C Hollis
Troubadour
Perhaps you're missing out on the stories you want because you're looking in the wrong genre?
Yep, that's it. Just found myself browsing romance when I wanted an orc story...
Perhaps you're missing out on the stories you want because you're looking in the wrong genre?
It's not uncommon for musicians to play in more than one band. Once you've established your band and it's identity, changing it up may not be much of an option.
When most people think "fantasy," they think of the famous epic fantasies, but there are a bunch of sub-genres out there. Have you searched some of these? I have to think that people are out there writing in other genres and that some stories like the ones you're looking for probably already exist.
I'm not sure how much the parallel translates or even how valid the example is. I'm not a music guy, but I'm pretty sure that a lot of artists have crossed over into other genres.
I'm not saying they don't exist elsewhere, I just don't get why they can't exist in fantasy. That's sort of the issue I'm addressing. When people think fantasy, they think epic fantasy almost always. Why is that? Because that's what mainstream publishers have taught us and produced. Anything wrong with that? No. Just fantasy can be such a broad genre if it wants to be. Why does it have to be one thing? Because that's what most people buy? I guess so. My overall point is that self-publishers especially could be in a good position to expand the public's conception to what fantasy is if they wanted to.
My point was that if self-publishers are looking to make a splash on the market their first go out, is putting another epic fantasy book out there always the best option? It's just something to consider for writers who may want to differentiate themselves.
For me, a writer has to be really doing something to subvert the epic fantasy tropes, the characters, and the plot to get my attention. It's getting harder and harder.
You're only looking in the self-published realm I take it? I think there are several writers doing epic fantasy in a traditional sense pretty well at the moment in mainstream fantasy. I don't know of too many that jump right out at me as being awesome self-published fantasy writers. I'm sure they exist. I'm reading some stuff at the moment that might classify, but I think we're on polar opposites when it comes what we like.
Phil, last night when I was browsing on my kindle for some books to read, there seemed to be an overwhelming majority of urban fantasy on the virtual shelves. I've read hardly any urban fantasy, so it was interesting to see it come up so much on my recommendations. More of it than epic fantasy, it seems. My guess is that's one direction that fantasy genre is moving.
In my own writing, I like to deal with the quirky. I don't write in medieval times with castles and dragons, although I love that stuff. I prefer a 1700s type setting with some personal twists and I really like to write stories about families, mixing potions, shamanic magic, all with a small cast. I don't know how well my work will do out there in the big world once its published but I like the idea of putting something different out there. Granted, I think its safe to say most, if not ALL, authors feel the same way about their own work.
But I do like the main question you proposed in this thread and I do think the genre has opened up to a variety of stories that are pushing boundaries or what is familiar.