Writing Song of the Day: "Stolen" by Dashboard ConfessionalOkay, it's Wednesday--one of my favorite days of the week because we get to join the lovely ladies of YA Highway for another Road Trip Wednesday! This week, they want to know:
What SNI were you psyched to work on, but discovered it was too close to something already done?
Those gals sure know how to ask the hard-hitting questions. I may have mentioned once or twice on this blog how I'm just a LITTLE (see the irony?) obsessed with checking out the deals on Publishers Marketplace. There have been a handful of moments where I cringe and say: "Wait a minute, that sounds familiar..." In fact, Quita just purchased a book that slightly reminds me of Project J (*shakes fist at Quita*).
Alas, I'll focus on the story that Quita and I were supposed to write together. About a year and a half ago, Inception blew our minds. So much so, we were inspired to co-author a novel that would blow other people's minds. But then, we started noticing a trend in the marketplace. Almost every book in the YA section was dystopian. Almost every new deal was a dystopian novel. And then in several interviews and panels with agents and editors, they said they were a little tired of seeing a certain type of submission. I think you know where we're going with this one.
So Quita and I have decided to step away from this project...or at least temporarily. We're trying to think of a unique way to allow our baby to stand out in a saturated, yet AWESOME, marketplace. We're trying to think of a way to make it less dystopian-y (like my new adjective?), and more BAD ASS.
What about you all? Ever have your dreams ripped out of your hands? Or something slightly less dramatic?
8 comments:
I'm going through a similar thing with one of mine. So much so that I'm trying to make it more badass. (You better not steal my fix, ladies.)
Of course, there's always the possibility that by the time your work is ready for editing/publication, the market will be ready for it. It's not always your novel that needs to change. :)
Maybe indeed the market will be different by the time you´re ready to send it out to the world...I´m sure more Badassing can be a good thing though :D
Markets change! And I bet a few years down the road, when we're all still reeling from the Mayan Apocalypse but it's not so fresh in our minds that we can't read about it, what's left of the publishing industry will totally start a newer, fresher dystopian trend.
I have a friend who recently took a break from what sounded like the coolest dystopian ever because the market is saturated. Give it a few years. It will make its way back to "slightly less saturated." :)
I have a friend who wrote a pretty awesome dystopian that will probably never see the light of day for this very reason. Such a shame.
I haven't had this happen to me just yet, but I think you guys definitely did the right thing. Put it on hold, but don't give up. The trend will wane at some point and then this can be fresh!
Yes! Saw a book with my same subject matter and title! I cried (yes, really.)
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