Should I self pub in 2026 if I wrote a dark epic fantasy?
To be more clear, I'm seeing a trend where a lot of agents are rejecting manuscripts and Query letters because something isn't 'Romantasy.' and I'm an author who has written one Dark Epic Fantasy novel, 111k words and am currently working on book two out of a planned five book series. The issue is I keep getting the This isn't right for my list or it's not right for the market. Never anything about my work or my Query in that of itself. A bit more information on my novel without giving too much away. It has knights and demon's and political intrigues and angels and arch angels and war and bloodshed. It get's dark, almost grimdark. Yet I get the feeling that I'll never get anywhere with where the market is right now, or hence how a lot of these agents say they are open to certain things but then decline when you submit. So, here I am, wondering if Traditional publishing in 2026 has abandoned Dark Epic Fantasy, because those agents that I have found and Queried that looked like good fits, well, so far they haven't been and the question is if I should genuinely try to self pub. I want people to read my work. I even plan to come out with a special edition omnibus for my fans at some point which is a tome that contains all five books in one. Thank you for reading this rant and sorry if it sounds...well you know...childish.