Why Literary Agents are not to keen on Historic Fiction

That's lovely writing, firedrake - seriously.

One question though - from what's there it looks more like romance. That may just be the choice of extracts, of course; the rest may be wall-to-wall battle action. Anyway, feel free to PM me if you want to talk further.

And what sad people are we, posting at quarter to one in the morning...

Louise

Dedicated, Swordswoman. The word is dedicated.

Swordswoman said:

That's lovely writing, firedrake - seriously.

One question though - from what's there it looks more like romance. That may just be the choice of extracts, of course; the rest may be wall-to-wall battle action. Anyway, feel free to PM me if you want to talk further.

And what sad people are we, posting at quarter to one in the morning...

Louise

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Thank you. *blushes*

I've PMd you.

It's only 5.00 in the afternoon here. I'm thinking about that first margarita.

WWII

The problem is, so I've read, that some novelists anticipated the anniversary and got their novels written and to agents two and three years ago. There's a glut of WWII fiction at the moment.

On that point too, the very kind agent who critted my novel went on to say that to sell WWII, the Napoleonic wars, WWI and the French Revolution a writer must write from an unusual angle and come at the history side in an unusual way to interest an agent enough to want to represent it.

pdr said:

The problem is, so I've read, that some novelists anticipated the anniversary and got their novels written and to agents two and three years ago. There's a glut of WWII fiction at the moment.

On that point too, the very kind agent who critted my novel went on to say that to sell WWII, the Napoleonic wars, WWI and the French Revolution a writer must write from an unusual angle and come at the history side in an unusual way to interest an agent enough to want to represent it.

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bugger, bugger, bugger

pdr said:

On that point too, the very kind agent who critted my novel went on to say that to sell WWII, the Napoleonic wars, WWI and the French Revolution a writer must write from an unusual angle and come at the history side in an unusual way to interest an agent enough to want to represent it.

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That's interesting, pdr. I can totally understand why the two WWs (so many books already out there) and Napoleonic (Cornwell, Mallinson, O Brian, Alexander Kent et al) - but why French Revolution? None of the big names have snapped that up so far, have they? Well, not since Baroness Orczy...

It's different in romances too. Back last August Mills & Boon Historicals were actively asking for French Revolution - but then I guess they don't want unusual angles...

It's only 5.00 in the afternoon here. I'm thinking about that first margarita. Today 12:51 AM

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Duh! Don't know why, I had some odd idea you were in Ireland or the UK - a mental residue from that thread on Ireland, I suppose. Sorry, firedrake!

Louise

Perhaps...?

because the French Revolution means too many imitation 3 Musketeers/Scarlet Pimpernel stuff by people who haven't done their research?

pdr said:

because the French Revolution means too many imitation 3 Musketeers/Scarlet Pimpernel stuff by people who haven't done their research?

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The Three Musketeers!!!! That's sacrilege, pdr! 3 Musketeers are 1628 through to 1660s-ish, which is a little short of the French Revolution... Fortunately for me, no-one else is writing in that area at all, which is probably why I managed to sneak my own talentless foot into the door.

Fair point about Orczy though. I guess her take on the Revolution was so iconic people are tempted to go the same route without exploring the many other angles.

Louise

Ah!

you wouldn't be the writer who has actually been wounded by a sword? And mentioned it in your query letter?

And yes, I know the 3 ms were 17thC, but some people don't!

pdr said:

you wouldn't be the writer who has actually been wounded by a sword? And mentioned it in your query letter?

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Sadly not. I'm intrigued now - tell me more!

Louise

Oh, shame!

My editors and agent mentioned a superb query letter from someone who was writing 17thC 3musketeers type stuff and she had been wounded in a real sword fight somewhere exotic and used it as a selling point.

pdr said:

My editors and agent mentioned a superb query letter from someone who was writing 17thC 3musketeers type stuff and she had been wounded in a real sword fight somewhere exotic and used it as a selling point.

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*Jealous*

Never been wounded. Don't write superb query letters. Never even been somewhere exotic.

Have got publishing deal, of course, but I bet her book comes out before mine. Bet it's better. Now going to throw myself out of a high window, crying 'Bugger, bugger, bugger' in homage to firedrake.

Louise

Not that I have any industry insights whatsoever, but I wonder if part of the problem simply stems back to the recession. Given the extra length afforded to some historicals, they're going to be more expensive to print, and therefore a tougher sell to publishers. As my grandmother used to say, this too shall pass. There will always be a place for a well-written story. Sometimes it's just more difficult to find than others.

anyhow, Louise (and firedrake), step *away* from the window...

I think historical novelists are caught in a double bind --- if you chose a setting/period that is too little known/unfamiliar it can be a really hard sell (I spoke to a novelist recently who was cautioned against using medieval India for her second published novel because it was too unusual). But if you chose a setting that is too well known/familiar, there is lots of competition and once again, a hard sell. Given those things, it is probably easier to sell a familiar setting and an original story than it is to sell an exotic setting.

I think there will always be a market for WWII and French Revolution settings --- the challenge is coming up with an exciting and original twist on what has been done.

lkp said:

I think historical novelists are caught in a double bind --- if you chose a setting/period that is too little known/unfamiliar it can be a really hard sell (I spoke to a novelist recently who was cautioned against using medieval India for her second published novel because it was too unusual). But if you chose a setting that is too well known/familiar, there is lots of competition and once again, a hard sell. Given those things, it is probably easier to sell a familiar setting and an original story than it is to sell an exotic setting.

I think there will always be a market for WWII and French Revolution settings --- the challenge is coming up with an exciting and original twist on what has been done.

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I'm kinda bummed because I feel, in my heart of hearts, that my WW2 book is really not badly written but, sadly, it's nothing original. It's comfortingly familiar which, I guess, agents and publishers don't want to see.

When I've finished the contemporary WIP, I'll be going back to the Russian book and, after that, the follow-on (not a sequel, it stands alone) may pique some interest because although it's set during WW2, both MCs do less than conventional things.

Still bummed though, I love Kestrel, I poured my heart and soul into it.

firedrake said:

Still bummed though, I love Kestrel, I poured my heart and soul into it.

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Doesn't mean you won't get it published once you're an established author!

Suse said:

Doesn't mean you won't get it published once you're an established author!

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Agreed! That's the nice thing about HF --- it doesn't date.

Firedrake, is your WWII book a romance? That is, is it a love story with an HEA ending? In that case, I might query it directly to agents who take historical romance. I could go on about mythic structures and archetypes, but I'll just say that Romance is a genre where that comfortable feeling you describe is a desired trait.

lkp said:

Agreed! That's the nice thing about HF --- it doesn't date.

Firedrake, is your WWII book a romance? That is, is it a love story with an HEA ending? In that case, I might query it directly to agents who take historical romance. I could go on about mythic structures and archetypes, but I'll just say that Romance is a genre where that comfortable feeling you describe is a desired trait.

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Yup, I think so. It's borderline. I've been trying agents who represent historical romance.

Huh?

Interesting.
medieval India not wanted? Must be in America.

All things Indian are flavour of the month in the UK/Commonwealth. There are quite a few British/Commonwealth writers writing historical fiction across the Indian historical spectrum.

I don't know if there's been a plethora of Medieval Indian books, but India has been pretty popular for a while, with periods spanning from Medieval (the Miniaturist, Basu) through to Colonial and present day India/Indians. I'm thinking Hari Kunzru, Kunal Basu, Manil Suri, Aravind Adiga.

pdr said:

Interesting.
medieval India not wanted? Must be in America.

All things Indian are flavour of the month in the UK/Commonwealth. There are quite a few British/Commonwealth writers writing historical fiction across the Indian historical spectrum.

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Yeah, I think it is. While I was in London for a few months, I saw that Indian culture was much more visible there than here. Of course, there's a large population of Indians in the US, but I think Indian culture has more of a "presence" there than here. Maybe it has to do with, you know, Britain having ruled India for quite a while . . .

I just would like to say that I love historical romances. I don't write them myself, but I love to read them. Good luck!

pdr said:

Interesting.
medieval India not wanted? Must be in America.

All things Indian are flavour of the month in the UK/Commonwealth. There are quite a few British/Commonwealth writers writing historical fiction across the Indian historical spectrum.

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That's absolutely right, pdr. India was the special guest at this year's London Book Fair and there's a big scramble still on for books about it or by Indian authors.

It's possible it may be different in the US: I heard they were participating less in the international scene this year - fewer US exhibitors at both the biggies (Frankfurt and London). That's only hearsay, though, I don't have stats to back it up.

Louise

ETA - And we love you, Alpha Echo - it's people like you who give us hope!

pdr said:

Interesting.
medieval India not wanted? Must be in America.

All things Indian are flavour of the month in the UK/Commonwealth. There are quite a few British/Commonwealth writers writing historical fiction across the Indian historical spectrum.

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Makes sense. The UK's had a lot more exposure to/interaction with Indian culture, going back to the days of empire. Even in somewhere like Vancouver, the ready availability of (really good) Indian cuisine is a stark contrast to most of the U.S.

In America, we don't study India. At all. I had to read the Bhagavad Gita once, and learned in a Greek History course that Alexander got all the way to India in his conquests. And...that's it.

lkp said:

Given those things, it is probably easier to sell a familiar setting and an original story than it is to sell an exotic setting.

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Well then, I'm in for a long, hard road then with Meiji-era (1890s)Japan