Most Popular Book Genres for 2023 | Book Publishing Trends

TL;DR

This video provides an overview of the top genre trends for 2023 in book publishing based on analysis of tweets with the hashtag "mswl" (manuscript wishlist). The top five trending genres mentioned are YA, romance, fantasy, horror, and middle grade.

Transcript

it is already shaping up to be another exciting and fruitful year in book publishing so as we kick off 2023 I wanted to do a little overview of what genre Trends we might expect to see this year this might be especially interesting to you if you are a writer with a current work in progress and you potentially want to query literary agents this year... Read More

Key Insights

• 😱 YA, romance, fantasy, horror, and middle grade are the top trending genres for 2023 in book publishing.
• 😱 Agents and publishing professionals are interested in specific sub-genres and elements within these genres, such as magical elements in YA, romantic suspense in romance, non-European fantasy settings, supernatural and ghost stories in horror, and diverse voices and strong themes in middle grade.
• 🏘️ The "mswl" hashtag provides valuable insights into the preferences of literary agents and editors at publishing houses.
• 📈 Writers should not feel limited to these genres and trends, as publishing opportunities exist across various genres.
• 🔑 Other genres like thrillers and mysteries continue to be popular, and descriptive words in the word cloud suggest the types of characters, stories, and tones agents are looking for.
• 🤩 Regardless of genre, strong writing and a compelling story remain key factors in attracting literary agents and publishers.

Questions & Answers

Q: What approach did the creator take to determine the genre trends for 2023?

The creator analyzed tweets with the "mswl" hashtag from December 1st to January 10th to identify the most commonly mentioned genres and phrases used by literary agents and editors at publishing houses.

Q: Are these genre trends limited to literary agents or can they apply to authors as well?

While the "mswl" hashtag is primarily used by literary agents and editors, it can still provide valuable insights for authors. It's important to note that these trends are not definitive and writers should not feel limited to these genres if they are working on a different project.

Q: What sub-genres were mentioned within the YA genre trend?

Within the YA genre trend, agents mentioned YA with a magical element, YA Science Fiction and Fantasy, retellings of classic stories from a YA perspective, and a desire for LGBTQIA+ characters.

Q: What specific elements were agents interested in for the romance genre trend?

Agents were looking for romance stories with sweet reads or swoon-worthy elements. Some agents were also interested in romantic suspense novels and stories featuring LGBTQIA+ characters.

Q: What type of fantasy settings were agents particularly interested in?

Agents expressed interest in fantasy settings that are non-European based or non-western based. They were also interested in fantasy romance stories and those featuring magic and witches.

Key Insights:

• YA, romance, fantasy, horror, and middle grade are the top trending genres for 2023 in book publishing.
• Agents and publishing professionals are interested in specific sub-genres and elements within these genres, such as magical elements in YA, romantic suspense in romance, non-European fantasy settings, supernatural and ghost stories in horror, and diverse voices and strong themes in middle grade.
• The "mswl" hashtag provides valuable insights into the preferences of literary agents and editors at publishing houses.
• Writers should not feel limited to these genres and trends, as publishing opportunities exist across various genres.
• Other genres like thrillers and mysteries continue to be popular, and descriptive words in the word cloud suggest the types of characters, stories, and tones agents are looking for.
• Regardless of genre, strong writing and a compelling story remain key factors in attracting literary agents and publishers.
• The video offers additional resources for writers interested in improving their writing practice and accessing industry insights.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video analyzes tweets with the "mswl" hashtag to identify the top genre trends for 2023 in book publishing.

• The top five trending genres mentioned in the tweets are YA, romance, fantasy, horror, and middle grade.

• Agents and publishing professionals are looking for specific elements within these genres, such as magical elements in YA, romantic suspense novels in romance, non-European or non-western fantasy settings, supernatural and ghost stories in horror, and diverse voices and strong themes in middle grade.