Stephenie Meyer, look what you did. *sigh*
Okay, so the world isn't lacking in open, interested YA lit writing agents, but it gets a little annoying when I keep seeing things like, "Please no vampires, give me something new." Because, really, I think my book is something new. It has Kappa in it, for heaven's sake. But I know that a premise of "and the main character is a vampire" will put these people off their appetites faster than if I were writing about cannibals. (Not that there's much of a difference.) It's times like these when I think about dropping Accidents, writing out one of my non-fantasy manuscript ideas, and using that as my first novel instead. But I don't want to do that, because I think Accidents is a good first novel to go into the market with. It's got commercial appeal, but it's a little edgier than some of the other YA lit that's out now, and it's a series, the only one I have planned, and I want to lead with something strong, but not too strong. And I think, out of my current novel ideas, it's the one with the most shelf appeal, meaning that people might actually look at it/buy it even though I'm a new author and no one's heard of my before. It's just annoying that my best leading novel has to have vampires, and that vampires are so popular/unpopular now, when very few of my other ideas have any fantasy in them at all.
That was a rant. Sorry for anyone who actually read through that. I feel better now.
Teen writer succumbs to the devastating wiles of fiction. Also available: opinions, blabbering, author-worship.
I know exactly how you feel. My current WIP has vampires, too, although they are the bad guys, which these days seems like something new and unique. I'm nowhere near finished with it, much less ready to even think about submitting it, but I worry a lot about putting all that effort into writing it and then being told that it can't be published because there are too many other vampire books out there already. But you know what? Right now this is the story that's "speaking" to me and trying to claw it's way out of my head and onto the page. So I'm sticking with it. If you believe in your story, and it sounds like you've thought it out and you do believe in it, then just go for it. There's a reason there are so many vampire books out there- people eat them up! There are plenty of readers out there looking for a good story to sink their teeth into (please forgive the really bad- and unintended- pun.) Just write the story and send it out. If it's really good, the right editor will see it and snap it up. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteBTW- I found you by following your link on Absolute Write.
Vampire villians are Always Fun, and there could stand to be more of them. (Have you read Sunshine? You ought to read Sunshine.) My book has both - protagonist and antagonist vamps. I'm not giving up on this story because of how long it's been in the works; I was planning it before Twilight was popular. XD; I hope there will always be a place in literature for a well-written, teeth-sinkable vampire story. Good luck to you on finishing your story, and whatever you choose to do with it. Cheers to the next ring of Vampire Writers. ;[
ReplyDelete(Cool! I was starting to feel a little lonely here.)