What's the market for HF?

Helix · Feb 10, 2017

Templar's Creed said:
Just to ask publishers, but would you publish novels set in the following:

- Sengoku Japan
- Medieval France
- Ancient Sumeria
- Vedic India
- Ancient India
- Etc.

Why is it that we're often restrained to just English medieval novels all the time? I, as a reader am often bored with Saxons, English stuff.

I want something more exotic than this. I hear there's no markets for this kind of thing?

What do you think?

I think that you're craving diverse settings, but are writing about the Knights Templar. They must be second only to the Knights of the Round Table as an inspiration for chivalric fiction. Why not lead the...er...charge and write what you want to read?

Curlz · Feb 10, 2017

aruna said:
It seems to me that readers are more happy to accept a novel set in a completely made up fantasy world, than in a realistic historical world they are not familiar with.

Just like a story about your uncle Joe is much more interesting than a story about somebody else's uncle who did the same thing. The people who laugh at "Remember that time when uncle Joe ran after the bus and his hair was flying wildly in the wind, ho ho ho" find it interesting and worth repeating because they know uncle Joe. Same with historical novels, people prefer to know more about things that feel familiar. Could "Girl with a Pearl Earring" be just as popular if it was about an unknown Japanese painter?

As for the availability of novels set in unusual places - well, mostly they are more difficult to write because there is not so much readily available historical material about ancient Sumeria as there is about the Napoleonic wars. And if your details are going to be made up, then the setting doesn't really matter that much for the reasons in the previous paragraph. On the other hand, if your novel can show really intriguing little details about an unknown historical setting, then that will be widely popular ("Shogun" for example).

aruna · Feb 10, 2017

Curlz said:
Just like a story about your uncle Joe is much more interesting than a story about somebody else's uncle who did the same thing. The people who laugh at "Remember that time when uncle Joe ran after the bus and his hair was flying wildly in the wind, ho ho ho" find it interesting and worth repeating because they know uncle Joe. Same with historical novels, people prefer to know more about things that feel familiar. Could "Girl with a Pearl Earring" be just as popular if it was about an unknown Japanese painter?

.

Yes ... I agree with you. I think it takes a lot more than just writing a good story; publishers are wary of new and unfamiliar locations, no matter how well written. That's actually been the motivation for me to simply up my game, again and again.

I would actually love to write (or read) a novel set in India's Vedic times but the best I can do is what I've done, a rewrite of the Mahabharata, called Sons of Gods. I think it would take a lot of guts and historical expertise to write such a novel, and not many people could do it.

Templar's Creed · Feb 10, 2017

Interesting replies. But I will respectfully hold onto my own opinion about different time periods and stuff. I'm not sure what HF publishers want except the English historical ground or the US American Revolution. I fully agree with Aruna's points a lot, and that's the problem really. South Amercia - nah. It is compromise or something else. But then it does depend on who your publisher is however. Some might be willing, some might not.

Wishing you the best of luck with your writing career Aruna! And nice to see a novel on Ancient India!

The fantasy market is way better as Roxxsmom says. There at least there is a growing demand for more diverse cultures and you can represent them no problem.

Or the more logical approach, if I did it, would be to write 5 Roman novels. Rome is still a neglected market, because many periods, The Roman-Parthian Wars, the Roman-Marcommani Wars even have not been covered. Then maybe write two novels on Ancient Greece, one on 18th century Spain. After that then write whatever the heck I want to write once the books have gained sales.

Ancient Rome can be done pretty much without no problems. That's not going to leave.

Anyway I might as well go to the drawing board and see what ideas work.

Old Hack · Feb 10, 2017

aruna said:
publishers are wary of new and unfamiliar locations, no matter how well written.

I'm going to differ with you here, aruna. I've spoken with editors, agents, who want the sorts of novels you describe. They are out there.

Templar's Creed said:
Or the more logical approach, if I did it, would be to write 5 Roman novels. Rome is still a neglected market, because many periods, The Roman-Parthian Wars, the Roman-Marcommani Wars even have not been covered. Then maybe write two novels on Ancient Greece, one on 18th century Spain. After that then write whatever the heck I want to write once the books have gained sales.

If you're interested in novels set in ancient Rome, look up Alison Morton. She's done very well with her series. I think Inceptio is the first one.

Why are you so determined to write five Roman novels, two Greek, and so on? I wonder if you've read some sort of advice that you have to write so many of one type of book before you can venture out into another genre. While publishing professionals do tend to prefer for their writers to establish themselves firmly in one genre before expanding their range there aren't any hard-and-fast rules that I know of.

Templar's Creed · Feb 10, 2017

Because Rome will sell even more than anything else. Ben Kane, Anthony Riches, Harry Sidebottom, all popular Roman novelists. It'll be a more safer launch pad anyway.

Old Hack · Feb 10, 2017

Templar's Creed said:
Because Rome will sell even more than anything else. Ben Kane, Anthony Riches, Harry Sidebottom, all popular Roman novelists. It'll be a more safer launch pad anyway.

Except that you've said on more than one occasion that publishers only buy historical fiction from the medieval period. Why are you now convinced that a novel about ancient Rome has more chance of selling?

And remember that very few first novels actually sell: it's more common to get a book deal for your fifth or sixth novel written. Just so you're aware.

Templar's Creed · Feb 10, 2017

Old Hack said:
Except that you've said on more than one occasion that publishers only buy historical fiction from the medieval period. Why are you now convinced that a novel about ancient Rome has more chance of selling?

And remember that very few first novels actually sell: it's more common to get a book deal for your fifth or sixth novel written. Just so you're aware.

Where have I said that? Read it carefully, I said English Medieval Periods, most Publishers in the UK are just doing English medieval periods, English history. Rome is still selling. That's about as much as you can go.

You must be aware of course that plenty of Roman novels have sold in the past?

Of course I'm aware of it.

What's the market for HF?

Helix

socially distancing

Curlz

cutsie-pie

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

Templar's Creed

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Templar's Creed

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Templar's Creed