If you want to be a published writer but you’re not sure what you want to write, a logical question might be, “What type of book is the easiest to get published?” While there’s no definitive answer to this question, there are certain genres that tend to be perennial favorites with the reading public. Among these are genre fiction categories such as romance, mystery, and fantasy.
What makes a book qualify as genre fiction? A novel that fits into a particular genre follows the norms of that genre. For example, readers of romance novels expect the story to center on an amorous relationship between two people. Generally, the two characters meet and there’s a romantic spark, but there are also conflicts. By definition, romance includes an “HEA,” or “happily ever after” ending, in which the couple finds a way to overcome their conflicts and be together. Within this genre, there are subgenres such as LGBTQ+ romance, historical romance, and so on. The same sort of pattern can be found for mystery novels (and their subgenres), fantasy and subgenres, and so on.
If you’re considering genre fiction as a way to break into publishing, it’s important to take the following into consideration:
- Write what you like to read. The majority of fiction writers also read a lot of fiction, and often they gravitate toward particular genres. Consider what draws you in when you select a book to read. What types of stories keep you turning the pages late into the night? Because you’ll be bringing your passion and enthusiasm to the project, what interests you most as a reader is also the genre in which you’re likely to produce your best book.
- Study the genre extensively. Select a variety of authors, both well-known and emerging, and read their books with a critical eye. What did you like? What didn’t work for you? If you’d written the story, what elements might you change?
- Consider a series. What makes many genre fiction books successful is that they’re part of a series. Once readers discover a series that they enjoy, they’re likely to pick up the other books in that series, too. Every book in your series doesn’t necessarily need to be about the same characters, but the books should be tied by theme, location, time period, or other unifying factors.
- Plan for marketing. Writing a book (or a series) is only one piece of the puzzle. Once the first book is written, you’ll need to get the word out about the book using a combination of techniques (advertising, word-of-mouth, publicity, and so on). You will also need a compelling cover design that fits the mood of the genre, as well as expertly produced interior pages.
The first step is to get the book written! If you’re inspired, there’s no time like now to begin. If you have ideas but you’re not sure how to get started, please get in touch. We can help you brainstorm your ideas for your genre book or series, then partner you with a ghostwriter or editor to help write or polish the manuscript. After the manuscript is complete, our marketing team will be ready to assist you with getting your first professionally written, edited, and produced novel into the world.
At that point, congratulations are in order—you will have officially broken in as a published author!