Friday, May 20, 2011

Trends

Author/agent Mandy Hubbard wrote an interesting post earlier this months on trends in publishing. She specifically talks about young adult and middle grade, touching on picture books.

You might like to check it out here.

The professionals can work up their charts, but who knows when a book will come out that captures the public's imagination *coughstephaniemeyercough*? That kind of response is hard to anticipate.

There probably not much point in trying to write something to meet trends because it takes so long to get something out in book form anything trending now could be dead by the time yours comes out.

Besides, is just meeting a trend why you write? What's your motivation?

15 comments:

  1. I tried writing to the faerie trend once. By the time I was finished writing, the world had moved on to vampires. Doesn't work.

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  2. Wow, I really needed to read this today. Thanks.

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  3. That post must have gone totally viral! I appreciate it when she writes the trends posts. So helpful. Not as in now I'm going to run out and write the trendy stuff, but to know where my writing fits. Even though less writers actually write middle grade - it's still just as hard to break in with it. and just meeting a trend is not why I write. I just love a moving story.

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  4. L.G.--I agree. It almost seems like a writer is prostituting him or herself by even trying to do that.

    Damsel--Hope it was beneficial.

    Laura--I don't even know that I'm into writing to publish. It's so much more than that to me.

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  5. It's hard trying to keep up with the trends that are out, mostly because they do change so often. So I usually write what I would want to read and just go from there. Great post! :)

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  6. I just keep writing my book and making it the best I can. As an author, staying true to what feels right in my gut is the only way to go.

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  7. I agree with you, the material is likely be dated if writers focus on trends when writing books and I also think it can apply to all kinds of writing.

    Meeting a trend is not why I write. My motivation is whatever subject I am interested in or have a story to tell about...this becomes what I write about.

    However, publishing and movies are handled differently when it comes to writing. I can write a screenplay about a topic that I love but if no studio will option it or if no one wants to watch the movie when it's made, then the work is considered to not be marketable.

    So, there seems to be a catch 22 where my writing is concerned. All of the industry trades and books and even professors in film schools urge filmmakers and screenwriters to produce what sells....so if what is selling at Sundance or Cannes is comedy this year, then writers who have romance or sci-fi work on their desk are at a loss, you know.

    It's so unfair but I guess that is the way the cookie crumbles.

    The Madlab Post

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  8. I think a writer needs to be aware of the market they write for. I wouldn't touch vampires with a barge pole right now as the market is saturated. Why spend 6-9 months writing something you know will be difficult to pitch?

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  9. If you write for a trend and your heart isn't really in it, it will show. Don't write for a trend!

    Ellie Garratt

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  10. Amy, I think that's the right approach. I'm in this for the writing. I write what I like to read.

    Rebecca, I agree. Being false going to show.

    Nicole, you're right. It's not fair. But who said life was fair, right?

    Donna--nice to see you! And I agree, unless you've got something really unique. But I think just about anything vampire's been done.

    Cindy, welcome!

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  11. LOL- at first I thought you said Mandy wrote a 'poem' about trending.

    I was also on your blog earlier today at the same time you were on mine. Things like that make me smile. That's why I'm a happy person.

    Trending, huh? I wasn't trendy in high school and I, sure as heck, cared more about it then than I do now. I just write for an audience. I write what I like to read. I write to prove to myself that I can. Then I hide it in the deep recesses of my computer.... so why would I even consider trending?

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  12. Shelly, Margaret Mitchell used to hide the chapters to "Gone With The Wind" in weird places all over her house (under chair cushions, in drawers, cupboards, etc.) because she was afraid someone would see them. And someone finally did when they sat on a chapter and encouraged her to see about getting it published.

    What? That little thing? It only won a Pulitzer.

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  13. Hey Donna,
    I just joined the pied pipers and was checking out some of the members blogs. Thought I would drop by and say hi:)

    As far as trends go, I couldn't agree more. Publishing takes so how could anyone predict what will be hot in a couple of years. It's a good thing that isn't what real writing is all about.

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  14. *waves* Hey Deana! I found you on Twitter, too.

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