Do you have doubts about which book to write? the best place to start is by choosing the right genre.
The only problem is that there are so many genres out there. it can be quite overwhelming.
You are reading: Best selling genre of books
don’t stress; we’ve got you covered! we have the current trending literary genres that you can try right here!
what is a gender?
Before we delve into which genre sells the most books, let’s break down what a genre is. a genre is just a category your book falls into. this will be evident in the underlying theme and story of your book. helps readers decide which books they would enjoy the most.
Anyone who loves romance books won’t want to read a book in which the hero doesn’t fall in love with the man of their dreams. in the same way, someone who picks up a crime book won’t be very happy if the book focuses on the relationship between the detective and the witness instead of solving the crime.
Now, you can definitely have different elements from multiple genres in your book.
so don’t think that if you choose romance, for example, you can’t have a crime/mystery/sci-fi element throughout the book. you certainly can! but the overall theme and highlight will be romance. the same goes for all genres
how to choose the right gender for you
Selecting the right genre for your book can seem like a daunting task. but it doesn’t have to be that way.
When you think about the genre you want to write about, you’re targeting a specific audience. then think about:
- Who do you want to reach?
- What is your ideal reader like?
- What would they like to get out of the book?
Once you have these answers, you can develop your book. the best way to understand what a reader wants is to read the most popular books in that genre. all genres have best selling books. The reason is that those books gave the reader what he wanted.
Another great tip is to just write what you like to read. you probably already have a specific genre that appeals to you or that you always find yourself picking up.
this is your preferred genre and it will be perfect for you. you’re already familiar with the writing style and direction of the story.
For non-fiction books, the genres are not as broad. Here, you can write about a topic that you are familiar with or passionate about. if you have a skill or idea that you would like to teach people, then writing a non-fiction book is the way to go.
subgenres
there is no way that a reader will like all the books of a specific genre. is too broad, which is why there are subgenres. help guide the reader to more specific book niches
Choosing the subgenre of your books is just as important as choosing the genre. it will help you write in a specific direction that will appeal to a certain type of reader.
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There are so many different subgenres for each genre, so you’ll definitely have to do your research. chances are you already have a subgenre preference, even if you don’t know it yet.
really analyze the books you read commonly and see if there is a common theme. If you find it difficult to choose the subgenre, try doing a quick google search. you should be able to discover the subgenre in no time.
why choose a popular book genre?
Genres help readers choose the books they would like to read. people naturally gravitate towards the types of books they have previously enjoyed. once a book becomes popular, people search for other books in the same genre. this is how genres grow in popularity.
You can really increase your book’s profitability by choosing a currently popular book genre. more people will be interested in picking it up. this means more potential readers for your book.
Places like amazon and play books often suggest books to readers based on what they’ve read. therefore, writing a book in a genre that people are interested in reading could actually increase traffic to it.
Which genres sell the most books right now?
When making this list, we have also taken into account the subgenres. take a look and see if the book you want to write falls into any of these categories.
1. romance – contemporary and historical
Romance is consistently one of the best-selling book genres and has been for many years. in fact, it has never broken out of the top 5 best-selling book genres.
Romance books are classified as having an emotionally satisfying and often positive ending. these books take the reader on a journey where they become involved in the love story of the characters.
There are many subgenres in romance that are constantly fighting for the top spot. Right now, the most popular subgenres are contemporary romance and historical romance.
contemporary romance is set in the present tense. anything established at any time after the second world war would qualify. because it is more current, you are free to explore the themes and ideas of current events. some examples of these are me before you by jojo moyes and nicholas sparks’s notebook
The historical romance, on the other hand, is set anytime before 1945. The plot of these books is based on a strong depiction of the time in which it takes place. think outlander by diana gabaldon and an extraordinary union of alyssa cole.
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2. crime and suspense
It seems that the two most popular genres for fiction books are the crime/thriller genre and romance. they are always vying for the top spot. it has to do with the emotions they evoke.
while romance gives readers a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, thrillers plunge the reader into the darker side of life. This is exactly what readers want when they pick up books like Gillian Flynn or basically anything by Lee Child.
When people talk about a page turner, it’s usually a book that falls into this category. if it’s well written, readers can burn through these books faster than most others. I mean, who isn’t curious to know who did it?
3. religious and self-help
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These types of books have a large following, both in electronic and print formats. people are more interested than ever in improving themselves.
Religious books are basically self-help books, but they are based on religious doctrine. of course, your readers will be those who follow the religion you are writing about.
If you plan to write a book in this genre, think about the information that would be useful to people. there are so many options here that you are only limited by yourself, your own ideas and experiences.
think like a monk by jay shetty, total money makeover by dave ramsey, and you’re a badass by jen sincere all fall into this category.
4. children’s books – humor
Children’s books are very popular in both print and electronic versions. Children tend to read more books than adults. this is because they find it fun to get lost in an imaginary world. Anything that sparks a child’s sense of adventure and creativity is something they’ll enjoy reading.
The sweet spot, in terms of age, is 8-12 year olds, but even younger children’s books are still very popular. Knowing the trends and characters kids love will help you write a children’s book that will captivate your young readers.
Adding humor to children’s books is a growing trend. Kids love to laugh and so do parents who will definitely read the book too! having a fun item really grabs the child’s attention. roald dahl’s bfg is a great example of this.
but honestly, who doesn’t love to laugh out loud?
5. fantasy and science fiction – young adult
Readers of this genre are incredibly loyal to it. there are many subgenres, but books aimed at young adults have become the most popular. most of the stories in these books take place in other worlds or in this world but with a twist.
About half of the books in the top 20 best-selling books of all time are in this genre. think of the hobbit, the lord of the rings, the lion, the witch and the wardrobe.
If you’re worried about having to compete with these big titles, then there’s good news for you. Approximately 48% of total book sales in this genre were self-published or published on Amazon.
bonus tip: strong female lead
There has definitely been a growing demand for books with a strong female lead. books that have an empowered heroine are getting attention. this is across all genres and niches, and we’re here for it!
Children are looking for female role models to look up to and adults are looking for someone to inspire them. Due to the lack of strong female leads in the past, it is understandable why representation is requested.
final thoughts
Selecting the right genre can definitely help increase your book sales, but there’s more to it than just choosing the most popular literary genre. make sure whatever you decide to write will engage your audience and give them what they’re looking for.
Choose a genre that you know you’ll be able to write well. This way, you can create a loyal following that always enjoys your books. If your book falls into one of these categories, that’s a big plus for you!
And even if you don’t, that doesn’t mean you should throw your book away and start over! the best advice is to write something you are proud of and enjoy reading.
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