Monster of the Moment
(I'm buried under deadlines at the moment, so this post is cross posted.)
Several of my writer friends recently returned from the RWA National conference. I've never personally been to the conference, but from what people tell me the con is an amazing place not only to learn about craft, but to check the pulse of the writing business. Most major publishers and dozens of top notch agents attend every year. Trends in publishing inevitably come up at the conference and the RWA loops are always buzzing with what was said once the conference ends.
What's hot? What's selling? What's out and overdone?
This year Donald Maass (from Donald Maass Literary Agency) was quoted as saying that Vampires were dead (again). In contrast, the editors on the Pocket Books spotlight said that there is something timeless about vampires. The trend they think is out? Fallen Angels. (I didn't know fallen angels were in. I can only think of one or two books with fallen angels. Anyone want to recommend some as I apparently missed the trend?)
I haven't heard yet what is supposed to be the next 'hot' monster this year. (BTW, I'm using 'monster' as a catch all phrase here. It could mean traditional horror monster, or much more human or non-monstrous beings.) I know a couple years back the hot monster was demons, but I've heard mumbles since then that agents and editors have seen too many demons.
When I first started shopping Once Bitten back in 2005/2006, I was told vampires were done. No one wanted any book that touched on vampires. Then Stephanie Myers happened, and regardless of your opinion on her books, it is an undeniable fact that vamps were suddenly in high demand again. Now? Well, I refer you back to the earlier paragraph about Maass and Pocket.
Trends in publishing come and go. Monsters become 'hot' and then get overdone or simply fall out of favor. I don't think any monster will every completely fall away--we love our monsters too much. Our interest in monsters does tend to ebb and flow though.
So let me ask you, what is your monster of the moment? What is the monster you currently can't get enough of? Or what is a monster you haven't seen in a while that you'd love to read about? No monster bashing please! Just talk about monsters you want to see more of, not less.
(Images in this post from the following movies: Interview with a Vampire, Constantine, and Pan's Labyrinth)
Several of my writer friends recently returned from the RWA National conference. I've never personally been to the conference, but from what people tell me the con is an amazing place not only to learn about craft, but to check the pulse of the writing business. Most major publishers and dozens of top notch agents attend every year. Trends in publishing inevitably come up at the conference and the RWA loops are always buzzing with what was said once the conference ends.
What's hot? What's selling? What's out and overdone?
When I first started shopping Once Bitten back in 2005/2006, I was told vampires were done. No one wanted any book that touched on vampires. Then Stephanie Myers happened, and regardless of your opinion on her books, it is an undeniable fact that vamps were suddenly in high demand again. Now? Well, I refer you back to the earlier paragraph about Maass and Pocket.
So let me ask you, what is your monster of the moment? What is the monster you currently can't get enough of? Or what is a monster you haven't seen in a while that you'd love to read about? No monster bashing please! Just talk about monsters you want to see more of, not less.
(Images in this post from the following movies: Interview with a Vampire, Constantine, and Pan's Labyrinth)
Comments
I'm seeing a lot of zombie books around at the moment, as well as demons and angels. But as much as I hate to say it, I think vampires will always be the default monster we go back to, regardless of other trends. They're a good, versatile metaphor.
Augmentative At, I also love stories which incorporate a lot of supernaturals into the worldbuilding. It's fun to see the dynamics between monsters play out in different authors worlds.
I noticed a while ago that Zombies were getting hugely popular, and angel books. There are a lot of angel books - though not necessarily fallen angels, but new twisted angels. Interesting.
I don't think any one type of monster ever completely goes away in writing anyway - vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, ghosts and demons/angels have had their ups and downs as book subjects and probably always will - but I think they will all have a bit less downtime now.
It will be interesting if ghosts suddenly trend. I'd read very few urban fantasy books with ghosts being key elements at the time I sold (let alone wrote) Grave Witch, but since then I've seen a handful of books hit shelves or get slotted to hit shelves. Sometimes I wonder if ideas are thrown out into the universe in handfuls. LOL.
I agree that no monster will ever fall away completely. Like I said in the post, we love our monsters, and there will always be some writer out there who has a story good enough to spark public attention.
BTW I've been trying to find your first two books in Borders, but now luck. I suppose I'll have to order them online? Or do you know of a store (national) that carries them for sure?
Mardel, for some reason, Borders in the US has never carried my Haven Novels (though they do in the UK, go figure). The Haven Novels are small press, so can be harder to find in brick and mortar stores. Some Barnes and Nobles keep them in stock, but you'd have to check your location. BAM and B&N can order them into the store, or the books can be purchased online from any of the major booksellers. I'm hoping once Grave Witch hits selves that some of the bookstores will begin stocking the Haven Novels.
If readers love it, it never goes out of style. :-D