Excerpted from Sharyn November’s summer 2008 article for Locus magazine:
“I took a quick, informal poll of my bookseller and librarian friends and offer it as an anecdotal request: They are tired of faeries, werewolves and other shapeshifters, vampires, dragons, the Greek gods, trilogies, pirates, zombies, teen superheroes, the teenage Evil Genius, any kind of boarding school setting, “mean girls”, underground cities, (especially New York or London), the Victorians, the Male Chosen One (any genre) and retold fairy tales." Sharyn November, Locus YA issue, 2008 **see also below**
Since this list reinforced what I thought/feared must be true by now, I asked permission to post it. Sharyn said: "....please do add that all of those rules go out the window when something is wonderfully written. "
**below**
Writing me to inform me of a spelling error (ok 2 errors), she adds: "... knock-off urban fantasy and anything triggered by a tattoo."
So, writers, that's the assignment: Fresh fantasy ideas would be very welcome. Wonderful writing always is.
- kathleen duey
- http://www.kathleenduey.com / Twitter: @kdueykduey FB:www.facebook.com/kathleen.dueyhttp critique information here: http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com/2011/08/critiques-short-answer-is-yes-if-my-own.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FABULOUS world-wide (free shipping!) bookstore:: http://www.bookdepository.com/
2 comments:
ROTFL Stop publishing books with any of these things in and what's left for the fans to read? Children love dragons but I find it highly amusing that editors of children's books hate them.
Oh, no, you misunderstand...no one hates dragons or any of these topics/tropes. The editors love all these things. That's why there are so many being published. Kids love them too.
This list was formed from comments by booksellers and librarians who are seeing almost nothing BUT these kinds of books now--and are wishing for more variety to offer their patrons and customers.
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