Writing For Fantasy Publishers

For as long as I can remeber, I have been reading fantasy books. Since I was a small child, I’ve always enjoyed science fiction fantasy publishers. I read books like The Giver and A Wrinkle in Time voraciously. I just could not get enough. It was so thrilling to read about galactic struggles between good and evil, post-apocalyptic societies living in a world of enforced conformity, and all that other stuff. For a young developing mind like mine, it was a perfect adventure.

As time has gone on, however, I have started to think about fantasy publishers in a different way. I am in need of a fantasy publisher of my own now for my first fantasy book creation. It has been no easy task. Nowadays, fantasy publishers, like the rest of the publishing industry, are really market-driven. A lot of them are not so much looking for a good novel as one that they think will sell. They study recent sales trends instead of classics, trying to find the next big thing.

Still, you can use that to your advantage if you know how. You see, fantasy is sort of a niche market, and the various fantasy publishers occupy their own niches within that market. One fantasy publisher might focus for the most part on Gothic fantasy, while another might go in for sword and sorcery. Still another might cater to a Steampunk audience with that quirky aesthetic. Shopping your book around is easiest once you learn who to talk to and sidestep some of the politics involved with the industry.