I've mentioned this elsewhere on the forum and some other places, but I felt like it deserves its own thread. I've been thinking a lot about my approach to fantasy as of late and an interest to write the kind of fantasy that may not be as easy to find. While I enjoy epic fantasy a great deal, I feel like there is already a lot of it out there in the world, both from traditional and self-publishers. I would imagine that some people who chose to self-publish may do so because they want to write more daring novels that mainstream publishers won't touch. Instead I see most people that self-publish do so for the quick turnaround and the ability to mold their own career without input from editors. While I think these are good reasons as well, I wonder if there is a missed opportunity to really reinvent the fantasy genre or at least reinvent what a self-published fantasy author might offer.
This is no way a bash against people that write epic fantasy. Some of my favorite authors write it. But within the idea of fantasy there are so many more possibilities. I think if mainstream fantasy publishers dictate that epic fantasy is the "it" genre, couldn't self-published fantasy authors offer more alternatives?
Hell, maybe I just don't know enough about what's going on in the self-publishing realm as I'm a neophyte when it comes to such topics. Maybe these things are already happening. I just wonder if there is a missed opportunity to truly distinguish traditional and self-published fantasy.
This is no way a bash against people that write epic fantasy. Some of my favorite authors write it. But within the idea of fantasy there are so many more possibilities. I think if mainstream fantasy publishers dictate that epic fantasy is the "it" genre, couldn't self-published fantasy authors offer more alternatives?
Hell, maybe I just don't know enough about what's going on in the self-publishing realm as I'm a neophyte when it comes to such topics. Maybe these things are already happening. I just wonder if there is a missed opportunity to truly distinguish traditional and self-published fantasy.