I was just curious if anyone has any thoughts on dystopian literature. I've seen that some publishers are asking writers not to send it because they receive too much. On the other hand, it seems almost every YA novel out there is either about vampires or some dystopian future.

When you read a book such as Hunger Games, does it make you want to go read others such as Stephen King's The Running Man/The Long Walk, Takami's Battle Royale, or Lord of the Flies?

Same thing with Twilight... Does it make you want to read the Sookie Stackhouse series or An Interview with a Vampire?

Unless you're able to turn out a polished novel incredibly quickly, I wouldn't worry too much about what they're saying they want or don't want today. If you're choosing between stories, you might consider what the editors/agents are saying. But basically, I would just go ahead and write the stories that are clawing their way out of your head and let the dust settle where it may.

I don't read dystopian literature, particularly. I wrote one werewolf story that didn't get as far as I think it should have. Maybe because some agents/editors are tired of werewolve. Maybe because I didn't do a good enough job of differentiating it from the pack (sorry for the pun) in my query.

How sad and I love greek myths.

One thing that might add to why there is so much slush in this category out there is people who are into Gothic dark present, past, and future novels (Especially the vampire followers) tend to be hobby writers and poets. So your going to have a lot random stuff in this category. Especially now that it has become so popular in the public eye.

But on the whole. Yes I would say that most who are avid followers vampire Gothic tend to only read in that category. Or close to it. Its kind of a strange addiction.

My daughter was that way for a while, but its no stranger than people who only read westerns or detective novels. Vampire and wizards just happen to be the most popular thing right now, and I don't see it fading out anytime soon.

2cent,

Second, that is a good point about an agent or editor saying they are seeing too much of something. I believe that happens all the time. In fact that is why I delayed so long with writing my UF novels. I thought the fad-rage-craze-trend would have dropped off by the time any editor would have seen my novel but it hasn't, if anything it's grown since I thought that. I don't think I have ever seen a reading craze take off like this one has. Anyway I'm doing them now.

Mostly we should write what we want, unless its for a contest with a specific premise or if an editor asks us to do something specific.

I think though some people will and have debated my first comment though. They say why write something that won't sell or give an editor another reason to reject our work. But sometimes we never know what will sell. I would assume that Jim Butcher didn't know his first book would sell and begin a craze. Space Opera is another that always seems to be selling even though I suspect they see a lot of it.

Think of your typical MG or YA reader and most start off viewing reading as a chore. Then as reading gets easier they don't change their opinion until they read that awesome book. Lets say it's Harry Potter. They realize reading can be fun, but not all books so they search for more of the story they loved.

That's not to say you can't get one out, there's lots of publishing houses out there, but this particular one isn't taking any right now if they aren't taking one which is complete from an award winning author.

I'd say if you're writing with the intent of sending your novel around everywhere that you stay away from this for the time. Then again, if it takes a year to write you could be getting in at just the right time... Publishing is fickle. Who knows. Break-out novels are unpredictable as to who and when.