posted
I just saw this post on Pub Rants, the blog of an agent that I follow. It could be a bit disappointing for some aspiring fantasy authors but worth knowing. I'm following the comments to this post to see if the agent responds to some of the questions.
Personally I'm not too worried since I'm years away from seriously submitting any novels so I have time for the market to adjust. However, I will definitely keep an eye on this and I thought others here might be interested as well.
posted
I don't think she is stating what clients (prospective or otherwise) should be writing. She is stating what kinds of novels editors are currently declining.
Another post this week by Nathan Bransford also shows the difficulty novelists have to get published, not just aspiring novelists.
From what I've been reading lately it appears that agents are getting more proposals than in months and years past. This is not surprising in this economy. Many people seek new ways of making a little extra money.
Many of the items on her list are essentially this: "Editors don't want subpar writing." This will become even more prevalent in the coming years, regardless of the economy. With an increasing number of aspiring writers on the market it will be more difficult to stand apart from the others.
What we all need to do is take this as a challenge and move forward. I'm not going to let this get me down. I write because I love the art of storytelling. I do not write solely to be published. Writing has always been a passion of mine and if all else fails I have children and someday will have grandchildren. I will always have an audience.
quote:Which proves that none of this is ever absolute.
And this is one reason that I will move forward and do the best I can. I write epic fantasy but I will not let something like this discourage me.
As for Twilight, here are my thoughts. Regardless of how well written we feel the book is, think of this. As I understand the book, it targets young women, correct? The book is popular because it somehow resonates with the intended audience. The "voice" of the novel, whether written that way on purpose or not, fits for the intended audience.
Beyond that, another reason the books are successful--mostly for the the books' older fans--is the romance. Go to your local Walmart or similar store and look at the books for adults. How many science fiction / fantasy books do you see compared to romance? I rarely find any SF&F at my local stores unless it's for young adults (Harry Potter, Eregon, etc.).
This post went off on a slight tangent but the point is that we need to do our best to concentrate on honing our own craft and be less concerned with what's popular or why such and such author got published. It's difficult, I know. A few threads have appeared here where I wanted to participate by describing where an author I recently read failed with his or her plot. Instead, I try to get my craft to the best level it can be since that is the only thing truly in my control.
posted
I'd take the bit about epic fantasy with a grain of salt. Last time I was in Borders there was plenty of basic fantasy on the shelves, much of it new.
Someone asked this in the comments. I guess it means Middle Grade, which may be the same as Young Adult. In that case, novels that would compare to Harry Potter. That's only a guess if anyone else knows for certain.
posted
Middle grade readers a bit younger than YA readers.
The reason TWILIGHT sounds familiar in these lists is probably because of copycat writers. Editors don't want more of the what is selling now, they want The Next Big Thing.
posted
Thank your that. Middle Grade was not a term familiar to me, likely because I don't write for younger audiences. Posts: 354 | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
The Beatles---well, John and Paul---once said something along the lines of how, when they were starting to write songs, they tried to guess what the Next Big Thing was, until one day they said "Shove it" and wrote what they wanted. The next thing they knew, they themselves were the Next Big Thing.
Moral: Write what you want to write.
*****
I suppose if an agent can't get behind your work, or doesn't care for it, it's probably best that you find other representation.
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So then a newbie question: I've been lurking around some agents' blogs as well as looking at some publishers' submission guidelines. One thing I've noticed is that some agents (and at least one small publisher as well) characterize themselves as developing a "mentoring" relationship with their clients.
So... Do any of you have any experience that would indicate that this means they might be inclined to nudge the client out of his/her natural voice and into what they perceive to be a more fashionable, sellable trend?
Just wondering, I guess, if agents / publishers might be beginning to redefine their role in this area. My understanding has always been that (tradionally) it is up to the writer to find and secure an agent who "fits" rather than agents looking for malleable writers they can shape into their model of the Next Big Thing.
posted
Hmm... I'm not sure if my novel qualifies for any of them.It's closest to epic fantasy, I guess, but there's no Giant battles or scenes where the fate of nations is on the line. Well, no, there is one. But that's more a looming possibility and never actually happens within the confines of the actual story...? O.o
Posts: 25 | Registered: Jun 2009
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quote:Hmm... I'm not sure if my novel qualifies for any of them.It's closest to epic fantasy, I guess, but there's no Giant battles or scenes where the fate of nations is on the line. Well, no, there is one. But that's more a looming possibility and never actually happens within the confines of the actual story...? O.o
Mine either. The novel I'm currently trying to find an agent for doesn't fit neatly into any of the subgenres. It's not epic because there are no battles and no need to save the world. It's closest to swords and sorcery, I suppose. But there aren't any swords, just spears and knives.
Actually, I think it's a good thing that it doesn't fit neatly into any of the already-been-done cubby holes. I just need to find an agent who agrees with me.
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DWD, the ideal "mentoring" arrangements would be for agents to help authors fulfill their own potentials, not mold them into something else.
What has happened, as I understand it, is that editors and publishers are relying more and more on agents to find the material that is worth developing for them. So agents are taking on a lot of the "editorial" relationships that editors used to have with authors.
If you have an agent who wants to work with you because the agent is excited about the things you are trying to do, then you're halfway there (the other half is an editor who wants to work with that agent to bring your work to publication).
On the other hand, if you have talent and skill, and are willing to have someone mold you and/or tell you what to write, and the agent who does that is someone that editors accept material from, then that route will work as well.
It really all depends.
The important thing when you're starting out, I submit, is to write what you love and are excited about, and then look for an agent who can also be excited about it and who has a track record with editors and publishers. (Remember, anyone can put "agent" on their letterhead, but it doesn't mean a thing if editors just put their submissions in the slush pile.)
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