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Gothic and Paranormal Writing

AlyssaAlyssa
edited July 2013 in Writing
I'm working on some novel ideas and trying to balance what I like to read/want to write with what's going on in the market place. I love paranormal/gothic books and hope to write one but I'm wondering a few things...

1) Is it the market saturated/will it be by the time I come to publish
2) What themes are definitely overdone / have become ridiculous now
3) Does anyone have any thoughts on potential gaps in this market or a love of particular themes (if any at all...!)

Any thoughts/comments would be gratefully received!

Comments

  • Phots MollPhots Moll
    A study of the market now won't give you much insight into how things will be once you've written your novel, edited it, found an agent and publisher or published it yourself - unless you can do all that extremely quickly, so I suggest you just write what you want to write.
  • SilverLiningsSilverLinings
    Like PM said, ignore the market. It makes no difference. You'll drive yourself dizzy trying to keep up with it. From the day an agent accepts to being in print can be over two years, and then you have to sit down and write it first.
    When they say "Know your market" - what they MEAN is be aware of who else is out there.
    You are putting your cart before your horse trying to find the story that hasn't been done yet, admirable, and in this world of "owning the niche" clever, but you'll never get anything written if you follow that path.

    Often it's better to do your own thing, what you love - as it will come out in the text, in your characters, settings and plot. And if you write what you love to read someone is bound to like it. - That style has a market already, you follow?
  • pbwpbw
    Good luck, Alyssa. I'm dying (not literally - I hope - but an appropriate verb in the context) to write a goth/supernatural novel, but don't have time right now.

    Keep us updated on your progress.

    Sounds like fun.
  • St ForceSt Force
    Write what you want to write. By the time you've studied the market it might have changed.

    I'm certainly hoping the theme of vampires and werewolves romance dies out soon. I personally can't stand it.
  • boredrobotsboredrobots
    1) Yes, but why let that stop you?

    2) All of them/None of them - People say something is overdone until someone puts a new spin on it, therefore nothing is overdone if it is written well and doesn't follow the "norm" to the letter. Shock people, make them say "Crimeny Jesus crackers, I never thought about x in a y way before!"

    3) It's hard to see a gap until someone else jams their book into it - try twisting commonplace ideas rather than coming up with something "new". You'll find your new idea can be compared to something that already exists anyway so don't fry your brain in an attempt to come up with 'never been done before'. Instead take the usual and make it strange.
  • Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
    edited July 2013
    Great advice!

    Think of the most brilliant book ever that you would love to read - then write that book FOR YOU. If you love it to pieces, someone else will too (hopefully millions of them!).
  • CarolCarol
    You have to write the story you want to write. :)

    Of course you'll keep in mind the requirements of the genre, but you aren't ruled by them.
  • AlyssaAlyssa
    Thanks guys for all of your great advice - it's very reassuring! I shall stick with it and just write what I want to write :)
  • JenJen
    I love vampires and the paranormal and I have done most of my life. Since 8+ plus probably. So it's inevitable that's what I'll write.
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