Many aspiring and published writers are trying to figure out what’s the latest trend in books and to copy it. Vampire novels occurred in dribbles until the success of Twilight. Suddenly, everything was vampire, from television shows to books. Everyone and his cousin had either attempted a vampire novel or included a blood sucking character to try to turn their current novel paranormal. It became so bad that agents and editors are demanding no more vampire novels.
The current trend is emulating the success of Fifty Shades’ success with witless heroines and sadistic, uncaring bad boys. There are a multitude of these books out right now and probably a few thousand in the works. I imagine they’ll sell too. What is wrong with following trends?
A writer might be slaving away on a fabulous vampire novel. It might be the best ever written, but it comes out after the trend is over. It is hard to interest publishers, agents, or readers in a saturated market. It has as much appeal as last year’s shoes.
It is hard to know when a trend will end. What usually happens is an author rushes through a book without employing professional editing or formatting to get it published fast and cheap. In turn, he or she is associated with an inferior product. That’s another danger of trending. The recent vampire trend has lasted for quite a while, but not as long as Star Trek for example. A trend follower does not know his or her subject.
I will not confess to being a great Star Trek fan, but I do have a memory. This is why I am disappointed in Star Trek novels, where events and aliens are out of chronological order. It isn’t hard to research this, but if you have no interest in doing so, then you won’t. Never mind the timeline, the lackluster writing hurts more.
Write what you love. I know some people will tell you there is no market for it. You don’t need everyone to buy your tale, just about 10,000 consistent fans, according to author Bob Mayer. If you love a genre, you know more about it. It isn’t so much work, but more of an extension of you. It will be your best work. Your best work will sell. Anne Rice sold her vampire and demon tales all the years the creatures of the night weren’t trending.
Trends are like hemlines. Let’s face it. not everyone looks good in a micro-mini skirt and not everyone is destined to write a popular vampire series. Everyone does something well. Focus on that as opposed to what you think you ought to be doing. Your novel might end up as the next big thing.
The current trend is emulating the success of Fifty Shades’ success with witless heroines and sadistic, uncaring bad boys. There are a multitude of these books out right now and probably a few thousand in the works. I imagine they’ll sell too. What is wrong with following trends?
A writer might be slaving away on a fabulous vampire novel. It might be the best ever written, but it comes out after the trend is over. It is hard to interest publishers, agents, or readers in a saturated market. It has as much appeal as last year’s shoes.
It is hard to know when a trend will end. What usually happens is an author rushes through a book without employing professional editing or formatting to get it published fast and cheap. In turn, he or she is associated with an inferior product. That’s another danger of trending. The recent vampire trend has lasted for quite a while, but not as long as Star Trek for example. A trend follower does not know his or her subject.
I will not confess to being a great Star Trek fan, but I do have a memory. This is why I am disappointed in Star Trek novels, where events and aliens are out of chronological order. It isn’t hard to research this, but if you have no interest in doing so, then you won’t. Never mind the timeline, the lackluster writing hurts more.
Write what you love. I know some people will tell you there is no market for it. You don’t need everyone to buy your tale, just about 10,000 consistent fans, according to author Bob Mayer. If you love a genre, you know more about it. It isn’t so much work, but more of an extension of you. It will be your best work. Your best work will sell. Anne Rice sold her vampire and demon tales all the years the creatures of the night weren’t trending.
Trends are like hemlines. Let’s face it. not everyone looks good in a micro-mini skirt and not everyone is destined to write a popular vampire series. Everyone does something well. Focus on that as opposed to what you think you ought to be doing. Your novel might end up as the next big thing.
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