tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post6648886219079423313..comments2024-01-01T11:51:53.860-08:00Comments on Babbles from Scott Eagan: Updates from ItalyScott Eaganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17209357682070126879noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post-35278161316561593052008-10-05T08:21:00.000-07:002008-10-05T08:21:00.000-07:00I think if we really dig into this more, you will ...I think if we really dig into this more, you will find that there really is a lot of sense to this. The comments I heard while in Matera I think drove it home. The people who really set the trends are the writers that come up with some great story ideas and approaches. Come up with something break out and dang, you can be the next S. Meyer. <BR/><BR/>On the other hand, we do have to establish some guidelines as to what we really want to see and where we want to go.<BR/><BR/>So, in the end, do we need to follow trends? Sure. We want stories that have a foot on what is going on right now. Even with S. Meyers, she is tapping into the common themes of teen issues that are so strong right now. We also want a foot on something new and unqiue. Again, in her case, she moved over into what was traditionally something that adults dealt with and tweaked it into something new.<BR/><BR/>Finally, as for the references to the confusions in the agents information, I can fully understand the frustration. I think this is one of the reasons I try so hard to keep it clear to readers what I want.<BR/><BR/>ScottScott Eaganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17209357682070126879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163829887162955058.post-5373402250420491142008-10-04T13:21:00.000-07:002008-10-04T13:21:00.000-07:00I must be confused on this one.At the same time ag...I must be confused on this one.At the same time agents & editors are insisting they do not want writers to "write for the market," they are admitting privately that they indeed are buying EXACTLY what is selling right now.<BR/> This makes perfect sense, of course, but leaves writers hung over the trench, for sure. For clarification see the JJ agent blog on the DMLA site, in which their own agent says she does not want to see some of the very topics on her own agency's "wanted" list. Again, this makes perfect sense, because many of us were tired of vampire topics after reading "Dracula," but obviously when S. Meyer holds three out of four spots on the bestseller list with her own vampire series, a lot of readers cannot get enough of the topic.<BR/> Now what? Agents want something "fresh and different," but only if it looks just like a Stephanie Meyer vampire book ! If it really is fresh and diffferent, they won't take a chance on it, because it has no track record in the market. The human comedy rolls on!<BR/> Thanks for the update on Italy. It must have been wonderful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com