I have often heard that there is no way of knowing what the next big thing will be. But can want-to-be writers take a guide from hollywood.
Those of you that write science fiction should take note, that the next film in the successful Star Wars series is due out in 2015. The films, and merchandising rights have earned hundreds of milion of dollars, and havebeen sold for much more. Is this a good time to be wrting science fiction for publication in 2015?
Do you believe that insider knowledge of what Hollywood intends to produce would influence you to write a novel on similar lines?
Hi Adrian,
I agree with Constantin in that you write what you want to write rather than write for a demand but I think it's an interesting point that you've made.
Whilst I don't think you can predict a new trend I often look at books that will be published in the coming year in the genre that I am writing for to get a glimpse of what publishers are picking up. You can often get a good idea about what is going to be successful in the modern market.
However I don't think that your book will be any more or any less successful if you write for a trend because at the end of the day, if your book is good then it will sell regardless of anything else. You should write what you have a passion for because more often than not, the passion will come across to the reader and will make it 10x more successful than a book you've written just to try and get a bit of money.
Write for the love of it.
Adrian, this is a good question and probably writers could profit in the manner that you describe. I don't know about other writers, but I would not be able to write something just because there is a demand for that specific thing. I write about what I can write and I prefer to concentrate on the literary quality of my work. After all, Hollywood trends come and go, but great literary works remain. This being said, I should also add that I wish to become a widely read author. But not by making compromises with my work.