Daily Archives: October 29, 2008

Plot Fodder

By Laura Drake
I sat in a meeting room full of hospital CFOs today, listening to a round table discussion of the financial crisis, and how hospitals can survive in the current market conditions. By the end, the smell of desperation overrode the air conditioning, and I was glad the only knives at the buffet were made of plastic. No, this won’t be a rant on Wall Street, or even politics (God forbid) so read on.

I wondered what to blog about, and found myself thinking about Debbie Macomber’s talk about trends in the publishing market at our Birthday meeting. Given the current environment, I’m going to make a few guesses as to what will be ‘hot’ next.

First, I believe the Romance genre, as a whole will see a surge in readership. I remember reading that during the Great Depression, the movie industry boomed; people spent what little money they had to escape for a while. They’re going to look for just the kind of “feel good” stories Romances are known for.

I’m not going to make a guess as to which genre within Romance will do well, but I think comfortable stories about simple people who find their courage during trials will be popular, weather it’s a Fantasy, or Regency. We’re seeing an increase in the popularity of “back to basics” like knitting, gardening, coupon cutting and the like. I think this trend will somehow be reflected in reading as well. If the trendy, frivolous, overindulgent heroine weren’t dead before, I think she will be now.

You may not agree with me, but the facts of the economy are bound to factor into reader’s tastes, and it bears some thought. Take care of yourself and yours, try not to worry, and remember one of my favorite sayings…

That which doesn’t kill you makes for good plot fodder.