How trendy are you?

[Maxinquaye]

Just got back from lunch with a mate who works for a bookstore, and we got to talk about novels. I told him how I was doing, you know, and then he asked me (as a joke) why I too wasn't writing vampire stuff. An interesting question, that goes toward trends.

Most of the vampire stuff out there now was published years ago. Any vampire book on the shelf in bookstores now was written 1-2 years before publication. So, we may be talking about a back-log of 1-5 years for current vampire novels.

I have another mate that is writing a vampire novel. IF that novel gets accepted in a year's time, it will be published in two years, and reach bookstores in maybe 2-3 years.

That perspective is kind of interesting, because at worst case my mate is going to bank on a trend started five years ago, and which she hopes will still be there in 3 years time.

It isn't so simple, of course. I'm not trying to imply that, and the above is just to try and present a frame of reference for what I'm thinking about. My mate writes vampire fiction because she loves the genre.

Horror is her thing, and her vampires are NOT pretty teenagers, but are more like disgusting human leeches.

Enough rambling, but I think it is interesting. Publishing is a slow business, but consumers aren't slow. So, having set up the question, it becomes - do you take into account, to any degree, what is trendy now when you're writing your book?

[scarletpeaches]

No. I write the books I want to read.

Besides, things like vampires will never die. If you pardon the pun.

[Maxinquaye]

Derailing my own thread... i just want to add that I hope my mate gets her book published.

I'd love to see the thirteen year old twilight fan vomit as the magic that drives my mate's vampires break, and you see the thin things they really are that swell and turn pink when they suck your blood, and which you can kill by popping. :)

[defcon6000]

I've never been trendy, so why start now? :tongue

[Stargazer]

I've never been trendy, so why start now? :tongue

I can relate to that.

But on the subject of trends, does it apply so much to writing? People are coming up with things all the time. Hundreds of title being published in the blink of an eye and nobody can keep up with all of them.

So the chances are, there will always be some market for everything. Perhaps if I ever get over the hurdle of taking my work to someone with the intention of getting it published, I pray that Post-Apocalyptic stories still have some demand... Otherwise my current project will mean nothing.

[Phaeal]

Del Toro and Hogan are collaborating on a vampire series (The Strain is already out) which features outstandingly disgusting vampires. So maybe this will be a countertrend indeed.

I don't worry about trends -- I'm in the camp that believes once you can see a trend, you're probably already too late to jump on the main wagon. You may be able to run at its tail gate and snap up scraps, but is that really what you want? Nah, you know you want to be the one SETTING the trend. ;)

[DrZoidberg]

Even if this particular trend goes out of date, your friend might cash in on it next time around. I very clearly remember the early nineties vampire trend. Trends go in cycles. Keep on cycling.

[backslashbaby]

Oy, if your friend is trendy, I'll have to admit to it, too. But the word itself even grates on my nerves ;) I have kind-of vampires, kind-of werewolves and surprising and inopportune ghouls in my WIP. But it's really not about that, I swear :D It's a little political and mostly a strange ride.

I wouldn't have picked the trend on purpose. I usually like to do the twisted version of popular things; I get bored with too much of the same after a while. Eh, we'll see how it goes!

[Maxinquaye]

I've tried to get her to join AW, but she's not a computer person, much. She's gone the good route, i guess, from writing bad fan fic about Ann Rice-vampires to being a pretty good writer.

[Alpha Echo]

I don't even think about trends, honestly. I write what I want, and I read the books I want. Many times, the books I read are by totally obscure authors. And what I write...doesn't fall into any trend.

Although, maybe that's why I'm not published. Hmmm....

Nah. I wouldn't be able to conform my writing just like I was never able to conform in high school. The difference now is that I don't want to conform. In my writing or in life. I think I mostly succeed.

[Moonfish]

No, when I write I don't think about trends. I don't think about what's "in". I don't think about how my stories will be received, if they'll sell, even who they're for. I just write the story that needs to be written and do it as well as I can.
THEN I start worrying about if it'll sell, or what people will think...

[Alpha Echo]

No, when I write I don't think about trends. I don't think about what's "in". I don't think about how my stories will be received, if they'll sell, even who they're for. I just write the story that needs to be written and do it as well as I can.
THEN I start worrying about if it'll sell, or what people will think...

This.

:)

[Adam]

I'm about as trendy as a home-knitted balaclava.

[seun]

I couldn't care less about trends. I just write what I hope will be a good book.

[Kenzie]

I don't think there's any point writing to trends. It's just too fickle.

I'd rather set the trend, myself!

[JennW]

I don't think about trends when I write, I just write what I want and hope it's a good book. If anything, I tend to write against the trends. I imagine my query out there in a sea of similar books and, who wants the competition? Be original, I say.

[Libbie]

I've never paid attention to trends. I do my own thing, and bugger what everybody else thinks of me.

This may be the reason I've never been asked on a date in my life. Hopefully, though, it won't hinder my chances at publication.

[Jamesaritchie]

So, having set up the question, it becomes - do you take into account, to any degree, what is trendy now when you're writing your book?


No, not to any degree. Well, unless a publishers asks for a trendy novel.

But this doesn't mean I avoid tends, just that I don't take them into account. If you really want to write a vampire novel, then write a vampire novel, no matter what the current trend is, or what the trend will be in two years.

Really good novels set trends, rejuvenate a dying trend, etc.

Don't worry about publishers, trends, or consumers. If you really want to please publishers and readers, first worry about making yourself happy by writing the book you really want to write.

[kaitie]

Not at all. In fact, probably against all logic, I'd be less likely to write a story if I heard that it was the current trend. Mostly, though, I write the good idea I want to write at the time. It varies.

Though, having said that, I do intend to one day write a vampire book. It's one of those goals in life things. :)

[donroc]

No, never have. I write 'em as they come to me.

[MGraybosch]

So, having set up the question, it becomes - do you take into account, to any degree, what is trendy now when you're writing your book?

Nah. If you were to ask me to answer the question, "What is your book about" with absolute honesty, the most honest answer I could give would be, "It's about shit I think is cool". Demons from outer space weren't trendy when H.P. Lovecraft was in business, and I'm reasonably sure they're not too trendy now despite the best efforts of Guillermo Del Toro, Ron Perlman, and the rest of the cast of Hellboy. :evil

[Lady Ice]

I don't even think about trends, honestly. I write what I want, and I read the books I want. Many times, the books I read are by totally obscure authors. And what I write...doesn't fall into any trend.

Although, maybe that's why I'm not published. Hmmm....

Nah. I wouldn't be able to conform my writing just like I was never able to conform in high school. The difference now is that I don't want to conform. In my writing or in life. I think I mostly succeed.

If you ride the trend wave, you'll end up coming up with something rubbish and with a short shelf life.

[Maxinquaye]

I of course agree with all of you. I don't write to trends at all. Yet... looking around at writer communities where you get to crit stuff, like SYW here, there's an awful lot of vampires at the moment. :)

[Libbie]

Perhaps a trend gets started because so many writers are inspired by what their peers are doing. It's not a conscious attempt to follow a trend, but when you crit your pal's vampire novel maybe you start thinking up your own vampire story, just because they're prowling around in your head.

[Phaeal]

Well, just to give you guys all a heads up, I'm starting the next trend:

Sexy, angst-ridden, sparkly shoggoths and the average (but with ancient powers) teenagers who love them. Oh, and were-chihuahua* best friends are in there, too.




* 'Cause ain't nothing scarier than a were-chihuahua, and I have the ankle-bites to prove it.

[MGraybosch]

Sexy, angst-ridden, sparkly shoggoths and the average (but with ancient powers) teenagers who love them. Oh, and were-chihuahua* best friends are in there, too.

Will there be tentacle rape?

[Maxinquaye]

Hmmm. Vampires controlling the white house?

Damn. Been there, done that. I believe that's David Icke's turf.

[Phaeal]

Will there be tentacle rape?

Yes, of the were-chihuahua king. He was asking for it.

But, as you know, Bob, shoggoths are able to form all sorts of temporary organs from their sublimely plastic protoflesh. Sooooo. I think they will be able to satisfy every average (but with extraordinary orifices, er, powers) teenager they encounter.

[Maxinquaye]

Werepoodles?

Every full moon the handsome hero turned into Fifi, the pink poodle.

Wonderful! I'll have a first draft in about a month.

[LuckyH]

I love the comments and don’t want to spoil the mood. But I also want to say my piece, dilemma time again.

In the nineties the swaying herd followed juvenile witchcraft, now the swaying herd is into vampires, ones that fall in love.

I belong to the biggest swaying herd of them all, the crime writers. They’ve been trampling all over literature for hundreds of years.

Occasionally, some wise person jumps out of the swaying herd and mesmerises readers. Rowling and Meyer are late examples, in my field Sherlock Holmes rose above the swell. And The Choir Boys proved that there is life after death.

I’m the pebble on the beach, in the middle of the swaying herd, and I’m crawling back into my hole right now.

[Phaeal]

Werepoodles are okay, but were-chihuahuas will pwn them.

Crime writers can get in on the trend. Neil Gaiman won a Hugo for combining Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraft ("A Study in Emerald"). I'm thinking of a thriller called, "Night of the Shih Tzus," which will delve into the international terrorist group, Al-Canine, and the dog whisperers who oppose it!

Naturally, there will also be "Dawn of the Shih Tzus," "Day of the Shih Tzus," and "High Tea-time of the Shih Tzus."

[Charlie Horse]

Well, just to give you guys all a heads up, I'm starting the next trend:

Sexy, angst-ridden, sparkly shoggoths and the average (but with ancient powers) teenagers who love them. Oh, and were-chihuahua* best friends are in there, too.




* 'Cause ain't nothing scarier than a were-chihuahua, and I have the ankle-bites to prove it.

Sorry, Phaeal, I've got the next trend locked up already. It's books that 99% of agents turn their noses up at. Now if I could just locate that 1%...

[Jamesaritchie]

I love the comments and don’t want to spoil the mood. But I also want to say my piece, dilemma time again.

In the nineties the swaying herd followed juvenile witchcraft, now the swaying herd is into vampires, ones that fall in love.

I belong to the biggest swaying herd of them all, the crime writers. They’ve been trampling all over literature for hundreds of years.

Occasionally, some wise person jumps out of the swaying herd and mesmerises readers. Rowling and Meyer are late examples, in my field Sherlock Holmes rose above the swell. And The Choir Boys proved that there is life after death.

I’m the pebble on the beach, in the middle of the swaying herd, and I’m crawling back into my hole right now.

I hate the image of a herd. I think there are simply millions of readers looking for a good story, filled with characters they like. Doesn't matter what the genre is, or what the sub-genre is. A good story filled with good characters is all there is.

[C.M.C.]

I am blissful in my ignorance of trends. I like being out of the loop.

[Mara]

I'm hoping the next big trend involves combining traditional western fantasy, modern fantasy, and eastern anime/manga/wuxia fantasy. :)

[Maxinquaye]

Werepoodles are okay, but were-chihuahuas will pwn them.

Crime writers can get in on the trend. Neil Gaiman won a Hugo for combining Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraft ("A Study in Emerald"). I'm thinking of a thriller called, "Night of the Shih Tzus," which will delve into the international terrorist group, Al-Canine, and the dog whisperers who oppose it!

Naturally, there will also be "Dawn of the Shih Tzus," "Day of the Shih Tzus," and "High Tea-time of the Shih Tzus."

I just wrote a werepoodle short story. I'll put it up in SYW when I've polished it more.

[Jon_S]

I wouldn't know how to be trendy, honestly. I just write the stories that appeal to me.

[Cliff Face]

Yeah, I'm half and half. Like, my first book was a fantasy comedy. I wanted to do with fantasy what Douglas Adams did with SF. Then I finished my book, and it was only alright. Then I read Terry Pratchett and realised I couldn't compete, and that the trend was already completely pwned by one man.

So now I'm just writing something I want to tell. It crosses boundaries, so while it's a SF/F Thriller, it's also a romance. There's an AI in it (bringing back The Matrix trend) and there's a Spider Queen in it (bringing back god knows how many high fantasy trends) and there's zombies in it, which is one of the oldest trends in the world.

If you put them all together, you can't have a trend per se because if I saw another book with an AI, a Spider Queen and some zombies that was also a romance, then I'd be all, "Thief, thief! Cut off his hands!"

So no trends for me.

Meanwhile, the only trend I've ever noticed (seeing as how I live under a rock most of the time) is the current vampire trend - and by noticed, I mean I've read some of them and they have their own section in my local book store. I'm quite happy to have noticed this trend, but I must admit I did consider writing a vampire novel because of it. It was going to be current century smut, basically, which probably wouldn't sell too well.

I'm just waiting for comedic fantasy to become a very lively trend, and then bam, I'm so there. (Not that I won't try and get mine published first anyway...)

[KiraOnWhite]

Trends maybe a good thing in the sense that they become the trademark of a certain generation. Just like the Detective Golden Age, I'm still waiting for a Vampire Renaissance, but I suppose I'm looking in the wrong places since most I encounter is generic crap.

That said, I hope to introduce the trend of Male Crossdressing heroes and forever blur the distinction between masculine and feminine beauty. Oh, and hot engineers as well.

[HelloKiddo]

I've never paid attention to trends. I do my own thing, and bugger what everybody else thinks of me.

This may be the reason I've never been asked on a date in my life.

That or the carnivorous-looking death bird on your arm is scaring the boys off. That fella looks like the type who'll go right for the eyes...

[Melenka]

I don't write to trends, but I'll admit to diving into them as a reader. I like paranormal fiction and have for 30+ years, so I'm pretty sure those sort of stories will be around for a good long time. Vampires, shape shifters, magic, fairies, good v evil - there's just so much to explore, and the whole time, folks are really writing about stuff around them, just through a different lens. Hooray for fiction! What matters most is whether or not the story is well written with a strong voice. Doesn't matter the genre, if it's good good voice, I'll follow the story.

[ishtar'sgate]

So, having set up the question, it becomes - do you take into account, to any degree, what is trendy now when you're writing your book?
Not at all. I write about what interests me. That's the only way I can sustain a passion for my work throughout the length of the novel.

[The Lonely One]

Unfortunately I think I follow trends from longer ago than a couple of years.

[KiraOnWhite]

I feel rather guilty to admit that I follow trends to seek out derivative fiction spawned from it and secretly mock them for stress relief >_<

[folkchick]

I'm not trendy; I'm just depressed.

[Toothpaste]

My latest book was not trendy at all. At all. And guess what, we're having a devil of a time trying to sell it. So, like is always advised, I set about trying to think of the next thing to write as I waited for someone somewhere to maybe give my very un-trendy book a chance.

As I was brainstorming, an editor asked my author friend who was working with her on another series if she was writing anything to such and such a trend. My friend wasn't, but I decided to try. And now I am almost done said book, and I rather like it I must say. But I'm taking a huge risk. Trends come and go so quickly, and I know the bandwagon is passing. It's why I only took two months to write this one.

Anyway, just offering a slightly different perspective. I find sometimes threads here take a certain tangent and they are off without anyone getting to see the other side. Writing to trend isn't evil. It's just not advisable, especially if you don't have an agent yet. You never know how long it will take you to get an agent alone, let alone a deal, and by then the trend will have whipped by. But if you do have an agent and the two of you are going to try to sell a book to a current buying trend, it's a bit different.

Oh, and trying to write something to trend, something you might not normally write, doesn't necessarily mean the end result will be crappy. Just as you don't always write when "inspired" you can look at writing as a business first and still come up with something unique and fun.


ETA: you should also know that when I say trend I mean buying trend. I don't mean what's on the shelf now. I'm talking behind the scenes, what editors are looking for and buying this fall. Writing to a trend that is already on the shelf is a silly idea as that isn't what is being purchased in the moment. Only write to such a trend if it just happens to be something you are passionate about.

[Samantha's_Song]

I've never been a one to follow trends, never will be, I write the ideas that come into my head without any kind of sway from anywhere.

[Sandy Shin]

So, having set up the question, it becomes - do you take into account, to any degree, what is trendy now when you're writing your book?

I'm not sure if fairytale re-telling is trendy now. I suspect it has always been.

I try not to let the trends influence my writing, but that's a difficult task. What I write is heavily influenced by what I read, and as I have been trying to read more newly published novel (instead of sticking to the classics of the genre), I've noticed that I can't help but absorb some of the trends.

I don't actively try to write into a trend (like vampire, or faery), but they certainly do influence my writing psyche to some degree. I've noticed I am a lot more influenced by the narrative trends in books, though: i.e. present tense in YA novels.

[Dawnstorm]

Vampires are yesterday. Zombies are on the rise.

But, basically, the best way to go is to pick up on what's creating a buzz currently and then putting a twist on this. Which is why I'm thinking of writing:

Alien vs. Predator, and Emma Woodhouse

in which Emma tries to set up the fat lady next door with the mysterious stranger who's just moved into town. She's got a bit of an overbite and never leaves her cellar, while the gentleman's got a horrid complexion and a disagreeable hairdo - they're the perfect fit! Hilarity ensues, as Emma consistently fails to realise that all they're really interested in is killing each other.

There: instant bestseller. It can't possibly fail. If only you could all be as trendy as I.