What's hot?

So, what is the next big YA thing? I don't know. Although, it doesn't effect what I write, I just find it interesting. When Twilight came out, it seemed like everyone and their mother was writing a vampire book, and now the dytopians have taken over. It's interesting to me. So, what's next? The fairies and the mermaids are having moments, and angels, well, we know they have experienced some attention. There are a some contemporaries that are taking readers by storm. Lots of them great stories and some maybe not. It's all subjective, remember?

My favorite vamps. I don't know why, but lately I'm missing this show and yes, this really has nothing to do with my post. Okay, maybe a little, but not much.

In the world of interior design, we have a thing called color forecasting. A group of people forecast (they do research and stuff) what colors will be the 'must have' paint color combo of the year. I find it so fascinating because that's usually the first question some clients ask me. What's popular now? or What is the next big thing? What's funny is--it's all subjective. If you like it--do it. If not, don't do it because it's what's hot right now because you'll hate it in a few years. Of course, if you have tons of money and don't mind re-doing it over then okay, but not all of us have this luxury.

Color forecasting chart for 2013-2014.

Same goes for writing. If you are writing something simply because you think people will love it because it's hot right now or may be the up and coming thing and you will get an in and make tons of money, please make sure you love it. What I'm saying is write what you love, not what's popular. Most of the books that are up and coming and popular were not written for that reason. They were written from the author's heart. What do you think?

Questions of the day:

What do you like to write?

What do you think will be the up and coming flavor?

Also, head on over to Alex J. Cavanaugh's blog to see the amazing participants for The Insecure Writer's Support Group. I forgot to do my post today. Shame on me. See what deep edits do to ya (yes, I'm sort of losing my mind. That should've been my post). So, go and check them out.

Have a great day!

What genre are you writing for?

So at 2 am while trying to put my son back to sleep, I started to think as I always do.  This is the time I come up with my best ideas and forget them by the time I can get to a pen and paper.  Besides thinking up some new things to write in WIP, I began to ponder about the genre YA. I started to ask myself --is your story too adult for "YA" and not adult enough for "Adult" --if so where does this leave me.  I have discussed this with my CP and she definately agrees that my WIP is YA and from what I understand YA is 12-18 year olds, right?

I have things in my WIP I think may be too adult and if I am lucky and it gets published I have material for book two which I think is more adult but not too adult.  So that leaves the area of 18 and up--I heard that this genre is up and coming but does anyone know the criteria that goes into it?

I personally think you should write what you believe in and for me I tend to love the late high school/ early college years.  So is that considered YA? From what I am reading--yes-- but I wonder if I would let my daughter read some of these books when she is twelve.  I am not naive and know twelve year olds know a heck of a lot more than I did when I was twelve but I am curious of what other writers think of this. I know it is up to the parents and what they want their child to be exposed to. I am not trying to put any book down --I love to read them --I just wonder where it leaves writers like me.  Will this be a strike against me if there is no named genre for my novel?

What genre do you tend to write for? Do you think YA (12-18) is too broad of an age group?

On a lighter note--if you are a Twilight fan (or if you are not) I found a funny little video on-- Jennifer J. Bennett's blog--check it out.

Have a great day!