Editor Article: Are Trends In Chick Lit Getting Old?
Are trends in Chick Lit becoming a bit old?
Everybody knows I’m a huge Chick Lit fan, I’ve made a website from my love for Chick Lit for crying out loud. But recently, I’m noting an alarming trend. Instead of focusing on well-written novels, publishers seem to be publishing books that are ‘on trend’.
For example, as soon as it was announced that Prince William and Kate (should I call her Catherine now?) would be marrying, there came an influx of wedding-related books released in the build-up. Chrissie Manby published Kate’s Wedding and Jenny Haddon, under the pseudonym of Sophie Page released To Marry A Prince. Most alarmingly, Kim Gruenenfelder’s third novel There’s Cake In My Future, about a cake pull, suddenly became Wedding Fever, despite the fact there’s one (!) wedding in the novel which happens fairly early on in the book.
Coming in August is Gypsy Wedding by Kate Lace, undoubtedly influenced by the sudden interest in gypsy weddings due to the highly popular Channel Four show (I can’t see the interest, personally, but each to their own). I would be very interested to know if Kate had originally decided to write the novel or if it came more at an opportunistic time. I mean, many people will pick it up because it’s about a gypsy wedding!
To be honest, it all seems a bit manufactured. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Kate’s Wedding and I can’t wait to read Gypsy Wedding, but I don’t read books depending on what’s popular, I read books I know I will enjoy. Sure, gypsy’s are hugely popular at the moment but I’m not going to overdose myself on gypsy themed TV shows and books just because of it.
Then there’s the trends that every author must have to write about before they’re considered a proper author (I am joking, honest). The first one is a Christmas-themed novel. Every author with at least five novels will have at least one Christmas-themed novel. I guarantee it. It’s like a right of passage. Personally I don’t understand it. I like a Christmas-themed novel, sure, but they can get really old, really quick because there’s only so many times you can have a unique Christmas novel. I understand that most people want to curl up with something Christmassy in the Winter months, but I’m not one of those people. I don’t read by season, I read what I like the sound of. (For the record there are currently 9, yes 9, Christmas-themed novels due to be released in 2011).
The second trend for any author worth their salt (still joking) is a New York novel. I am getting sick to my back-teeth of novels set in New York. Because it’s losing its appeal. It’s not as magical, because everybody is doing it. There are 49 other states in the USA and many other countries beyond, but New York is still where every author sends their characters. It’s becoming gimmicky. Currently there are 7 novels that will be set (or part set) in New York that will be released in 2011 (New York Valentine, The Jewels of Manhattan, Manhattan, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, Something From Tiffany’s, Destiny, Christmas At Tiffany’s). I also know that there are two authors currently working on sequels that will be set in New York (Ruth Saberton and Ali McNamara) which to me, in all honesty, seems a rip-off of the Shopaholic novels as after Confessions of a Shopaholic, Becky goes to New York in Shopaholic Abroad. Don’t get me wrong, I love both of those authors, but it just lacks any uniqueness. I wish they’d explore other countries, because there are more countries and cities than England and New York!
I understand why publishers publish books that are on trend, don’t get me wrong, obviously publishing Christmas-themed books at Christmas is a no-brainer. I’m not an idiot, I’m well aware of that, but I find it sad that instead of authors writing a story they believe in, that perhaps they have to theme it to a certain event. Christmas, New York, gypsy weddings, royal weddings… I mean, where will it end? Next year, with The Only Way Is Essex, Geordie Shore & Made in Chelsea, will we have an influx of reality TV themed novels? It sets a bit of a precedent, is all, and I for one don’t want to be inundated with reality TV Chick Lit novels next year. I bet I’ve set it off now, actually. Well, at least I’ve warned you. You can thank/blame me if you want.
- Digg
- Stumble it!
- AW Editor Article: Young Adult Chick Lit Novels
- AW Summer Reads
- AW Author Event: LA Times Festival of Books
May 19th, 2011 at 10:14 am
Given that most novels take 6mths to a year to write and then the publishing lead time is usually 12-18 months it’s usually a very happy accident if your novel happens to be ‘on-trend’ when it’s released. As I do two books a year I’ll now be writing a big summer book and a winter one. Christmas books are hugely popular and sell well - publishers (and authors!) are hardly likely to ignore that. So do Summer-themed ones. Weddings are universally popular whether there’s a royal wedding in the year or not. Publishing is now driven by consumer demand - hence the plethora of ‘celebrity’ books. My latest book - The Only Way is Up - is about a couple who lose everything in the recession and their fight to find their way back. When I first pitched it - well over two years ago - my editor said she was worried it wasn’t ‘relevant’. How much has happened in those two years! Generally, authors aren’t being cynical - we love to sell books, but we love to write stories more… C : ) xx
May 19th, 2011 at 5:06 pm
Im thinking of doing a gypsy wedding themed book set in New York around Christmas time - just kidding!! My next release is half set in Basingstoke and half in La Manga, Spain and the one after that is set in Portage, Michigan USA - a different state!! For me the characters are more important than the setting, get the right characters and the right dilemma it could be anywhere at any time of year.
May 19th, 2011 at 7:48 pm
To be honest I don’t like the fact about the authors bringing out books centred around the royal wedding or because of it, that just annoyed me so much and same with gypsy weddings. But do like reading about weddings in a story and do tend to like most of the Christmas themed books and want to go to New York one day so do like ones about New York.
I agree with you in some points, but not others, but thanks for the input, it gave us readers an insight into what you love and don’t love.
May 19th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
I like Christmas themed books.
I tend to stay away from books set in NYC however because I’m so sick of it as a locale for books. When I read UK or Australian or Irish authors, I want to read about those countries, not about the USA.
May 20th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
I agree. I think publishers tend to jump onto a trend a little too eagerly. I personally tend to look for books that buck the trend and buy them more often than those books that follow it.
May 21st, 2011 at 6:48 pm
For the most part, I think the trends follow the readers’ interests, and bridal chick lit has been big for years (and I read it ALL when I was planning my wedding 3+ years ago). I also think that following reader trends, via public interest and cultural happenings, is one of the best ways for chick lit to stay current.
Could it also be cyclical? I fell in love with the genre based on the New York (and London) novels of Candace Bushnell and Sophie Kinsella, but those novels probably seem really old and dated (gulp!) to a reader in her early twenties. Perhaps the next gebneration of readers need their own New York novels as they make their own transitions — like the characters — from university life into the working world.