Trend Predictions for 2014

I thought I’d take a look at the cards, the stars, and my crystal ball and try to predict the hot new romance/fiction trends coming in 2014. The end of the year brings us a new Hunger Games movie, proving YA apocalyptic fiction is still hot. So are Hobbits, as illustrated by the next Peter Jackson movie coming out in December. And we have a Feb 2015 date to look forward to a big picture version of 50 Shades of Grey. The erotic fiction market might be flooded right now, but it’s going to boom again once that particular film releases.

Okay, so my guesses for next year…

1. Erotic romance is going to level off. It’s been in a slow decline for a while, but I think it’s going to settle, then start a gradual climb at the end of next year (ahem, in time for 50 Shades in 2015).  
2. Pirate romances will become big again. Historicals go in cycles, and we’ve seen Regencies leading the charge for years. But pirates and Vikings are due to resurge. My bet’s on Jolly Roger.
3. YA (Young Adult) Horror is going to hit big. The darker the better. 
4. Contemporary romance is back to stay, at least through next year. Paranormal…it’s not so good out there for us right now. And forget about fantasy romance. (Don’t worry. Our time is coming to strike back!) 
5. NA (New Adult) has been huge recently. So of course New York saturated the market. I think it’s going to peak by the middle of next year. I could be wrong…but I don’t think I am. 
6. In paranormal romance, Shifters are currently the new black. Vamps are for the most part out. Do I hear a few ghosts rattling chains, ready to reincarnate?
7. Indie romances will continue to do well, but the lure of the indie option is fading. A lot of folks dumped the idea of trying for traditional publishing because it’s so dang hard to get in, and hey, indie is welcoming. Well, now indie is so stock full of books, it’s super hard to stand out there too. I believe more writers will try to go hybrid, writing for themselves, for small presses, and for traditional pubs. The all one or the other career is dying. 2014--Year of the Hybrid.
   

That’s my take on next year’s trends. I might be way off, or I might be right. Time will tell, but I'm placing my bets on my predictions.I'm even following them! My December release is paranormal, and it's a shifter story. Yes, I'm trending.

Got any predictions of your own?

Marie Harte
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