The more time I spend in the book community, reading in excess, and receiving news of new and upcoming releases, the more I notice the trends that come and go in publishing. Sometimes it’s a great thing, and sometimes I can’t wait for the next trend to replace the current one.
Recently a lot of the trends seem to be focused around more diversity and inclusion, and I think we’re all collectively loving seeing some new names hitting the scene and a wider variety of influences in our books. Newer trends aside, I think we’ve all noticed at least a few trends in our lives that get a little too popular until we’re all sick of seeing them. It hurts the books that come out later within the trend, being reviewed by readers with a tired bias.
It’s also strange to think about publishers collectively deciding which trends they’re going to set themselves up for one or two years down the line. Books don’t come out overnight, so there has to be some forethought in the industry about what trends will happen when. They’re creating the trends long before we hop on board. And it’s odd that they plan to release so many similar books so close together.
As a reader with preferences, I can only read so many takes on the same premise in a row before I need a palette cleanser. It’s not that I dislike any of the trends I see, I just wish there were a steady flow of most of them rather than the regular sudden oversaturation before we abandon that idea completely. You can have too much of a good thing, and I personally would rather have consistent new releases of my favorite tropes instead of an abundance of them that I want to consume all at once until I’m burnt out on it.
Are there any trends you’ve loved? Any you hope never come back in style?
<3D
LessthanThreeD 