Hey, Rejector.
Just spent three hours reading all of our blog posts (every. single. one.) I do have a question relating to trends/cliches. The YA fantasy market seems to be jam-packed nowadays, especially the dragon theme. Would an agent find it too risky to launch another book into this cooling market? is there even ROOM? (i've tried to give my manuscript a creative twist. I don't know if that will even work anymore). Should I just trust my story and go with it anyway? Thanks!
There's room for anything that's really good.
It's true everyone's been going "YA YA YA!!!" for a while now and we're seeing the results, but as it's a semi-independent market, not a trend in a genre, it will not "go away." It's like saying, "Is there room for more mysteries?" or "Are they going to keep making thrillers?" Of course they will. Genres have their own markets and as long as those markets continue to exist, we'll need books to fill them.
That said, enough with the dragons. Unless it's really good.
6 comments:
Amen, Rejector. You just moved up in my favorite agent/blogger list!
If I never see another cover with a dragon, I won't be disappointed. Part of my "homework" while writing my first manuscript is reading from a variety of authors currently published. Unfortunately, I'm having more difficulty finding books with an original theme.
That is the most important part of the manuscript I'm working on. I'm trying to develop a world with creatures and characters you won't find anywhere.
Amen to Rob's amen. If I ever see another dragon-themed book on the YA/childrens' new book table in my local Borders, I will vomit on it.
I am sick of pirates as well. And I'm getting pretty pissed off with vampires (especially emo vampires) and faeries and anything inspired by Ancient Greek mythology.
- Britbeat
I'm kind of opposite from Rob. For me I like to find a book with a tried and tested character or creature, but in a way that is totally re-envisaged. Because I guess, despite having a darn good imagination myself, when someone plays with convention and creates something that you never would have thought of in an area you considered there was no more room for expansion . . .that's just cool.
Hence my recent obsession with Naomi Novik and "His Majesty's Dragon". Yes the story itself is so different, using dragons to fight the Napoleonic wars - dude, but telling the story as if it were a Patrick O'Brian novel . . . genius.
Hence my recent obsession with Naomi Novik and "His Majesty's Dragon". Yes the story itself is so different, using dragons to fight the Napoleonic wars
I felt the same way, esp. as I wasn't expecting much. After all, some new authors have been overhyped for lackluster, "who cares?" stories.
But "His Majesty's Dragon" was a nice surprise. Started slow, for me, but then picked up momentum, until I, too, became obsessed with it. I think the historical angle was the cool twist that did it for me (never having read any Patrick O'Brien novels, so I can't comment on that).
~JerseyGirl
Okay I just have to laugh when I read anonymous's post (and totally fair enough, I mean the market is totally saturated as he/she says), and underneath it is my comment with a lovely picture of the cover of my book coming out this fall which is, you know, of a pirate. lol!
And Nancy, Patrick O'Brian wrote the Master and Commander books, the ones that the movie with Russell Crowe was based on.
Actually, Rejecter, you could have titled this "The YA! YA! Sisterhood Goes Eragon knockoff".
am sick of pirates as well. And I'm getting pretty pissed off with vampires (especially emo vampires) and faeries and anything inspired by Ancient Greek mythology. -- Britbeat
1. Don't forget "Elves, Dwarves, etc".
2. "Emo Vampires" -- hee hee hee. Don't forget the Anne Rice bishie-boi/White Wolf uber-Goth look and bling!
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