Comments on Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent: You Tell Me: What Genre Is Your Work in Progress?

I'm working simultaniously on about... well, two b...

2009-09-20T00:31:19.984-07:00

I'm working simultaniously on about... well, two books at the time being, both fantasy. But actually, I have a whole bunch more started, but I haven't gotten around to finishing them... again, all fantasy. YA fantasy, really... or perhaps bordering on YA and Childrens... not really sure there. The books (and book ideas) range everywhere from quest fantasy to urban fantasy... and maybe I toy a little in science fiction, but really... I just struggle with that. I enjoy SF, but I just have trouble writing it. Fantasy if my cup of tea. Trying to finish up the final revision of one so that I can at last start querying agents... its taking me forever!

I work in several genres...literary fiction, comme...

2009-08-26T16:38:56.329-07:00

I work in several genres...literary fiction, commercial fiction (didn't see that one anywhere...) and women's fiction. How are blended genres being received lately (for example, dark literary chick lit, etc.)?

I clicked "other" because there wasn't a category ...

2009-08-26T15:37:57.240-07:00

I clicked "other" because there wasn't a category for comedy romance. Was going to tick just romance, but I'm picky what I tick.

My other book, EDEN, which out now can't be ticked either! What no sci-fi romance?!

Wonder how I missed this last week... Interesting...

2009-08-26T15:03:44.333-07:00

Wonder how I missed this last week...

Interesting results. I would have figured far more YA, but that's probably more to do with it seeming that everyone I know is writing a YA book of some kind (I've got 3 YA writers in my crit group, out of 7 of us). I checked off the fantasy ticky box, though my book is more historical fantasy. Think Mists of Avalon meets The Iliad, but with Aztec gods mucking about. And it's a doorstop, so make that epic historical fantasy. :-)

Perry Campanella I represent a Publishing Corporat...

2009-08-25T21:48:48.318-07:00

Perry Campanella I represent a Publishing Corporation in Florida they accept all genre for all Family readers!
Worldwide Publishing Inc. AAP Book
Publishing. Looking for researchers
to assist authors with speaking engagements and Agenting. Grab - A - Book :) Everyone has a story to tell: we tell everyone! Write on.

No humour/satire/comedy? Oh dear, I'm stuffed.

2009-08-23T23:55:50.080-07:00

No humour/satire/comedy? Oh dear, I'm stuffed.

Am I cynical to think that the popularity of young...

2009-08-23T08:03:55.219-07:00

Am I cynical to think that the popularity of young adult fiction these days is mostly due to adults reading books meant for younger audiences and is that a sign of declining literacy? Has anyone else noticed a related dumbing down of supposed "literary fiction" coinciding with the rise of YA sales?

I'll be honest that I've been tinkering with a YA novel entirely because it's the field with the widest range of readers/consumers.

The people reading Twilight and Harry Potter on the subway, for instance, would only look like young adults if Keith Richards was sitting next to them.

Also, I still predict that post-apocalypse novels are gonna wipe vampires off the map when The Road hits theaters. If you really want to cash in on hot trends you'd be halfway through your post-apoc novel right now.

I voted "other". I'm writing a business novel. It...

2009-08-22T10:19:32.086-07:00

I voted "other". I'm writing a business novel. It's fiction, it's a novel, but the primary objective is to teach something. In my case, the didactic theme is "knowledge management." How big is the potential market for that? :)

wow...I'm only one of 5% writing a paranormal youn...

2009-08-22T08:39:52.037-07:00

wow...I'm only one of 5% writing a paranormal young adult book. :D

Post-apocalyptic sci fi, hoping for mainstream cro...

2009-08-22T07:40:40.498-07:00

Post-apocalyptic sci fi, hoping for mainstream crossover.

Post-apocalyptic sci fi, hoping for mainstream cro...

2009-08-22T07:40:10.088-07:00

Post-apocalyptic sci fi, hoping for mainstream crossover.

I have two works in progress. 1. I'm writing a l...

2009-08-22T05:50:45.459-07:00

I have two works in progress.

1. I'm writing a literary novel.

2. I just received interest from a few agencies in a memoir about my experiences owning and operating an artisan food business that rose to the top and then crashed and burned.

Interesting experience working on the two, since the novel is somber and serious, while the memoir is light and (hopefully) witty. It's making me a bit schizophrenic.

Wow, over 2,000 votes! Congrats on the idea Nathan...

2009-08-21T19:00:35.660-07:00

Wow, over 2,000 votes! Congrats on the idea Nathan, this really gives an idea of what's being produced out there.

I totally missed this! Well, that's what I get for...

2009-08-21T13:10:59.157-07:00

I totally missed this!
Well, that's what I get for actually WORKING on the thing!
LOL

Need to stick my head out of the writer's cave more often!
:D
G., who is held up in 1891 at the moment writing historical romance.

What? No category for 'faux literary'? AKA bookclu...

2009-08-21T10:36:49.594-07:00

What? No category for 'faux literary'? AKA bookclub or upscale commerical?

Anyway, that's what I'm trying to write. Peace, Linda

empress- I hope you can survive the hardship.

2009-08-21T09:47:32.870-07:00

empress-

I hope you can survive the hardship.

No chick lit section for young adult? Lame! Not ev...

2009-08-21T09:45:48.211-07:00

No chick lit section for young adult? Lame! Not even romance. I was forced to say general/other.

Better late than never I guess!? My WIP is a Para...

2009-08-21T09:24:15.561-07:00

Better late than never I guess!?

My WIP is a Paranormal Romance set in Montreal,Canada.

What's the genre when there are fantasy elements i...

2009-08-21T09:12:42.403-07:00

What's the genre when there are fantasy elements in a real-world setting, like the Percy Jackson series? That's what my novel is.

My second is science-fiction, I guess, because there's space travel, but it's not really scientific. More adventure, I'd say.

What is chic-lit, women's fiction? My first "chic...

2009-08-21T08:03:22.618-07:00

What is chic-lit, women's fiction?

My first "chic-lit" book has been read by a lot of men, presumably because it is set in typical male environment (top management consulting). But I haven't seen the stats, I would guess most are still women. And will be even more once it gets out in paperback.

Literary fiction, at least that is where my aspira...

2009-08-20T20:17:32.769-07:00

Literary fiction, at least that is where my aspirations are. It's what I read, what I think about, what I try to know. When people talk about a relaxing read, a beach read if you will, I understand the concept, but it seems that when I try to explain that The Sun Also Rises is my beach read, it just sounds as RW said, like an implied value judgment. I have to agree with some of the others that it seems to carry a certain connotation that were I Salman Rushdie, or Fitzgerald, I would happily embrace, but being me, seems a bit overreaching. I understand there is a wide spectrum, but aside from here, among a group of writers, I would be reticent to admit what I'm striving for.
(And since I hadn't time to post, may I add that I love MAD MEN. Absolutely love it. And unlike the books I read, I have no problem just watching it for what it is, and letting it be. Love it.)
Thanks for the post. I was wondering this as well. It seems there are far more sci fi and paranormal writers from the comments, than the poll shows.

Hi: Hope this works. I'm semi-computer illiterate...

2009-08-20T19:40:33.643-07:00

Hi:
Hope this works. I'm semi-computer illiterate, but I'm tryig.
My WIP is a YA mystery, writen i the style of Mary Higgins Clark (don't I hope). I think I've written it at least twenty times and still don't know if I'm finished.

Mine is a contemporary fantasy with romantic and l...

2009-08-20T16:28:28.750-07:00

Mine is a contemporary fantasy with romantic and literary elements, but pretty much a straight fantasy.

Hmmm, I couldn't figure out where to put a dark hu...

2009-08-20T16:16:47.921-07:00

Hmmm, I couldn't figure out where to put a dark humor, vulgar self help, memoir. Filled with blatent political corruption.

I chose "other!"

Here was I thinking I was the next big thing and I...

2009-08-20T10:59:26.088-07:00

Here was I thinking I was the next big thing and I don't even make it onto the genre list.

I write "boomer lit", women's fiction for the post-Bridget Jones generation because there's a lot of fun to be had after 40 and very few novels out there providing it. I decided that, if I wanted to read such a book, I'd better write it myself.

Lots of interesting responses here - good luck going through them all!

Laura Essendine @bookslimited
The Accidental Guru Blog