor · Mar 3, 2009

Every time I think vampires are done, I run into a book that does them so well, I want to read it--and I'm not a vampire fan. The books range from Kostova's The Historian to Pauley's Sucks to Be Me, both of which I believe are first novels.

So hang in there.

Having said that, I'm a big advocate of starting another book. A writer writes--and not just once.

ChaosTitan · Mar 3, 2009

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128189

Plus everything Gillhoughly said.

Claudia Gray · Mar 3, 2009

I agree with the consensus -- yeah, there are tons of vampire books out there right now, and that's mostly because people are buying them. (You see a lot of authors, agents, etc. say that they're sick of vampires, but as long as readers aren't, it doesn't matter. And they aren't.) It's harder to crack the market right now, both b/c of the economy and the difficulty in finding original ideas. But it isn't impossible.

I also suggest starting something else -- only because it's better to be looking forward and working constantly than to give in to worry.

Brindle Chase · Mar 3, 2009

A couple questions. Are your queries coming back denied or are partial/fulls being requested, then denied? It is important to note this. If you are being rejected on your query/synopsis alone, it could be that your manuscript is fine but your query needs help!

If you are getting requests for partials or fulls, then being denied, then maybe your manuscript needs help?

Vampire books sell every day and remain hyper-popular... they likely always will be. I dont think your book is having trouble because its about vampires. Hang in there, sounds like some fine tuning is needed, but dont give up hope!!

Zoombie · Mar 3, 2009

We need more vampires like this:

Vampires: Oversaturated? Economy: Unbreakable Wall?

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