Topic: Current market for high fantasy?

[ebenstone]

Write what you write. If it's good enough, someone will buy it. Don't try to figure out the market or what's hot. Epic fantasy is thriving in the "adult" world, and that's where a lot of our readers go. But there's tons of stuff that's clearly epic, but it's the way you pitch it.

Plus you've got publishers like Pyr that are EXPANDING their fantasy imprint to include YA and they are hardcore epic fantasy kind of people and I think Random House just created a new imprint to rerelease older YA epic fantasy. So there's a market, just got to tap it.

And I agree about "Game of Thrones," because I call my book a YA "Game of Thrones," so I'm hoping that a market is opening.

[Debby G]

Cinda Chima's high fantasy YA series is now number 7 on the children's series bestseller list.

[skate]

I'm in agreement with those who saying write what you want to write. I write high fantasy, because that's what I like to read. It doesn't have to have elves, orcs or dragons to be high fantasy. It's just a new world of your own making, so it can be inhabited by anything you create. Personally, I'd love to see a new trend back to traditional fantasy - but then, that's where I'm trying to market my own books, so I would, wouldn't I?   :grin2:

[L.M.]

Grave Mercy, Shadow and Bone, Throne of Glass are all high fantasies with a huge buzz that major publishers are putting or have put out this year! I dunno about next year.



Still, take a look at this: http://pubrants.blogspot.ca/2012/06/got-epic-fantasy.html

[JJMARRO]

I am seeing more and more young adult high fantasy. Not as many younger MG. except from in house writers.

[ello]

My book, the first of a trilogy, has been referred to as epic fantasy. it comes out January 2nd, 2013.

[xiaotien]

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone is definitely
fantasy as well, and got a huge publicity and marketing
push by LB, which i thought was fantastic!

i DO think it's a tougher market than urban fantasy
or paranormal (contemporary), but i think it might be
making a slow steady come back?

in the YA market, only chima and cashore are bestsellers,
that i can think of readily. (as in NYT. oh yes, Shadow and Bone
made the list too just this past week?)

[Christy]

Yes, Shadow and Bone did make the bestseller list. I think there are possibilties for it and it seems to becoming more popular.

[annemleone]

Did you see Kristin Nelson's blog post: Got Epic Fantasy? Apparently publishers are asking for it again. Great news!

http://pubrants.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/got-epic-fantasy.html

[EL]

Did you see Kristin Nelson's blog post: Got Epic Fantasy? Apparently publishers are asking for it again. Great news!

http://pubrants.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/got-epic-fantasy.html

Interesting! I think it could be the "game of thrones" effect ... it's suddenly cooler to like high/epic fantasy and I think it's broadened the appeal to a wider audience.

[sjkincaid]

I think of DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE more as a hybrid urban fantasy. It's set the modern era and very close to the current world, vs. most traditional high fantasy that is very removed from it. That said, SHADOW AND BONE isn't the only high fantasy that's done very well. SERAPHINA also made the bestseller list. Another high fantasy, THRONE OF GLASS, is getting a big push.

Darn, just when I'm over writing high fantasy myself, it becomes the next big thing. 

I think I'll enjoy this trend, anyway.

[xiaotien]

Throne of Glass also more traditional fantasy
just released recently too.

[Mike Jung]

Jennifer Nielsen's THE FALSE PRINCE has been getting a lot of positive attention.

[Kell]

Juliet Marillier's SHADOWFELL is a YA fantasy this time, coming out in September. She's one of my favorites lately.

[Jenny Moss]

I loved THE FALSE PRINCE, Mike. Couldn't put it down.

[HDWestlund]

Here's Stacy Whitman's pinterest page with recent "high fantasy" titles. https://pinterest.com/stacylwhitman/recent-ya-high-fantasy-alternate-world-no-real-wor/

I'm hoping for a resurgence of high fantasy, too. And sci-fi writers? I've heard a lot of agents sighing and wishing they had more "accessible" sci-fi in their inboxes and not so much dystopian.

Holly

[Christy]

At the workshops this summer I heard a lot of editors were looking for high fantasy or had just recently bought some. Sounds like another trend but I'm not sure how long it will last.