Even if you haven’t yet treated yourself to Kelly Meding’s totally addictive Dreg City series–and with the latest installment, As Lie the Dead, out in stores now, what are you waiting for?–this fantastic interview with fellow urban fantasy scribe Kevin Hearne is well worth checking out. Not only does she serve up a few tantalizing tidbits about an upcoming superhero series, Kelly offers candid and insightful advice on the writing life, from balancing a day job with writing your first novel (”It’s all part of learning discipline and Butt-in-Chair Techniques”) to brainstorming-while-drinking (”I got an entire novel out of a pitcher of sangria once”). And her advice about following–or defying–the latest marketplace trends is especially smart and inspiring:
Honestly, I think anticipating the market is impossible. Even editors can’t be sure what’s going to be the next bestseller, or the next hot creature. Look at all of the literary mash-ups coming out. The first one or two sold really, really well, but some of the online chatter I’ve seen is that people are already getting tired of them. Some folks are saying angels are next big thing. The best advice I usually see is “write the book you’d want to read.” Don’t write toward trends, don’t try to write what you think will be popular. What’s hot now might not be what readers want in two years.
For more insights like this one–plus advice on meeting your writing goals, the Great Coffee vs. Tea Debate, and what’s so great about the Teen Titans, check out the complete interview at Kevin Hearne’s blog. It’s part of an ongoing series in which newbie fantasy author Kevin Hearne–his own series publishes next Summer 2011–interviews some of the established stars in the field about their craft and the geeky passions that drive their work!
