When it comes to fantasy, what are publishers actually willing to publish?

[scribbledoutname]

Okay, so the DF is basically my favourite series and it seriously motivates me to write, but there are still some things I don't understand (yet) about the fantasy market.

There are stories you write and show other people because they're fun to read, but when does that translate into something that an editor would say: Yep, this is something we'd publish? I'm not sure if I just haven't escaped the horrors of the literary/academic crowd at university but I'm still struggling to understand where "interesting ideas to you and your friends and folks online" meets "publishable".

Is interesting normal people from beginning to end all the idea has to do? Or is there some other element that I'm missing, minus writing mechancis?

I understand everything related to writing mechanics (that stuff's generally quantifiable) but I'm still not clear on when what a story is about becomes recognisably book-worthy. Note that I do understand that it has to somehow appeal to enough people to be worth taking a financial risk, but I'm really wondering about the kinds of stories themselves.

What if you wanted to write a saga about demon warlords? An S&S story about a prince who travels across a magical continent (on a giant crow with a house strapped to its back)? A boy who accidentally kills a girl in his class, resurrects her as a zombie and somehow has to figure out a permanent soluton before she starts to rot?

There are ideas that are intriguing to, say, your average gamer or anyone who likes imaginativeness, but I have no idea when a story has reached a point where most sane editors will say, "Yeah, this works." I haven't seen any articles or editors who go into this in detail -- all I've found is vague stuff like "has to be compelling" and "I gotta love it", but that tells me absolutely nothing useable whatsoever, lol.

I still don't know what kinds of stories and subject matters I'm free to work on if I want to stand a chance at being published.

[The Deposed King]

I don't know what a publisher would want.  that said I do know some of what works on the self publishing front.


On amazon I'm writting a series that is a lot in the vein of the 1950's golden age of sci-fi/space opera.

I don't have any inside knowledge but dude, just go onto tor or baen or what have you if you've got the traditional publishers bug and see what they're releasing.  That'll give you the greatest hint.

For my part I say don't sweat it.  Write what you love and then throw it up on amazon.

The people will vote with their feet and then you'll know.


the deposed king

[Wordmaker]

There's no one answer to this. Publishing is very subjective, and you not only have to deal with what's current in the market and what the publishing house's own catalogue is like, but also what the submissions editor thinks at the time they ready your query letter.

I find that if you take a look at a publisher's back catalogue you'll get a good idea of what they're wiling to publish in terms of content. Varying levels of violence, sex and drug use are the main three things that will influence a decision. Keep those levels within what they usually put out, and don't sweat it about your book's concept.

Demon warlords, giant house crow-riding prince, and necromantic teen, are all within reason for most publishers. In fact, I'd read any of those in a heartbeat. So long as you keep your writing crisp and engaging, have interesting and compelling characters, and provide the reader with something they can relate to, something they can care about, then you're in with a chance, regardless.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

I'm not sure if I just haven't escaped the horrors of the literary/academic crowd at university but I'm still struggling to understand where "interesting ideas to you and your friends and folks online" meets "publishable".
Is interesting normal people from beginning to end all the idea has to do? Or is there some other element that I'm missing, minus writing mechancis?

Sfaict, pretty much anything can be publishable provided only it's good enough.

I understand everything related to writing mechanics (that stuff's generally quantifiable) but I'm still not clear on when what a story is about becomes recognisably book-worthy.

I'm not sure there is a clearly defined line here.  On the one hand, certain shapes of story seem fairly easy sells, judging by the number of times they appear on the shelves; on the other, there are plenty of odd stories that get published too.

What if you wanted to write a saga about demon warlords? An S&S story about a prince who travels across a magical continent (on a giant crow with a house strapped to its back)? A boy who accidentally kills a girl in his class, resurrects her as a zombie and somehow has to figure out a permanent soluton before she starts to rot?

None of those would strike me as inherently any weirder or harder to sell than many of the novels that have won the World Fantasy Award this past while, fwiw.

I still don't know what kinds of stories and subject matters I'm free to work on if I want to stand a chance at being published.

Work on the ones you care about.  You have a list of potentially nifty ideas in your post, but without seeing the execution, there's no way to tell whether they'll turn out excellent or so-so.  Your best bet at making something compelling is to write something that compels you, with a reasonable degree of technical skill.

[Quantus]

I think the "What Are Publishers Willing to Publish" is one of those questions that doesnt really have a good answer, right up there with "what type of Movie will do well in the Box Office" The answer is "Whatever Sells" but that isnt very useful.  Nobody really knows, and it is that very question that the publishers themselves are trying to answer every day.  Some will publish what is familiar and comfortable, others will take risks on something exciting and Unique.  Some will turn your story down because it is too similar to something else they can think of, while another only wants to consider things that fit the proven tropes.  And occasionally Crap gets published because the author has connections. 

The best advice I can give is what others have already said:  Write what excites you, and be willing to put the time into refining it.  If it excites you there is a good chance it will excite somebody else.  And if is well executed it has a shot, but the same basic concept can be verbal greatness or toilet-paper, depending on how its handled.