So, here is what I am seeing.
1. I do believe publishers are reducing the number of "new authors" they are signing. I think this is simply due to a decline in over-all quality of the writers out there. Might as well stick with who you have.
2. I think there is a desire to make the stories have more depth to them and yet, in some fashion, keeping it with the traditional styles of writing.
3. Stories need to now be "fast reads." The desire to have stories that you really enjoy over a long period of time seems to be disappearing.
4. Because of #3 the writing tends to be more plot driven and have less depth, which is obviously a contradiciton to #2
5. Paranormals are begging for anything new and yet, I am not sure the professionals (editor and agents) know what that is yet. As I have always said, going from Werewolf to WereCat is just not enough of a shift.
6. Yes stories are hotter now but this is simply a reaction to the erotica market. I think we'll find the happy medium soon.
Over-all, I think the romance industry ins in the middle of some serious growing and maturing. How it will turn out is still a question.
Hi Scott,
ReplyDeleteIt's sad but definitely true that publishers seem to be sticking to the tried and true authors. If publishers don't want to deal with newbies like me, it makes me wonder if those tried and true authors are selling books in this poor economic climate? I've had many agents tell me that it's hard to sell the romance genre right now. Do you see an end in sight to the slim pickings?