Market-oriented Writing: Defining the Concept
In the world of fiction, authors often find themselves grappling with the question of how to approach their writing. Three main strategies have emerged: writing to market, writing to niche, and writing to trend.
Writing to Market means crafting your story deliberately to fit the expectations and preferences of a particular genre or broad reader market. This strategy involves understanding what readers want in that market — such as specific genres or tropes — and delivering a book that meets those commercial expectations. By aligning your book’s elements (story, cover, blurb) with what sells in that genre, you increase the chances of sales and reader satisfaction.
Writing to Niche, on the other hand, narrows down even further to target a specific and often smaller subset of readers who are highly interested in very particular themes, subjects, or styles. A niche audience might be, for example, readers specifically looking for cozy mysteries with a cat as a protagonist, or romance novels involving billionaires. Writing to niche can help authors build a loyal, focused reader base and may require more specialized knowledge about that smaller group’s tastes.
Writing to Trend involves capitalizing on current popular themes or topics that are gaining widespread attention, often driven by cultural moments, recent events, or popular subgenres. Trend writing means riding the wave of what’s hot now in order to attract readers searching for the latest buzzworthy content, but it can be riskier if the trend fades quickly. It’s more about adapting your work to fit current demands and consumer interests in real-time.
Here's a summary of the differences between these approaches:
| Approach | Audience Scope | Focus | Goal | |-------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | Writing to Market | Broad genre or reader base | Aligning with genre conventions & general market preferences | Maximize commercial appeal & sales | | Writing to Niche | Smaller, specialized reader group | Targeting very specific interests or themes | Build a loyal audience within a subcategory | | Writing to Trend | Readers following current popular themes | Incorporating hot, timely topics or popular tropes | Leverage current demand for quick visibility |
All three strategies require understanding your readers but differ in how broad or focused the target group is, and whether the emphasis is on established markets or emerging hot topics.
Regardless of the chosen path, writing a great book is essential. A book that is so well-written that it captures the hearts of readers across the board and starts the next big trend is indeed possible. However, writing a book in a popular genre might have a smaller reader-base, and writing to trend can be risky due to its potential ephemerality.
It's important to note that writing to trend does not mean writing to trope, which are overused storylines that have become cliché. Similarly, writing to market does not make a writer less artistic or a sellout. In fact, a smart writer spends time considering which path they want to take for their writing.
This article was contributed by Julianne Johnson, a prolific author who has written several books, and who shares her home with 3 cats, 4 ferrets, 1 goldfish, and one fiancé.
[1] Market Research for Writers: How to Sell More Books by Joanna Penn [2] How to Write a Bestseller: The Definitive Guide to Writing, Selling, and Marketing Your Novel by David Farland and Jessica Reid [3] The Elements of Fiction Writing: Plot, Characters, Conflict, and More! by James Scott Bell
- In the realm of non-fiction, an author could apply the 'Writing to Market' strategy while focusing on education-and-self-development, creating books that delve into business strategies, technology, and finance, catering to a broad reader base that craves practical knowledge and skills.
- The strategy of 'Writing to Niche' can be useful for an author interested in sports, crafting captivating narratives about the lifestyles of professional athletes or delving into the intricate details of sports analytics, targeting a specific audience that is passionate about sports.
- Casino-and-gambling enthusiasts might find opportunity in 'Writing to Trend,' capitalizing on current transitions in the technology of gambling and gaming, producing works that investigate the impact of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, or blockchain technology on the casino industry, aiming to attract readers eager for the latest insights in this rapidly evolving sector.
