The final chapter on our Masters asks us to consider the future of fiction. What kind of novels will be published in future? How difficult will it be for novice writers to find representation? How will people buy novels, and in what format… is it possible they might give up on them completely, preferring TV programmes and films?
We started this chapter by reading two predictions, one from 1996 and one from 2012. Both emphasised how commercial pressures, ‘the hand of the market’, is driving out literary fiction. The 1996 pundit foresaw the coming of ebooks and novels printed on demand. Sixteen years later, the second critic described how creative writing courses are now providing a way for authors to earn a steady income, and also provide a forum for talent scouting (I can’t vouch for the second of those!)
To me, it’s obvious that commercial interests form a powerful driver in fiction. Every work that is published has to sell. Some novels, particularly those written for younger readers, are already written by committee. I’ve also noticed reports of plagiarism, when unscrupulous people filch passages from online novels to cobble together their own ‘junk food’ fiction which then sells in bucketloads. The prediction is that literary writing will become harder to publish, but as far as I can see it still enjoys a high status and always will. Some readers take pleasure from it; others are trying to educate themselves; more just want to seem intellectual by consuming high literature. There’s an arty community around literary work, ranging from prestigious festivals and award ceremonies to local poetry jams.
On the positive side, the emphasis on the market can provide openings for authors who might not have been picked up by an established publisher. I’m thinking of Fifty Shades of Grey, which started life as an adult fanfiction based on the Twilight series. When an idea does catch fire then it becomes a cultural phenomenon, commercialised to the max, echoed everywhere from films to merchandise to theme parks to spin-offs written by other authors. It becomes engrained in the age. This is particularly true when the original, written version is translated to the screen – Game of Thrones, taken from the Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series, is one of the greatest examples. In other cases, like Harry Potter, the books remain pre-eminent.
Advances in technology make it easier to self-publish. The stigma that once clung to ‘vanity publishing’ has all but disappeared. For self-publishers, the challenge lies in editing and promoting their own work. The writer becomes his or her own advocate. Occasionally one of these books does strike it big without help from an established publishing house. Still Alice, for instance, was originally self-published by its author Lisa Genova, before being turned into a major film.
One big change in publishing is the advance of ebooks. At one point, commentators predicted that they would replace paper books completely. After all, they make searching and quoting radically easy, and if you have an ebook reader than you can carry thousands of volumes with you at one time. Kindles haven’t eradicated paper, though, and I have a feeling they won’t do for a long time. The physical book has its own personality. A shelf full of books gives other people a glimpse into your interests, as well as looking attractive. You own the book; no corporation or publisher can suddenly decide to wipe it from an electronic device (they’d have to come into your house and burn it instead, like in Fahrenheit 451, but they’d have to know where to find it first). Complete dependence on ephemeral ebooks could usher in a vulnerability to censorship, or even sneaky changes to the texts on our devices.
Talking of censorship, the subjects people can write about will change over time with social attitudes. Young Adult novels now have ‘sensitivity readers‘ to make sure they won’t cause offence. Very recently, John Boyne suffered a backlash to his novel about a transgender teenager, My Brother’s Name is Jessica. Although the novel appears to be selling well, Boyne closed down his Twitter account. Australian writer E.J. Levy experienced something similar with her biography of James Barry, which in her case resulted in the book being pulled. We might find that a need to avoid certain ideas and perspectives will influence the paths fiction takes in future.
Finally, there’s the rise of creative writing courses – such as this Masters. Rather than forging their own path, novice writers are encouraged to fit a standard mould. These courses might influence the way future fiction is written, and who becomes successful. I’m sure I’ll write more about this future – there’s plenty of controversy to discuss!
What else might happen in the future of fiction? Is social media truncating our attention spans and if so, will short stories and graphic novels rise at the expense of longer works? If making money is everything, are we likely to see more gift books and how-to guides being produced than fiction? Will ‘high literature’ still be taught in schools or is Shakespeare irrelevant now? Which subjects will become taboo, and most interestingly, what great ideas will sweep our culture over the next few years?
Masters Degree Creative Writing: A Journal 