&*#! How was I supposed to predict Paranormal Fiction would be a "crowded category?"

[underthecity]

As some of you may know, I finished my novel The Ghost Machine at the end of 2008 and started submitted agent queries in February, 2009.

I started received rejections , and over time heard nothing from a large chunk of submissions. After waiting for three months, today I sent follow up queries to most of those who hadn't responded yet.

The rejections started rolling in again.

One somewhat personalized rejection from a very large agency said:

"As you may know, paranormal fiction is a very crowded category and we just weren’t confident that we could represent this successfully to have it stand out in the marketplace."

Little did I know that when I started writing the story in 2006 that in 2009 my genre would be "overcrowded."

What do I do now?

[BooksAndChocolate]

You keep submitting to publishers and agents.

Believe in your work and in your story. A good story is a good story and there will be room for the right publisher.

If you are searching for an agent, keep on querying, and the agent that believes in your writing will represent you, no matter what the market is dictating, he will sell your strong writing and good book.

Good luck! Don't give up.

[CheshireCat]

Well, you can put it in a drawer for the time being and write something else.

Or you can keep submitting that while you write something else.

Or you can look at what's selling right now and figure out a way to make your book really stand out.

One thing to keep in mind is that a market saturated today may be desperate for the same thing a few years from now, because what's popular (and, therefore, over-published) is always cyclical.

If you believe in the work, keep submitting. And write something else.

[ChaosTitan]

"As you may know, paranormal fiction is a very crowded category and we just weren’t confident that we could represent this successfully to have it stand out in the marketplace."


If it helps, I got a similar rejection last year for Three Days to Dead. :)

All it means is keep at it and query new agents. There are a lot of paranormal books out there, and a lot more coming, so many agents may have crowded lists of paranormal authors. Which means they'll only take on new projects that stand out to them, and that they feel they can successfully sell.

Don't give up yet.

[Gillhoughly]

That was just ONE person's opinion.

What customers in the bookstores WANT (http://knightagency.blogspot.com/2009/04/vip-spotlight-interview-with-sue.html#links).

TKA: Will the demand for paranormals continue to hold steady?

Grimshaw: Most definitely. With Charlaine Harris's "True Blood" HBO series and the "Twilight" saga, I think we're influencing a new reader to step out into the romantic dark side. Young adult readers are already starting to dabble in the world of paranormal romance.

If that's what's selling, then that's what agents want to see!

My agent has been gently nagging me for some while for a new paranormal or urban fantasy proposal. That tells me that she is confident of being able to sell more than one book in either genre for me, not this month, but months down the road. (I write slow!)

Hang in there, and if you want to sub to an agency that has a LOT of paranormal writers, then give The Knight Agency (http://knightagency.net/) a shot.

You've only been at the submissions process for a couple of months. It took me two years to land a contract, and I was on the fast track.

Keep your head from exploding, focus on your NEXT book. Heck, make it your next three books.

Your future agent will want to know that you've got more to send in.

It's not about selling just one book, it's about selling all the books you have inside you!

Good luck!

[Bluestone]

Everyone has given you great advice - packaged in different ways telling you the same thing: continue to submit if you're confident, work on something else if you feel so inclined.

I'm offering my two cents in the form of an analogy. I'm in the wine business and I mostly import Australian wines. It is, as I'm constantly being reminded these days, "a saturated category" and every distributor (my target customer) is full to the brim with Australians. And yet, because I represent some awesomely good Aussie wines I am still finding willing customers. Not as many as I would have before (when Aussies were the flavour of the month and there seemed to be no end in sight) but sufficient to continue to sell my product.

I work harder for it, my wines are better than before and I have to be persistent, but I think you see where I'm going with this...it's no different than the publishing industry. Great product and perseverence will win out. Not everyone will like it, not everyone will have room, but if it's good enough there is someone out there who will get behind it.

One final note: I notice you said you "finished at the end of 2008 and started submitting February, 2009." Do you think it's really ready? Have you taken time to distance yourself and completed more edits? Have you run it by any betas? I know it's very tempting to rush a ms out there once it's finished, because it feels so darned good to be done, but you only get one chance (usually) at a first impression and you want it to be the best it can be.

Best of luck! :Thumbs:

[jodiodi]

I'm currenly writing two paranormal romances, but I'm so slow, they'll probably be marketable again by the time I finish.

Like others have said, write what you want to write. A book written by committee, i.e., based on poll data, sales data, marketing data, etc., has no soul and it shows. You have to write the story YOU feel.

[underthecity]

Thanks for all the encouragement.

I am, in fact, working on my next book, contracted and due in July. I'm working to get it finished by May. It's my fourth for Arcadia and is about a local nightclub in the 1950s, one of the biggest in the country at that time.

Thank you Gil, for the heads-up about Knight Agency. I could have sworn I submitted to them, but they weren't on my agency list. I'll send them a query right away.

Regarding finishing it in 2008 and querying now, I had finished about the sixth or seventh draft around December. At that point, I felt I couldn't revise it any further. I've had a few beta readers. One was extremely critical and nitpicked everything, and never finished it. Another finished it and loved it. Another finished it and had a few comments along the way. The rest . . . well, they never got back to me. In the end, I took all comments and worked with them.

So, I ran my query through SYW in January and started querying late that month.

It's good to know paranormal fiction is actually a hot genre. I've always thought my book would be enjoyed by audiences of shows like "Ghost Hunters" and "Scariest Places on Earth" and all those other "scary reality" shows.

I'll keep querying, though. I'm not ready to give up on it yet.

Only other issue right now is that after I finish the book I'm working on right now, I must take some time off of writing because I'm raising my two-month-old daughter during the day while my wife works. I feel I really should be spending more time with her.

[jodiodi]

Only other issue right now is that after I finish the book I'm working on right now, I must take some time off of writing because I'm raising my two-month-old daughter during the day while my wife works. I feel I really should be spending more time with her.

Admirable.

Food for thought: My mother had me sitting in her lap from birth with a book in front of me, reading aloud. Hence, I could read actual adult books by the time I started school. Perhaps you might want to write with your daughter close enough she feels 'part of the process' and you might be raising the next JKR or at least a voracious reader.

Just a thought. :D

[bettielee]

I don't know if this helps: but think of it this way. It's not like you were jumping on the bandwagon - you wrote yours before all the bruhaha - you're not churning out glop just to get in there!

Keep strong and keep submitting.

[Patrice]

I was told something similar by many agents -- no more "portal" stories!

I found the right agent who found the right editor who bought my novel. So it can happen, but I totally understand your frustration. Sounds like you are continuing to write and you have your priorities straight. Congrats on your new baby girl!

[maestrowork]

That's just one person's opinion. An agent sent me a rejection saying that the world was looking for the next Grisham or Clancy. Woe be me that I wasn't writing legal or military thrillers....

[Gillhoughly]

I'm raising my two-month-old daughter during the day

Sooner or later your little one has to take a nap. THEN you POUNCE on that keyboard and make the most of the break!

One of my wholly awesome pals (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Rachel%20Caine) had her full time job, often pulling 60 and even 80-hour weeks when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

In between job duties and radiation therapy she managed to write FOUR novels that year. She immersed herself in the art of time-management!

She beat the cancer, BTW.

The next year, when she broke both bones in her lower right arm, requiring repeat surgeries, she continued with the job and writing, kitting her 'puter out with a voice recognition program to spare her from typing. She did another four books that year plus several short stories.

She still has the job, is still writing.

[rugcat]

Sooner or later your little one has to take a nap. THEN you POUNCE on that keyboard!

One of my wholly awesome pals (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Rachel%20Caine) had her full time job, often pulling 60 and even 80-hour weeks when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

In between job duties and radiation therapy she managed to write FOUR novels that year. She immersed herself in the art of time-management!

She beat the cancer, BTW.

The next year, when she broke both bones in her lower right arm, requiring repeat surgeries, she continued with the job and writing, kitting her 'puter out with a voice recognition program to spare her from typing. She did another four books that year plus several short stories.

She still has the job, is still writing.Yes, and there were soldiers who survived the Bataan Death March too.

I can barely manage to walk the dogs.

[Bluestone]

It sounds like you've done a lot of work to get it ready, so I'm glad you're persevering with the queries. :)

[GregB]

I got rejections like that before I landed my agent, and I got a couple more from editors before my agent sold my book and a sequel a couple weeks ago.

If it makes you feel any better, the "deals" listings on Publisher's Marketplace are also "overcrowded" with paranormals. ;)

[8thSamurai]

Can I say congratulations? Rejections are tough - but it's not because of the writing, which is awesome!

And paranormal is generally a fast read (I love em anyway) - no writer can churn out enough fast enough. Just keep plugging at it.

[underthecity]

So, thanks again. I am persevering with the queries. I queried the Knight Agency, so we'll see what happens with that.

Regarding my follow-ups, one other agency wrote back and said that they don't seem to have a record of my query, and requested that I query again. That was a little promising, that is, they'll be looking for the query this time. The other rejections I got from follow ups were all--surprisingly--personalized. No details or feedback, but they weren't form letters.


Sooner or later your little one has to take a nap. THEN you POUNCE on that keyboard and make the most of the break!


And that's exactly what I've been doing. I write when she naps, or when she's contendly lying there kicking her legs. When she does that, she doesn't want to be held. And when she does need to be held or fed, I type with my right hand only. But when she needs the attention, I give her attention. I've gotten a lot written this way. I think she helps me stay focused.

After I finish this project, I would like to take time off from writing unless the novel sells (crosses fingers) and the agent/publisher wants the sequel in the two to three book deal I get (crosses fingers). Otherwise, I have some good ideas for nonfiction books I want to pursue, but there's no hurry for them right now. I also have other non-writing projects, besides raising the baby, that I have to take care of.

I need a clone. That would help.

[misa101]

Only other issue right now is that after I finish the book I'm working on right now, I must take some time off of writing because I'm raising my two-month-old daughter during the day while my wife works. I feel I really should be spending more time with her.

You can definitely write with kids. It slows the process but is not impossible. If you get into the mind set of "can't write have baby" it may turn into "can't write have toddler" because toddlers are defiantly more challenging.

That said I know there are going to be times you just CAN NOT write. I have a six year old and that still happens but try to set aside a bit of time if you can (hey she naps) not only will it help you get writing done studies have shown parents who take time to do things that are important to them actually have happier kids.

Anyways I will get down off my soap box now.

[motormind]

What the heck is "paranormal fiction" anyway? That's an awkwardly broad brush to paint with, since there is a huge variety in stories with paranormal elements, from thrillers, fantasy to romances.

[Birol]

Underthecity, the last few months, I've been working as a freelance editor for a small e-publisher, helping get books ready to print. So far, I've been assigned three manuscripts. Two of them are in the paranormal genre.

[Karen Duvall]

The paranormal market being overcrowded is actually a good thing. It means it's popular. It also means the bar is raised for quality books, and that's a good thing for readers.

Like Greg said, Publisher's Marketplace is bursting with paranormal fiction sales. Our own Purgatory thread in AW is filled with authors like Greg and many others who've sold their paranormal books to major publishers. We've been seeing an average of a deal a month on the Purgatory thread since January. Also agent represenation. That's impressive. The genre is hot. If your book is good, it will find a home.

[Karen Duvall]

What the heck is "paranormal fiction" anyway? That's an awkwardly broad brush to paint with, since there is a huge variety in stories with paranormal elements, from thrillers, fantasy to romances.

It is broad, that's true. Paranormal fiction can be epic fantasy, paranormal mystery, urban fantasy, YA fantasy, paranormal thriller, fantasy romance, or paranormal romance. It's extremely popular with genre readers.

[timewaster]

[quote=misa101;3553747]You can definitely write with kids. It slows the process but is not impossible. If you get into the mind set of "can't write have baby" it may turn into "can't write have toddler" because toddlers are defiantly more challenging.

I am only a writer because I gave up my day job to give birth to/raise four children. I was rather more efficient when they were small than I am now that they are older. It's a great opportunity! If you've only got one child and you aren't breast feeding all night there's more time than you'd think to do other stuff. ( It's easier if you stay off line)

[happywritermom]

Since misery loves company, I'll share my recent response with you for my novel, which is set in the mid1920s and involves rape and murder:

"Thank you for this kindly written query. Your work sounds affecting and interesting. That said, it sounds like something many editors would deem "quiet" and therefore difficult to sell in the current market. So with regrets I'm going to pass on the opportunity to read the manuscript."

See, you're not alone.
This is the first time I've ever heard this one!

[ladylynxx]

I would say to keep on pushing, somebody will buy!

[bohica]

Hate those quiet rape/murders... :P

Since misery loves company, I'll share my recent response with you for my novel, which is set in the mid1920s and involves rape and murder:

"Thank you for this kindly written query. Your work sounds affecting and interesting. That said, it sounds like something many editors would deem "quiet" and therefore difficult to sell in the current market. So with regrets I'm going to pass on the opportunity to read the manuscript."

See, you're not alone.
This is the first time I've ever heard this one!

[Gillhoughly]

happywritermom, I want whatever it is that agent is smoking.

I got the "You're a good writer but this is unsellable" line.

I did a rewrite, cursing that agent, determined to make him eat his words, and landed a multi-book contract with the "unsellable."


.

[Ken Schneider]

As some of you may know, I finished my novel The Ghost Machine at the end of 2008 and started submitted agent queries in February, 2009.

I started received rejections , and over time heard nothing from a large chunk of submissions. After waiting for three months, today I sent follow up queries to most of those who hadn't responded yet.

The rejections started rolling in again.

One somewhat personalized rejection from a very large agency said:

"As you may know, paranormal fiction is a very crowded category and we just weren’t confident that we could represent this successfully to have it stand out in the marketplace."

Little did I know that when I started writing the story in 2006 that in 2009 my genre would be "overcrowded."

What do I do now?


City, If it's not all the rage this year, it will come around again.

Just like the mini skirt. You get my drift.

Put the MS in the drawer and start something else.

[happywritermom]

Gillhoughly, you're an inspiration! Underthecity, maybe it's just a Cincinnati thing! I've noticed this is a very oddly conservative area. Perhaps we're caught in some historical time warp, where paranormal IS the rage and rape and murder ARE loud.
You never know.

[Ctairo]

As some of you may know, I finished my novel The Ghost Machine at the end of 2008 and started submitted agent queries in February, 2009.

I started received rejections , and over time heard nothing from a large chunk of submissions. After waiting for three months, today I sent follow up queries to most of those who hadn't responded yet.

The rejections started rolling in again.

One somewhat personalized rejection from a very large agency said:

"As you may know, paranormal fiction is a very crowded category and we just weren’t confident that we could represent this successfully to have it stand out in the marketplace."

Little did I know that when I started writing the story in 2006 that in 2009 my genre would be "overcrowded."

What do I do now?


Keep at it. I'm working on a manuscript now, and finally settled on a genre: paranormal. Maybe I'm crazy, but I still believe good books get published. The road may be more difficult for us, but eh, there's nothing easy about publishing a book anyway.

[EzraHoliday]

I have a similar problem myself. Anyone casually glancing at my book will lump it in with urban fantasy or paranormal fiction. Hence I'm either flagged for attention or dumped right away depending on what the agency I'm currently querying has on their plate.

Then again, anytime I mentioned 'Lovecraft' in my query letter, people reviewing it shot it down, so the confusion will most likely continue.

[Maiden]

My current WIP will probably end up into urban fantasy/paranormal also. (At least it isn't YA...) Horror would be the only other genre I would think it has any hope of fitting into. It has been in the works for years now. But now it looks like just another MS that jumps on the bandwagon. I am not going to let it stop me from finishing it and getting the sucker published. It just means it might be a longer struggle.

I would just write what you feel passionate about. When it is time for it to be published it will. It just takes one person to decide to give it a chance. Have faith in your own work and others will too.

[underthecity]

I do keep the faith, although yesterday brought another rejection: "I just couldn’t connect to the premise as much as I would have hoped." Sigh.

Meanwhile, I spoke with another beta yesterday who loved the book. We spent an hour talking about why she liked it. Interesting that she was discussing it with me as a beta reader, not a beta reader who is also a writer who nitpicks sentence structure and word choices. I believe there's a big difference in the kind of reaction you get with betas.

[Maiden]

Maybe it is how you are pitching it? Or are they rejecting after reading the MS?

Have you tried rewritting your query letter from a totally different angle?

[ChaosTitan]

I believe there's a big difference in the kind of reaction you get with betas.

Biggest difference: betas aren't required to sell the book.

I've read a lot of books recently that I've enjoyed. But maybe two out of twenty are books I loved enough to tell someone else about with great enthusiasm. Sometimes I don't envy agents their reading pile. ;)

[popmuze]

"I just couldn’t connect to the premise as much as I would have hoped."

The thing to realize is that this (as well as your original) is just a generic form rejection. The kind I sometimes get read more like: "As you know, placing fiction in this marketplace is extremely difficult....blah blah blah."

So I wouldn't worry about genre. If someone falls in love with the book they won't care what genre it is, how difficult the marketplace is, whether the book stands out or not, etc.

[underthecity]

Hang in there, and if you want to sub to an agency that has a LOT of paranormal writers, then give The Knight Agency (http://knightagency.net/) a shot.


I did query the Knight Agency after your suggestion, and received their rejection on May 13.

Just keep pushing. And pushing. And pushing.