Writers are often advised to write what they’re passionate about. How does that advice stack up against writing production—or writing to the market?
Writing Tip for Today: Let’s compare writing your passion versus writing what sells.
What’s the Passion?
Most writers begin with what they feel most strongly about. A mystery lover, romance reader or fantasy aficionados gravitate toward writing the types of novels they most like to read. If you’re passionate about a nonfiction topic, you’ll know most about that subject. And if you write memoir, you might want to write your story. After all, it’s a topic you know a lot about.
Yet when you decide to write for publication you find different challenges. A novelist of any genre must learn the craft of fiction: how to write in scenes, how to show, not tell, how to bring characters to life. Nonfiction writers must show some level of expertise in that area—often a degree or some “expert” designation. Memoirists ride a fine line of needing fiction chops and the ability to be an expert on the human condition without preaching or boring readers.
The types of writing you do for personal legacy or journalling may not translate well into a publishable format. Besides learning to craft well-written prose, publishable material must speak both to the reader as well as the publisher’s guidelines.
Who’s the Reader?
When writers start their journeys, they tend to think about themselves: Are my scenes good? What if someone steals my ideas? Is my story worthy? Yet emphasizing readers is what makes the difference.
Who are these readers? Why should they care about your writing? What do you give them as takeaways? Answering these questions and more can help writers of all abilities reach their target audience. I often ask writers to tell me where in a bookstore (or online) they envision published work. If you feel your book crosses all sorts of genre lines, you may need to rethink your approach.
Memoirists, especially must learn that their work isn’t really about them. You write your life so readers can see themselves and take away gems of self-growth or some universal truth. The basic human needs of love, acceptance, belonging or forgiveness (among others) help connect you with your intended readers.
Emphasizing readers is what makes the difference.
Why Write?
An old book called If You Want to Write gives great advice on what kinds of skills you’ll need to be publishable. But in the twenty-first century, we hear most often about brands, slogans and platforms. How do you reconcile the pressure to produce publishable work with your passion?
Today, writers are often expected to identify a single topic or genre and become known as the writer who puts out that specific type on a regular basis. Think Stephen King and Horror or James Patterson for thrillers. Publishers and self-publishers make more money by putting out books with built-in audiences. That’s branding.
The reality is that most writers experiment first to see where they have the best success. By writing different genres, you determine where you’re most comfortable. Does that mean you never deviate?
No, but often publishers demand more of the same type of book you’ve done before. My best advice is to start with your passion (don’t chase publishing trends—by the time your work is publishable, the trends will have changed). Submit your work often, and always be working on your craft. When you find even small successes, you’ll be more likely to produce work in that same genre. Keep writing and have a most excellent 2026!
