So mermaids are supposed to be the next YA trend creature, right? Just wondering who else is submitting mermaid related works to YA agents now.
I'm querying mine.
I'm querying mine.
Who's Querying A YA Mermaid Book?
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I'm not writing one or querying one, I just wanted to chime in that YES there are a lot of mermaids in YA all the sudden. YOWZA. I was hoping dragons would get a new surge, but FIRELIGHT is the only dragon book I've seen lately.
*ahem* Anyway... sorry to interject with an irrelevant mythical creature.
*ahem* Anyway... sorry to interject with an irrelevant mythical creature.
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I just started querying mine.
And yes, it does seem like all the sudden there are tons of mermaid books. Maybe it's just that I notice them now. *shrug*
It's funny because when I first started to work on mine, I thought it was kind of a long shot, but I've always loved mermaid stories, so I decided to just go for it. Now mermaids seem to be all the rage. It does make me worry a bit. I wonder how far the trend can go. I suddenly see all these mermaid books coming out, and I wonder if I've already missed the boat.
Ah well. Only one way to find out.
Good luck to you, rifferaff!
And yes, it does seem like all the sudden there are tons of mermaid books. Maybe it's just that I notice them now. *shrug*
It's funny because when I first started to work on mine, I thought it was kind of a long shot, but I've always loved mermaid stories, so I decided to just go for it. Now mermaids seem to be all the rage. It does make me worry a bit. I wonder how far the trend can go. I suddenly see all these mermaid books coming out, and I wonder if I've already missed the boat.
Ah well. Only one way to find out.
Good luck to you, rifferaff!
Vampires, werewolves, zombies, angels, mermaids... All part of the "What fantasy creature can we trend with next?" game. Following some agents on twitter clues you into what they're seeing too much of, so I knew mermaids were coming.
But there's nothing wrong with writing your own book with these trends, as long as you're not doing it to meet a trend. Just know that when you query, you're competing with all the other people who wrote mermaid books recently.
But there's nothing wrong with writing your own book with these trends, as long as you're not doing it to meet a trend. Just know that when you query, you're competing with all the other people who wrote mermaid books recently.
I haven't seen that many...I think they are slowly coming out though, so it's definitely a new trend. Fantasy creatures are always being recycled. If you have a good story, that's the main thing...and I doubt mermaids are losing interest quite yet. It'll still take a bit for that, so I wouldn't worry.
But no, I'm not writing anything to do with mermaids. I find I don't write fantasy well, though I do read some of it.
But no, I'm not writing anything to do with mermaids. I find I don't write fantasy well, though I do read some of it.
I'm just wondering where all the mermaid books are coming from. There don't seem to be alot of AW formum members writing them.
Aside from Ginger Clark, who rejected my partial, I don't see agents specifically requesting them.
Aside from Ginger Clark, who rejected my partial, I don't see agents specifically requesting them.
There are at least three YA AWers I can think of who are doing mermaid books (in different points of the process)
Stephenie Meyer said she wanted to tackle mermaids, didn't she? That might account for some of the talk about them becoming a trend. Once hers is done and starts to get publicity, it will probably drive up enthusiasm for other watery works (in the same way as Twilight increased the popularity of vamp/werewolf books).
On the other hand, I think some agents are wary of 'creature' books at the moment, regardless of the type.
On the other hand, I think some agents are wary of 'creature' books at the moment, regardless of the type.
I saw quite a lot of Mermaid YA books on the shelves on a recent trip to London...but that's the only place I've come across them. I can't say I've seen them in Dublin (which is odd, because we usually have more or less the same stuff) or heard much buzz about them online.
I only know of one person from AW who's working on a mermaid book (merman book?), but then I'm not all that well connected.
I only know of one person from AW who's working on a mermaid book (merman book?), but then I'm not all that well connected.
That's true! I forgot about the Meyer mermaid book. That will have a huge effect on trends.
I also see the agents getting wary of creature books. But it seems like the common thread is that though they and editors are tiring of it, these books still sell. The buying audience isn't tired of it.
That said, my Work In Progress is a contemporary YA for this very reason.
I also see the agents getting wary of creature books. But it seems like the common thread is that though they and editors are tiring of it, these books still sell. The buying audience isn't tired of it.
That said, my Work In Progress is a contemporary YA for this very reason.
Well, I don't want to be a downer, but there are two caveats of this. One is that what editors and especially agents are seeing are books that won't come out for one or two years. So we could be seeing the first mermaid books coming out now, but they've maybe got twenty lined up in the pipeline that won't be out for a while (20 is a number I made up, no basis for it). The other thing is that the audience more or less only has what's available in stores to buy from. So if you fill up half the YA shelves at B&N with paranormal romance, of course you're going to see teens buying paranormal romance. They don't have much choice.
Those were my thoughts, too. I think the mermaid trend was a couple years ago, and now we're seeing the books. It was a natural progression from wizards/vampires/werewolves. That doesn't mean the people writing mermaid books NOW can't get a slice of the pie, but the competition's much stiffer now, and you're a little behind the trend.
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I don't think you've missed the boat, as you said you were worried about in an earlier post. I just wouldn't count on being ahead of the trend.
Stephenie Meyer mentioned the mermaid book about 1-2 years ago, just after 'the host' came out. I think she was asked would she write more vamps books and she said she wanted to write something with mermaids. I'd say that she started the trend and we're seeing the books now.
I don't think Stephenie Meyer started the trend. It's only my opinion, of course, but I think it was simply a natural progression, as I said above. There are only a certain amount popular paranormal creatures, and once the market became oversaturated with wizards (and then vampires, and then werewolves), mermaids were next on the list.
I started a mermaid novel while reading the Harry Potter series, but never finished it. It wasn't very good.
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I did notice that there were a few more authors writing mermaid books than before, and I know of two on AW who were/are writing mermaid books. I didn't think it was the trend that would take off, though. I figured dragons would. I don't mind, though, since mermaids are one of my favorite mythical creatures, and I can't wait to see how many people can write them in an original and interesting way.
I'm not querying, writing, or even think about writing a mermaid book though. They're not on my list right now. Good luck to you and Renee!
I'm not querying, writing, or even think about writing a mermaid book though. They're not on my list right now. Good luck to you and Renee!
(I have noticed that GC has been a little behind on wanting what's hot, at least this year, so if you're catching the tail end of a trend, she might be worth querying early on)
(Yeah. She also wants angel books sent to her immediately. Now, I think there's still room for those, too. But they're certainly not new anymore.)
I thought about it but didn't really 'feel' it. But I love mermaids so definitely looking forward to all these books coming out!
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Oh, missed this! I've been out of town.
I'm querying a YA romance with a merman right now. It's contemporary, and kind of literary-ish in style. I have a few partials and fulls out, so the market can't be completely dire. For what it's worth, I never would have dived (groan) into this project back in March when I started it if it weren't for GC's enthusiastic tweets, but I didn't get a request from her when I queried her. Oh well--I ended up really happy with the book, which is what matters!
I'm querying a YA romance with a merman right now. It's contemporary, and kind of literary-ish in style. I have a few partials and fulls out, so the market can't be completely dire. For what it's worth, I never would have dived (groan) into this project back in March when I started it if it weren't for GC's enthusiastic tweets, but I didn't get a request from her when I queried her. Oh well--I ended up really happy with the book, which is what matters!
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