Sunday, January 25, 2009
The "Out" Crowd
I'm having a tough time making my way through the 3rd draft of my current WIP. I think part of my problem has to do with reading message boards on the Absolute Write water cooler, which I think is a great site. Whenever I read posts about authors who've attracted an agent's attention I learn it's because they've written a "YA, urban fantasy" novel. What the ??? I don't write this kind of fiction. I'm writing lit fic for women about issues I feel pertain to the every day woman. I'm not seeing agent excitement about my kind of writing. It's a little disheartening. I guess I'm not part of the "in" literary crowd. I know I should write "what I know" and about issues that move me and I should write for myself, blah, blah, blah. Unless I develop a teenaged vampire blessed with superpowers who harkens from some subterranean netherworld to fight the wrongs of humanity I don't think I'm going to see the light of day in the publishing world. Agents and publishers say they don't want gimmicks, but this kind of fiction feels gimmicky to me. Publishing is a business like any other and those involved want to make money. That's the bottom line. If actually publishing a novel is the be-all and end-all for me I guess I'd better trunk my current novel and get to work on my "YA urban fantasy." Whatever that is. Maybe I should come up with a whole new genre: the middle-aged female suburban reality novel. Sound sexy??
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4 comments:
Write a good book. That's all you can do. Try to write a good book.
And remember that these "geniuses" who were entrusted with a tradition that goes back to Gutenberg gave us Twighlight.
Don't give up yet, Amy!
No, no. Not giving up...just refocusing my energies!! ;o)
I think I read that YA was the only category that increased in sales last year, so it doesn't surprise me that it's selling well right now. But not EVERY debut novel is going to be YA, so just write what you like.
Signed, the women's fiction writer who is kicking around the idea of writing a Middle Grade book
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