Attention authors! You might not be able to pick a genre for your book. There’s a way of finding what works best for you. You can’t randomly pick the most popular book genres. You need to find one that fits your plot. It also has to be popular among your audience. This isn’t easy. It can be too stressful to think about all these things.
But it’s time for you to stop stressing. We can help you decide your book’s genre. You’ll learn everything you need to know about the most-read genre of books.
What Are Book Genres?
Before we explore the best selling genre of books, you need to know some things. You need to know what a genre is. A genre is a category that your book falls into. This can be identified through its basic theme and storyline.
Genres help readers find the kind of books they’ll enjoy. A reader who loves romance books won’t be interested in a book where the main character doesn’t fall in love.
Someone who reads a crime book will expect to see the crime solved. They won’t enjoy a plot twist that doesn’t do justice to what they’re expecting. Your book doesn’t have to follow one genre. It can include elements of several genres. For example, a romance novel can have elements of:
- Crime
- Mystery
- Sci-fi
But the main focus of the book will still be romance. This applies to every genre.
Why Choosing a Book Genre Is Important?
Authors need to understand which category their book belongs to. This makes it easier for readers to find their work. But some writers aren’t sure about the concept of book categories. They’re also clueless about types of book genres. They might not believe that these things matter.
These writers think that their book is for everyone. But the truth is far from it. Writers need to understand the purpose of book categories and genres. They need to know why it’s important to pay attention to this part of book writing and self publishing.
It can be very beneficial to define your book’s genre before you start the writing process. Doing so can help you and many authors in the following ways:
- Develop a suitable world-building strategy.
- Select the right themes to write about.
- Create age-appropriate storylines and dialogues.
- Write character arcs that align with the genre.
- Design an engaging book cover that stands out.
- Optimize your Amazon Kindle direct book publishing listing with the appropriate keywords.
- Choose the most suitable categories for your book on Amazon.
- Market your bookto the right audience.
The 'Right' Genre and Subgenre for Your Book
It can be difficult to pick the appropriate genre for your book. But with a little guidance, you’ll find it easier. When you select a genre, you’re choosing your target audience. So, take a moment to define:
- Who your target audience is
- What they look like
- What they hope to gain from your book
When you know who your target audience is, start writing your book. To get an idea of what readers want, it’s best to read the most popular books right now. All genres have top selling books right now (bestsellers), and those are the ones that appeal to readers the most and sell plenty of copies.
Another helpful tip is to pen down books in a genre that appeals the most to you. This will ensure you write for a genre that interests you and you’re familiar with. In this case, writing in that genre would come more naturally to you.
As a reader, it’s impossible to like every book in a specific genre because it’s too broad. That’s why subgenres exist. They help readers find more specific book niches. Choosing a subgenre is as important as picking the top book genres because it helps you write in a precise direction that will appeal to specific readers.
There are multiple subgenres for each genre, so research is essential. You might already have a subgenre preference without realizing it. Analyze the books you commonly read to find a common theme. If it’s difficult to determine the subgenre, run a quick Google search. You should be able to find out the subgenre quickly.
Genres are more specific for nonfiction books. You can write on a topic that you have knowledge of. You can also be passionate about it. You might have an idea that you’d like to let others know about. This is when writing a nonfiction book, which is a great option.
Best Genre of Books – A Guide for Authors
As an author, when you’re figuring out which genre to pick, you’re likely to look up the top selling books right now and search for the most sold books in the world. However, all of that can get pretty confusing and just complicate things further.
You need to understand which genre sparks creativity in you the most. Write about something that intrigues you.
Romance
Romance books are probably number one. They’re at the top in book sales. Readers can buy romance books at the checkout of local grocery stores, online, through self-publishing services, and in the monthly shipments that publishers send to their readers. Readers of this genre are loyal to their favorite authors. The most popular subgenres of romance are:
- Paranormal
- Historical romance
Mystery
There is a huge audience for well-known mystery books. This is especially true when they’re in a series. Mysteries have:
- An enthralling beginning
- A gripping middle
- A gratifying climax that resolves all of the reader’s unanswered issues
The most popular subgenres of mysteries include:
- Cozy mysteries
- Procedural mysteries
- Scientific mysteries
- True crime books
- Whodunits
- Hardboiled detective fiction
Fantasy and Science Fiction
Most fantasy books are set in a different era than our own. They frequently feature magical creatures, ranging from worldly wizards to homicidal zombies. A dystopian future or past is a common setting for science fiction. Some science fiction books take place in the past. But many of them explore the consequences of technology and scientific progress in the future.
Some types of fantasy are:
- High fantasy
- Dark fantasy
- Urban fantasy
- Steampunk
- Sword and sorcery
Magical realism is also very popular. It combines the elements of fantasy with literary fiction. An excellent example of this is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Marquez.
Memoir, Biography, and Autobiography
Nonfiction books tell a story about someone’s life. The authors of autobiographies and memoirs write about themselves. But biographies are written by other people to avoid the person being featured writing it themselves. Usually, all facts in these books have to be backed by reliable and authentic sources.
Historical fiction is different from biographies since it takes place during documented historical periods. On the other hand, biographies feature non-fictional stories that are based on reality.
Young Adult
Teenage readers are the target demographic of young adult fiction, which reimagines famous adult literary works for their demographic. The finest works of young adult fiction (YA) cover a broad spectrum of genres, from science fiction and fantasy to romance and crime books, and they all have compelling plots and compelling characters. Teenage themes are added to pre-existing literary devices. This includes:
- Rebellion
- Coming of age
The young adult (YA) market has seen great success. This includes books like;
- K. Rowling’sHarry Potter series
- Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games
Children's Fiction
Children’s literature is designed for a younger audience compared to young adult books. It starts with picture books for kids who are not able to read yet. Then there’s early-reader short stories and middle-grade books. Comic books and graphic books are more appropriate for adults. Picture books are better for younger readers.
Self-Help, Inspirational, and Religious Books
These kinds of nonfiction books have a huge global readership. A lot of self-help books are about getting rich and being successful in business. There are a lot of self-help books that include religious doctrine under the religious category. They provide spiritual advice on how to deal with everyday issues.
The best part about choosing a book to write in any of these genres and choosing Amazon book publishing is that you can always hire Maven Ghostwriters, a ghostwriting agency, to do all the hard work.
Essential Tips to Determine the Perfect Writing Genre for You
These book writing tips will help you find the genre that suits you. They’re helpful if you are new to writing or if you want a better understanding of book genres.
Bookshelf Assessment
If you want to know what genre of book you like, take a look at your bookshelf. See which genres you naturally gravitate to. You can easily identify the genre of a book. Check the copyright page or the back cover near the barcode.
Experienced authors tell aspiring writers to read extensively in the genre they want to write. For example, you enjoy reading historical romance books. Then you should try writing a book like that.
Plot Planning
If you want to define the genre of a book, think about the plot. Think of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The plot of this book centers around taking a magic ring into a fantastical land. It’s filled with imaginary characters. Despite its setting, it is not a work of historical fiction. Rather, it is an early example of science fiction and fantasy.
Analyze The Setting
How does your setting relate to specific literary genres? In The Crucible, written by Waldo Rodriguez, the protagonist faces the ultimate destiny of the planet. Rodriguez’s preferred genre of science fiction is hinted at in the setting.
Consider the Target Audience
Ask yourself these questions to help you determine what kind of books to write:
- Who do you enjoy interacting with the most?
- Which websites do you tend to spend the most time on?
- Do you follow nonfiction writers and chat with readers who enjoy motivational nonfiction?
- Is your audience mainly younger people interested in dystopian books?
- If you could inspire and entertain anyone, who would it be?
Use Writing Prompts
To kick off the writing process, writers often use writing prompts. If you want to start writing, sometimes all you need is a sentence or two. Select three or four writing prompts if you are unsure of the kind of book you would most want to write.
Pick a new genre every time. Eliminate the genres that do not suit your writing style and focus on the one that does.
Examine Your World-Building
Some writers excel at inventing new worlds from scratch. For them, choosing a favorite book genre to write in is straightforward, be it adventure, science fiction, high fantasy, dystopia, low fantasy, and so on.
If you prefer world-building, you might want to consider a genre that you can research rather than invent.
Level of Research
If you’re looking to write fiction, we recommend avoiding getting bogged down by research and trying your hand at fantasy writing. Fantasy writing allows you to create unique worlds and characters.
They don’t require extensive research. This can be a great way to spark your creativity. It’ll help you produce a compelling story. You won’t be hindered by the need for factual accuracy.
Consider Your Brand
You need to have an online presence to promote a book in today’s world. So, before deciding on a genre, review your current web presence. If you often share business-related insights on your website and social media, writing in a nonfiction subgenre might be a good choice. On the other hand, if you frequently express admiration for science-fiction authors, then it might be worth considering writing in that genre.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a book genre, and why is it important?
Genres are categories of the following compositions:
- Artistic
- Literary
- Musical
They share a common:
- Style
- Form
- Subject matter
They give writers a set of general organizational patterns. These can help them structure their work. Genres help readers make sense of the information. They organize it into easily understandable categories.
What is the easiest book genre?
Autobiographical fiction is considered the easiest form of writing. It involves putting your own life experiences into a well-structured story. You already have a plot because it’s your life. All you need to do is put it into proper words.
Which are the top five literary genres?
The popular types of fiction include:
- Historical fiction
- Science fiction
- Fantasy
- Mystery/thriller
- Romance