Ask questions, leave comments, make requests, &c &c. I'll try and pop in from time to time.
All Tomorrow's Parties by Koren Shadmi
20 hours ago
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Open Thread!
'Tis the season, mes auteurs, and I've been swamped with meetings and required reading. Thus: open thread!
Ask questions, leave comments, make requests, &c &c. I'll try and pop in from time to time.
Ask questions, leave comments, make requests, &c &c. I'll try and pop in from time to time.
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Hi Eric,
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering recently about the science fantasy genre. What do you know/think about it? How much is it really considered its own genre or is it something of a niche with a limited audience? Is it something that publishing houses are looking for? Or do they prefer to choose either sci-fi or fantasy without combining the terms, even if just for the sake that it's easier to label.
And if I can probe a little further, what about YA science fantasy? Do people in the publishing industry even think in or use that term?
Thanks. I really enjoyed your world of tomorrow posts. As always I learned a lot and walked away with plenty to think about.
Also, reading anything mind-blowingly good?
*crack fingers*
ReplyDeleteOk guys, what are your opinions on the migrational habit of the snowy eagret?
I'm confused about whether to italicize or underline "stressed" words in my manuscript. Do you know what the protocol is? What about italicizing in a query letter?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
@R. Anderson - I'd try to avoid italics when possible, or at least severely limit them. I see them as a slippery slope down to exclamation points and emoticons. My two cents is that italics calls attention to itself, when really what the reader is trusting you to do is use words well enough that the italics aren't necessary.
ReplyDelete@JohnO That's hilarious ... the "slippery slope down to exclamation points and emoticons." ;) !
ReplyDeleteThanks for a mid-day grin.
Eric - It's been a while since you've opined on the outlook for specific genres. Curious in particular about historical fiction - How is it doing? Tips for a would-be debut author looking to write in an 18th century American setting?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
@R. Anderson: Most copyeditors will love you if you use underscores. Most agents prefer italics because that's what they're used to seeing. You won't upset anyone by using either. It's a simple search and replace all in Word to flip between either so it won't take anyone more than a few seconds to set it to their preference.
ReplyDeleteUnderscoring is more helpful with fonts like Courier New where the italicized version isn't much different than the regular version. TNR better displays italicized text.
Thanks for the tips, guys!
ReplyDeleteHi Cacy,
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, science fantasy is something of a niche sub-genre; straight science fiction or straight fantasy seem to be acquired more often and are easier to sell in to book stores.
As for the YA element: I actually think those readers would be more open to the crossover science fantasy offers, but again, straight science fiction or straight fantasy are more often acquired and easier to sell. I imagine that even with a significant scientific aspect to your WIP, it might still be better to call it fantasy (think Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy).
In terms of mind-blowingly good: currently reading and loving Seamus Heaney's HUMAN CHAIN.
Hi R. Anderson,
ReplyDeleteI agree with JL's sentiments.
Hi Matthew,
ReplyDeleteHistorical fiction seems to be doing as well as ever, though I'd have to dip into some serious reporting to say for sure. I'll check and get back to you.
If people are digging the genre breakdowns, I'd be happy to do another round!
E
Here's a comment about italics: A good percentage of my recently completed manuscript contains italics for dialogue, simply because I found that was the easiest way of having my main character's symbiont talk to her.
ReplyDeleteI think I would've gotten quite lost with my dialogue if I used just single quotes to differeniate between the characters (I also flipped the italicized dialogue when the main character traded places with the symbiont for period of time).
No real question about italics, but simply a comment on how I used it to clearly differeniate between two main characters.
Thanks Eric. And I've been telling myself I have to read more poetry, so Human Chain is officially on my list.
ReplyDeleteOkay Ben, I'm taking a chance here expressing my thoughts regarding the snowy eagrets migratory habits.
ReplyDeleteMy answer is yes...of coarse...they should.
On the way to work when I see a shock of white in the marshes I thank God for government intervention...they were endangered, now they live.
So...lets really get into it. What do you think of mama grizzlys?
Q: Should a writer send submissions directly to editors? I've ready that is not a good thing since some agents feel it ruins their chances on submitting to editors since they've already turned the novel down.
ReplyDeleteThanks Eric. I found the genre breakdowns very interesting. Thanks for the update on historicals. The conventional wisdom in the genre's community seems to be that however well the genre may be doing as a whole, if you're not writing about a household-name historical figure, preferably Anne Boleyn or another Tudor, you're at a big disadvantage. May or may not be true; I'll see when I'm ready to start querying! Thanks.
ReplyDelete