What do you guys think about trends? Author/Agent Mandy Hubbard did a post on current and future trends the other day. I thought it was interesting and I hope you will too. She is a YA author and agent, so it's for picture books, middle grade and YA. You can find her blog post here.
I'm not a huge fan of trends. Meaning, I don't follow them. When someone says all agents want is "dystopian", or "contemporary", I write something different. I don't like following everyone. It's not like I care if someone writes the same genre as me, I just like writing the story that is calling to me at that time. If I'm working on a paranormal and agents/editors aren't looking for that? Oh well. I'm going to write my paranormal. I have to make sure it's different enough to stand out, obviously, but I'm not going to put it aside because everyone is writing something else.
What do you think of trends? Do you follow them? Did Mandy's post make you cringe because you don't write what editors are looking for? Did it give you hope?
14 comments:
whats the point of writing somehting unless you are passionate about it. Dont go with trends, make them! Muwahhaha
I'll go read the post.
Here's the hard thing about trends. Once you hear about the trend, by the time it takes you to write a book like that and get it publishable, the trend could've moved on. So, no. I don't write with the trends. Besides, in all the agent interview's and chat's I've read, the most important thing always is that your writing is good, your voice fresh, and your story intriguing.
You could write about a dying monkey that infects a human and changes them into a human monkey who falls in love with a girl...whatever. If it's good and gets an agent's interest, they'll bite. Does that make sense? I hope so because it's not everyday I write about radioactive monkeys :) Haha.
I'm with you on this one; I could never write according to trend. The story has to speak to me - that's all there is to it. :)
I'm writing a dystopian. Which are kinda popular right now. The thing is, I started it a year ago before I even knew what a dystopian book was. And by the time I finish it, dystopians may be a thing of the past. But it is a story I love and like Michelle said, if it is a compelling story that has a unique voice, then it will speak for itself no matter what genre it is. I hope.
I don't write for trends, because the time I finish writing a book the trend could be over. I think you gotta write the story that you like because you're going to be reading those words a lot.
I think the writing to trends doesn't work. There's too big a time lag between when your work is accepted and it hits the shelves.
Write what you love. Trends shift. By the time your projects comes in line again, you'll be ready.
I don't follow the trends. I don't even pay attention to them, really. I write whatever story pops into my head.
I agree with the commenters above- you should write the story you want, trends be damned! I do think, though, that like trends in any area (foods, baby names, fashion, whatever) trends in writing come from things that have seeped into the public consciousness one way or another and so you can write a "trendy" novel without meaning to simply because something in your everyday life has caught your imagination (and something similar may have caught the imagination of some other writer(s) as well).
I really don't follow trends. I write what I know, what I love to read myself, and what is pounding at my brain to come out. A trend has to start somewhere, right?
I don't write for trends. I write what sparks my imagination and what I love. Who can keep up with what's in or out, it seems to change fast.
I'd never, ever write for trends. I can only write for myself, what excites me & what I'm passionate about.
I agree with the other comments, if you recognize a trend in what's popular, it's probably already too late to fit in it. If you just happen to be working on publishing something that suddenly becomes wildly popular--Lucky You!
I'm annoyed by trends. Especially when what I'm writing is not one of them. :) No really, I think like most of the lovely comments above said, you have to write what you're passionate about and MAKE the trends.
@Read my books; lose ten pounds! I will definitely make my own trends! Bwa ha ha ha! ;) Isn't that so much fun to write?
@Michelle Merrill Michelle! You stole my dream book idea! ;)
@Kimberly Krey Agreed! :D
@Ruth I definitely agree, Ruth. Write what speaks to you. If it is original and has a distinct voice, you'll be fine. ;)
@Patti Absolutely agree. I'm the same way.
@Donna K. Weaver The market does change so fast. No one could possibly keep up with it. You are so right about writing what you love. Don't go by trends. They never stick. :)
@Kelsey Me too, Kelsey. Me too. :)
@Megan It's so hard to keep original ideas original! lol By the time I get a story written, I find out another write has a similar idea! But, everyone may have similar story lines, but you make it your own with your voice and awesome writing. Down with trends! :)
@L.J. We really should make our own trends. Seriously. Everyone will follow us! Mwah ha ha ha! ;)
@Kerri Cuev Me too. I can't keep up with this business at all! lol
@Trisha Me too. It wouldn't be as fun following everyone else. I like to beat my own drum and write whatever the heck I want! :)
@Maggie I know! Lucky for some people, editors are looking for exactly what they are writing! And then if will change tomorrow. ;)
@K.D. Kinney I couldn't agree more! I don't really follow what's hot and what's not. I don't want to depress myself! lol
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