Erynn gave us some great info Monday. It's important to know what you are reading - and writing - and why you like it. What elements of the genre make it your favorite? Why do you write what you write? Read what you read?
I'm doing a speaking event for the women's ministry at my church next month, and the title of our night is WHAT ARE YOU READING? Part of my speech is explaining to them some of the inside scoop in the publishing industry, and I plan on taking a poll to see which genres are their favorites.
Last I heard, and guys correct me if you've heard otherwise, is that historicals are the hot genre right now, especially Amish. Shocking, since a few years ago, editors at conferences were begging to be sent anything BUT historicals. Now the market has changed and they are begging FOR them! You never know when readers will change the tide - but its all about the reader and what they buy!
What's down in sales lately is romantic suspense, which is sad because I love reading romantic suspense! Also chick lit is on its way out - or at least being revamped into a different style (right Erynn?) The original, snarky, sarcastic, fun first-person voice chick lit laden with pop culture references is just not selling anymore - to readers or to editors/agents.
Another hot genre right now, thanks to Twilight series, is fantasy. Even in the Christian publishing industry, you'll start to find vampires and other worldly creatures.
I've heard it said over and over "It only takes ONE hit to change the tide."
So if you're writing a genre that is seeing a low right now, don't worry! The tide will change again. Keep writing what you are writing!! Write the stories of your heart and what God tells you to write and don't worry about the industry. If you follow the tide, it will have changed by the time you're ready to make a sale. So don't chase fads! Chase your heart =)
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whoa now, Amish and Prairie life is getting popular AGAIN? That is all that is and has been in my local Christian bookstores for as long as I can remember and they are getting dusty because nobody is buying them! I do have a full shelf of them BUT I would have thought chick lit would be taking over by now! I never even knew about the chick lit genre until a friend told me about MissMatch and I found all of my other chick lits online. I wonder, do people just not know good Christian chick lit is out there? I didn't, no thanks to Family Christina Bookstores.
ReplyDeleteI'm writing in the Chick-lit genre. You made me nervous for a second there! LOL! But it will be a good long while before I start looking to sell my book!
I'm reading Pilgrims Progress and Catching Fire. Both are on either side of the spectrum, but are very good reads. Of course, it took me awhile to get into Catching Fire.
ReplyDeleteI write YA and I'm working on two right now. The first is a YA Christian wip and the other is a SteamPunk.
I think you have to read what you write, but it's also good to read other things, too. A friend wrote in her blog that you should read two good books and one bad one. I'm not sure I agree with the bad one, but we do have to know what works and doesn't.
Okay, I have a question. I was reading another blog about swearing in YA. The agent said that it depends if it is true to the character, but if you are just saying to say it, it loses its punch.
ReplyDeleteThere are times when I've written and I've tried to find another word to express the anger. I don't have swear words in my wip, becasue I have to give an account to God, regardless if only I read or have others read it.
Most writers on the blog agreed with the agent to use them and love it, but I'm wondering if it is true to the character even in a Christian novel if it's okay? Of course, I'm thinking of thier friends or someone who has a changed heart, etc.
Just blabbing.
I agree with Tiffany: I accidentally stumbled upon chick lit via Amazon. Until then I never knew it existed, so maybe readers just don't know about it as much as other genres. I have to say, the Amish books never appealed to me. ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree... lots of Amish books. When I first picked up the Lauren Holbrook Series, I wanted more. I searched high and low for ANY other chick-lit but alas, nothing could be found. :( I would love more chick-lit, but of course that's my opinion. I'm reading Pride and Prejudice right now and I'm in love! Such talent... My friends think I'm crazy but who cares? :D
ReplyDeleteJessica, other chick lit novels out there, if you want to go back just a few years, is Kristin Billerbeck's series. Look her name up on Amazon, she's got several and those are great! Erynn probably has other suggestions. My friend wrote a story called Table For One by The Wild Rose Press that's available through Amazon, Georgiana Daniels. It's got a chick lit vibe to it, a really cute story about a meddling mother in law =)
ReplyDeleteErynn, could your stories be labeled as YA as well, since the characters are college-aged?
Ladonna, most Christian publishers won't publish curse words, so the problem is somewhat moot. It might however turn an editor off to buying your book if they see the manuscript with curse words in it. There are ways around realistic cussing in novels. You could always simply write:
She cursed.
as narrative. Doesn't have to be dialogue. Is that what you're asking?
Courtney, two more Christian chick lit authors are Laura Jensen Walker and Denise Hildreth. i haven't started reading Walker's work yet but I read the Savannah series by Hildreth. i wasn't thrilled with the character of Savannah, I thought she was kind of petty and snobbish but if you stick through it her character develops and she is much better by the end of the series. It does not talk about God as much as Erynn's books but they are still clean and Christian. I prefer Jane Austen to those books but hey, we all have to throw good modern Christian chick lit in there for good measure =].
ReplyDeleteLike the others who posted, I have trouble finding Christian chick lit, even online. Could you maybe give us some more names?
much love! <3
ohhh one more thing! Ladonna, I don't think as Christians we should swear in our books at all. I even try to sway from substitutes, even though I am prone to use them in everyday life, because some Christians are even offended by them. You could express the level of anger by describing the person's face, fist clenched or use crazy descriptions like "Her glare was so strong that I thought I was about to turn into a pile of soot." Or say that she muttered under her breath. In the book I am writing I am narrating so I will do something like this: "That is so messed up! Don't give me that excuse." Jess yelled at him. Of course her language was much more colorful than that.
ReplyDeleteI agree we shouldn't curse in novels, and I wouldn't in mine. There is a writer than will probably be very popular in the next year or so with her YA book and works in Sunday School and has cursing in her novels and sex. However, her ms isn't Christian. She says that's what teens do.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the statement. I agree with Tiffany we can use other things to get our anger across or frustration.
I was really bringing it out to see what people thought. ANd I wouldn't give a Christian editor a ms with curising in it, too.
I guess I'm more surprised that people feel it is okay to use foul language, but as a follower of Christ I have to give account to Him and even if He allowed my work to be published I don't want to provoke others to sin, so I wouldn't use foul language.
It's strange that historical fiction and fantasy are the genres that are in right now, considering those are my least favorite. I wouldn't mind reading historical fiction, but vampires and odd creatures don't really "inspire" me. But apparently they do with other readers! =)
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Tessa
Aww, thanks, Betsy :D
ReplyDeleteYou know, it's funny about these cycles--it seems the pendulum swings sooo far each time that there's not any room for other genres. Well, at least when I browse the local bookshelves they stock mostly one type of book. Perils of a small town! Anyhoo, great advice about writing the books of our hearts.