Nanowrimo and Thoughts It Inspired

One of the reasons I love NaNoWriMo?  Threads like this one on weird fantasy.  It gives me hope I am not alone.  In my off time, I have been studying some of the popular and best selling lists of fantasy on Amazon.  Except for a few big names like Dean Koontz, Terry Brooks, and G. R. R. Martin, it is almost all urban fantasy or paranormal romance.  It's to the point that if I ran across anyone wanting suggestions on getting their fantasy published, by commercial publishes or through self-publishing, I'd almost suggest just write urban fantasy or paranormal romance to have a chance at sales--unless one possesses excellent marketing skills and ability to reach a niche.  For it's to the point that I believe the future of fantasy is urban fantasy and paranormal fantasy and the secondary world fantasy will be niche.  Even then, I predict the secondary world fantasy that will sell best will be those that minimize the otherworldliness of the fantasy and maximize the universal, the romance.


With this trend in mind, I am contemplating something radical.  You see, I write very specific types of fantasy.  Basically, it has a

1. Male protagonist
2. Main relationship (if one exists) is with a friend, family member, or colleague/comrade-in-arms, not a romantic/sexual partner
3. Minimal or non-existent romance/sex (in other words, romance/sex does not drive the plot, major or minor plot threads, or subplot; though, of course, it can be there as window dressing)
4. Weird worldbuilding (mine are in secondary worlds)

That is where I get my kicks in fantasy.  And I will settle for less, but if #1 is present, I can put up with moderate levels of #3 (and the lack of #2) and normal worldbuilding.  If #1 isn't present, I generally need a combination of some of the rest.

So if that type of subgenre isn't radical enough, my move is.  I'm considering selling for free my own ebooks that fit this type.  Why?  To pioneer a movement, so I don't have to just write something to get my kicks.  I'm not sure how I will do this yet. I do like the idea of a payment in recommendations--meaning, if the reader knows other works that come close to fitting this type, he or she simply has to leave the recommendation.  Then I'll get that book and do my best plug the hell out of it on my blogs.  In this case, I hope I would get enough affiliate sales to meet my costs or I would have to cover both costs through print versions.  Maybe both.

Anyway, that is what I am considering.  Making it for the genre.  I'm not sure yet if I will go this way, but feel free to weigh in.