In casual conversations at the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference this September and from client interviews with editors, I gained the following insights:
- YA fiction appears to be circling back to contemporary novels after a heavy emphasis on fantasy.
- Adult fiction seems to be circling back to contemporary fiction after an overwhelming emphasis on historical novels.
- David C. Cook has had significant sales with a coming-of-age novel. Except for Kregel, other publishers have been turning down coming-of-age novels as unmarketable for several years.
- Social networking and marketing is not an option for novelists, even those who hate marketing. Fiction publishers expect all authors to be active in social media.
- A variety of reports from the secular world indicate more that 55% of YA fiction sales are to adults, probably because of the rebirth of the market with the Potter and the Hunger books, which are being read by adults in amazing numbers.
Click here to read more of Stobbe’s Literary Agency’s Newsletter. Excerpt re-printed by kind permission.
Click here to read about Big Shifts in Publishing by Les Stobbe.
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An active Literary Agent for 19 years and Executive Editor of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, Les Stobbe also serves as director of International Christian Writers. He has been denominational editor, newsletter editor, book editor, book club vice-president, CE Journal editor, curriculum managing editor, and president of a book publishing house. He has written curriculum, journalism lessons, 14 books and hundreds of magazine articles. He loves working with writers of both non-fiction and fiction. His website is at www.stobbeliterary.com
Northwest Christian Writers Association 