Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I started working on a children's story some years ago but, as I'm sure happens a lot, work, family and life in general took over and I put it aside.

Now, seven years and two more kids later, I'm itching to pick up my writing again. My half-baked story has stayed with me and I'm determined to finish it, but my worry is that it belongs to a trend that's kind of over: it has a time-travel theme. Not overtly, like Dr Who or something like that, but it's an important part of the story. My question is, would this put off publishers to the extent that it's not even worth my time writing it? I would consider it a story for older children (maybe 8 - 12) rather than young adults, if that makes any difference.

Is it good to follow trends? You know how it's been all vampires and zombies and the like for a few years, should you jump on that? Is it even ok to be "behind" a trend? Or is it better to strike out on your own and hope that your story and the quality of your writing is enough to make it stand out? I'd love to hear what other members - and Nathan, if you happen to read this post - think.

I guess I should clarify here that I'm not expecting to just snap my fingers and become a successful writer, but my goal is to someday get my work published, so I want to start off by heading in the right direction!

Hi Lulabelle!
First, good for you on regaining your "itch" to write! The first step to success is to be sitting in that chair writing. As for trends... I say don't worry about them. If you have a story to tell, then tell it. It doesn't matter if you think it's been done before. Because really, no one is going to tell it they way you will. So go ahead, make the leap and get that story out there!

Lulabelle wrote:I started working on a children's story some years ago but, as I'm sure happens a lot, work, family and life in general took over and I put it aside.

Now, seven years and two more kids later, I'm itching to pick up my writing again. My half-baked story has stayed with me and I'm determined to finish it, but my worry is that it belongs to a trend that's kind of over: it has a time-travel theme. Not overtly, like Dr Who or something like that, but it's an important part of the story. My question is, would this put off publishers to the extent that it's not even worth my time writing it? I would consider it a story for older children (maybe 8 - 12) rather than young adults, if that makes any difference.

Is it good to follow trends? You know how it's been all vampires and zombies and the like for a few years, should you jump on that? Is it even ok to be "behind" a trend? Or is it better to strike out on your own and hope that your story and the quality of your writing is enough to make it stand out? I'd love to hear what other members - and Nathan, if you happen to read this post - think.

I guess I should clarify here that I'm not expecting to just snap my fingers and become a successful writer, but my goal is to someday get my work published, so I want to start off by heading in the right direction!

Don't follow trends don't do it!!

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2007/02 ... tting.html