The Myth On Book Trends
So what's 'IN' this year as far as books? Dystopian? Faeries? Steampunk? Vampires? Werewolves?
Who knows these things? And the truth is ... somethings will always be a trend.
WHEN PUBLISHERS PUSH DIFFERENT BOOKS OUT
So when you go to the bookstores and find out that all the new books for the year has come in and now your beloved Vampire sagas are all gone does that means you are in love with a dying trend.
Bookstores and the public is fed what publishers produce. So if you have a hankering for something that is no longer NEW or FRESH you won't be finding that special book at the bookstore anymore.
WHO DECIDES WHAT A TREND IS
I always wondered if the large publisher houses did research on book sale numbers, economic analysis on which books do well during what times, and serious pow-wows to determine based on actual data what they should be selling the next year. Like if Large pub 'A' is kicking out all of these teen Vampire series, Large pub 'B' should kick out Mermaid series. From where I'm standing ... they all seem to be grappling for the same things.
SERIOUSLY READERS LIKE THE SAME THINGS AND RARELY CHANGE UP
Personally after surveying my friends who are avid readers, my daughters friends who are insatiable readers guess what?! THEY PRETTY MUCH READ THE SAME STORIES - OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
For some reason my son is hooked on Zombie books - but get this they have to have certain characteristics or the kid won't even pick it up. The MC has to be male and a teen. There has to be a large death count, lots of action and a smidgen of a relationship with a girl.
My daughter's bent is a little wider, she likes faeries, sea creatures, magic - but no vampires or werewolves unless they don't show there bad side. She has to have a bit of romance in each, and doesn't like the love triangle thing at all. And you know what - she will read other things I give her, review it fairly but admit that it's not her thing.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO PUBLISHERS OR AUTHORS?
Maybe all this means is that if you want to write/publish those Vampire books - you will have an audience for them and any other trend that you 'think' is dead. Because readers are creatures of habit. So maybe it's not about chasing that next big wave in publishing ... maybe it's about FINDING YOUR AUDIENCE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE YOUR READING HABITS PRETTY STRICK?LM Preston (www.lmpreston.com) , author of THE PACK, EXPLORER X-Alpha and BANDITS
Who knows these things? And the truth is ... somethings will always be a trend.
WHEN PUBLISHERS PUSH DIFFERENT BOOKS OUT
So when you go to the bookstores and find out that all the new books for the year has come in and now your beloved Vampire sagas are all gone does that means you are in love with a dying trend.
Bookstores and the public is fed what publishers produce. So if you have a hankering for something that is no longer NEW or FRESH you won't be finding that special book at the bookstore anymore.
WHO DECIDES WHAT A TREND IS
I always wondered if the large publisher houses did research on book sale numbers, economic analysis on which books do well during what times, and serious pow-wows to determine based on actual data what they should be selling the next year. Like if Large pub 'A' is kicking out all of these teen Vampire series, Large pub 'B' should kick out Mermaid series. From where I'm standing ... they all seem to be grappling for the same things.
SERIOUSLY READERS LIKE THE SAME THINGS AND RARELY CHANGE UP
Personally after surveying my friends who are avid readers, my daughters friends who are insatiable readers guess what?! THEY PRETTY MUCH READ THE SAME STORIES - OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
For some reason my son is hooked on Zombie books - but get this they have to have certain characteristics or the kid won't even pick it up. The MC has to be male and a teen. There has to be a large death count, lots of action and a smidgen of a relationship with a girl.
My daughter's bent is a little wider, she likes faeries, sea creatures, magic - but no vampires or werewolves unless they don't show there bad side. She has to have a bit of romance in each, and doesn't like the love triangle thing at all. And you know what - she will read other things I give her, review it fairly but admit that it's not her thing.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO PUBLISHERS OR AUTHORS?
Maybe all this means is that if you want to write/publish those Vampire books - you will have an audience for them and any other trend that you 'think' is dead. Because readers are creatures of habit. So maybe it's not about chasing that next big wave in publishing ... maybe it's about FINDING YOUR AUDIENCE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE YOUR READING HABITS PRETTY STRICK?LM Preston (www.lmpreston.com) , author of THE PACK, EXPLORER X-Alpha and BANDITS
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