Book Trends Detected On The Industry Radar

[Katie-Ellen]

Shall we post further findings here? I imagine what goes for the States may go to at least an extent for the UK. @AgentP may warn us if that really isn't the case.

Q & A re: trends with a range of industry profs starting with Associate Editor/Publisher at small book company, Archipelago, discussing foressen trends.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/kendall-storey-archipelago-books/

Says one agent: The time to begin writing in a trend is probably 12-plus months before a trend has been identified.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

So no actual trends mentioned, by then if you need to know it twelve months in advance, which kinda makes sense, then what we need is a crystal ball! Still, the best story you can write about, is the one you're passionate about, therefore write what feels right for you. Chances of that fitting a trend is probably slim, but then if you write for a trend (which hasn't been identified - until its too late), is probably not going to be your best work...
Time to get back to editing me thinks

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Maybe it's where luck comes into it; you write what you feel impelled to, then get lucky with the timing. Crystal ball, or else somehow sufficiently and maybe even instictively in tune through reading, with what might be the emergent zeitgeist. But trends are mentioned; translation rights look like big business, set to grow, and there's a faint warning that YA dystopia may be running out of time, and a few other things are flagged up. High fantasy if it's elegant and not 'pseudo-European' (?) Maybe she is referring to American writers producing cod-European? No more Sci Fi predicated on our own contemporary mores, no more teens romantically at sea; it's too universal a problem to appeal to teens, more genre-crossing, high concept, evan a little zany, boundary pushing...

This has just appeared in my feed now: another agent discussing trends and what she hopes for.

http://darleyandersonblog.com/2015/02/16/manuscript-wishlist-camilla-wray/

 

[Katie-Ellen]

US writers of YA, most members here seem to write YA, this US agent, Michelle Witte wants eerie, gothic, beautiful, creepy YA fiction: https://twitter.com/mansionstreet

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Odd, because their website says Michelle has been closed to submissions since May of last year...

 

[Katie-Ellen]

It was tweeted today. Could be duff info; but also, this kind of info changes; maybe anyone interested could check directly.