I think that could be avoided if there was more than one type of story that’s being inclusive. For exmaple, in the LGBT+ space, I’ve seen agents requesting LGBT+ manuscripts that are about something other than coming out, meaning that initial phase may be approaching saturation. But as long as we keep writing diverse, inclusive stories with different storylines, I think we can be fine. And in that case, having an inclusive protagonist / character is not going to be a trend.
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That may be true. 
It’s overly saturated, but it may continue through self-publishing and with self-published writers being huge on specific platforms, it may stay a trend for a little while longer.
Oh, I definitely think that. The movements have truly helped those stories move forward, and I do agree that it is unfair to call it a trend. The BLM and LGBT+ movements made it into a trend, so to speak, which may also be why many books featuring Black narratives show racism and trauma—to continue that voice. It’s nice, don’t get me wrong, because books featuring such a hard, horrible, and sadly true fact is education toward readers. But it’s become a bit of a trend to use Black narratives as only sharing those traumatic events (which is pretty much why I put it on the list). We need more books where the trauma isn’t present, where the characters don’t have to go through it. I’m already seeing it with readers of color who see the trend, too, and are tired of it. They want POC narratives, but not about racism.
It’s similar with LGBT+ stories. It seems that a lot of stories centered around LGBT+ characters are either about coming out or the ridicule of being different (unapproving parents, bullying, etc.) Again, it’s nice for educational and awareness purposes, but we need stories where the characters are already out and live happy already as they are. You know?
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So…apart from being ace I’m probably not one to be talking about this topic…but here’s my take on this.
If it feels “saturated” people will have to find other ways to represent. I think it comes down to that thing where you’re not writing about the black experience or LGBTQ+ experiences (because maybe that can get a little repetitive? Not saying everyone’s experience is the same, but like reading about any experience, there comes a time when you feel like you’ve read them all). But the characters just happen to be black or happen to be of LGBTQ+. Like, the representation part doesn’t always have to be the plot and it doesn’t have to be hyped because of its representation. More of a normalization of characters like them.
Anyway, what are the book trends that you want to see more of?
This 
I have characters like this. Scotch (fox) is gay, his friend Mason (leopard) is bi, but that’s not the story and besides, no one in their world has anything against them. It’s just not that kind of world. So, Scotch and Mason are happy as they are and go through relationship trouble with others like anyone else (cheating, miscommunication, the usual), but the plot is about Scotch wanting to find out who really killed his father.
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I wrote a bisexual Spartacus for ONC. But in AU. 
Personally, where I see lgbtq stories going is when characters start being the driver of a plot that makes sense for lgbtq chars. For example Lone Werewolf’s plot doesn’t work for a hetero couple. Neither does Maximus. I also have a wlw plot that wouldn’t work for a hetero couple.
As for ethnic diversity, it is a godsend for fantasy, because how many elves, dwarves and Arthurian retells can you read?
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Going to take a bit of a side the Devil’s advocate here. I don’t know if I will be in the minority in this opinion, but is very important to me. Both representation and sexuality-wise.
Yes, coming out stories in LGTB+ still matter. Particularly for people like me and anyone else who might relate. Some of us aren’t comfortable with our sexuality yet. And those stories help us find comfort, understanding, empathy, and representation of who we’re and what we’ve been through. Since not everyone wants to pick up a book where the characters are already further down the road about where they’re about themselves. Coming out stories will always be relevant for the LGTB+ community. This includes also dark and gritty stories. They may seem grim and demotivating to people outside it - but they function also as a story for us. That things weren’t always as open as they’re now. A history of the LGTB+ so to speak.
Hell, in some places in the world being queer is still something you can lose everything for. Being queer has never been all fluff and rainbows. Both representations matter; the dark and the light. Even though in certain places in the world it’s over-saturated is not everywhere. In Norway for example, we don’t have that many options for LGTB+ books. And most are American-centered. Which isn’t entirely relevant for a Norwegian queer. Since their stories are fundamentally different. There are countless coming out stories that need their voices heard. Not only the Western atmosphere.
This is coming from a questioning guy by the way - who has been in the LGTB+ community since I was very young. This is important for me as a person. I apologize if I come off too direct, that isn’t how I want to seem as. Please if someone does want to discuss keep it civil.
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I must agree, a lot of popular queer books are either American or English. You can start to forget that queer people live outside of those countries, and even live well.
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You make a good point, and I hope your prediction is correct.
I have been messing around with a concept for Amazonian fantasy in some kind of alternate history Venezuela for a while. People actually believe that if you look in a pink dolphin’s eyes, you get nightmares.
I know dolphins can be scary but some superstitions are very harsh.
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Thank you for adding your views to this part of the discussion! You opened my eyes to another view. I haven’t thought that maybe the LGBTQ+ books are not always relatable to LGBTQ+ people in other countries.
But it’s true! I live in Japan and the story is totally different here. There’s still not a lot of nice acceptance in Japan. Frustratingly. You see and hear all these happy stories set in the U.S, for example, but you wonder, what about my country? I definitely feel more comfortable telling people in the states or in Europe that I’m ace, but not people in Japan.
For starters, they wouldn’t understand.
There should be more LGBTQ+ books taking place in other countries. But I think it’ll be good if they were not fantasy and more slice-of-life oriented. At least, that’s what would be better for people in Japan because the media already shows LGBTQ+ people as almost like “fantasy characters” or “comedy relief”. As if only as fictional characters can LGBTQ+ people exist in Japan
Well, those are just the opinions and observations from one Japanese person 
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Yeah I agree, that does make sense.
Agreed. I think the trends in this space are the coming out / racisism stories, but we need characters outside of those stories being part of minority communities for it not to be a trend. I thought you were reffering to having characters like that as a trend, my bad.
Yes, totally! This is what we need in this space. I’m trying to write my future books that way, too.
I’d love to see books where some alternate side of a story is explored. Like, take a tale we already know, and then show another dimension of it. Maybe Mother Gothel’s perspective in Rapunzel. Something like Maleficent does.
Another trend I really want to see is historical fantasy / sci-fi. Like books that take real world historical events, and transform them into something more, something different. I’d love to see more of historical fiction that is more than just regency romance type stuff, period. I’ve seen some books come out in this space, but we are nowhere near trend size yet.
One thing I want to see more of (but not as a trend, just in general) is different cultures being represented through stories, where the cultural influence is really strong. Like most people in the Middle East live differently to East Asia, who live differently to south-east Asians or Indians or Africans or West Europeans. I’d love to see stories reflecting the traditional and cultural impacts of the protagonist’s birthplace. Like, just in my state in India, everyone has different traditions for different festivals, and these traditions change from region-to-region as well as family-to-family, and yet they are somewhat similar. But all of these traditions are still huge parts of our lives, and I’d love to see books about / containing these influences.
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I was working on a very early Rennasaince story about werewolves that takes place in the Rhine river region.
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Of course they do! I just wanted to say that there needs to be representation in “normal” stories as well. That it’s important for stories that are not about coming out or minority problems to have diversity in their casts, if we are to truly normalize diversity. That does not take away from the fact that the issues the minority faces will always be relevant and important, just that having only those stories is not enough for representation. But I agree with your take, too.
Similarly in India! I didn’t really realize that LGBT+ was a thing worldwide, like it never truly hit me that these people exist in my circles until one of my closest friends came out to me. I only thought of LGBT+ as a fantasy or at least something really distant until then
oooh that sounds interesting!
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You’re welcome! I’m glad I put a unique view into the discussion. Yeah, I always encounter this issue in bookstores. I just can’t relate to American LGTB+ books. Unless they’ve some issues I personally connect with (such as a Mexican arriving in the US only to encounter racism because of their background which makes them choose to hide their LGTB+ sexuality etc).
Exactly what I’m getting at. From what I know of media in Japan - is that LGTB+ is still something having a negative impact on people. I’ve heard of people losing their livelihood or much worse. That’s what I’m getting at, that not all LGTB+ in some countries are accepted. It’s something from my observation not all American published authors realize.
I definitely get what you mean! My most personal LGTB+ book Love Shot is from a POV of a Mexican-Norwegian that takes place in England. Since that’s a relevant story for me. It will also take up important health issues such as autism, depression, social anxiety, and PTSD. It will be lighthearted. Because this is the book I needed as a teenager. I’ve personally never seen Mexican-Norwegian representation in LGTB+ places. So I decided I would do it myself. Like you said, each experience is unique to their country and their writer. Not two stories are alike.
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In the Norwegian bookmarked LGTB+ isn’t pushed as aggressively by the publishers so we don’t have the issue of only a certain amount of books being shown. It might be different in your country but that case isn’t in mine. We still mostly have queer coming out stories and a few with living as an out queer. But as I said earlier - they’re mostly American views. That again doesn’t show the struggles a Norwegian queer may encounter.
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good to know that i am once again, as usual, not giving the people what they want 
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I didn’t even know you wrote anything.
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.-. i published-
why do you think i’m on wacky writers??
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You know what I want? Chaos.
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To troll people and make friends.
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am i a troll?
is that what you do
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You’re more like a will o wisp.
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