Write from the Soul

Too many writers in today's market write for just that—the market. When wizards and magic were the hype back in the Harry Potter days, everyone wrote fantasy books. In the dark days of Twilight, it was all werewolves and vampires (I can still go to the YA section of my library and find nothing but werewolf and vampire books. That was a BIG fad.). Now, the new thing is post-apocalypse and dystopian genres, and I can't even count how many movies and books are following suit. (Think Hunger Games, Divergent, Walking Dead, Falling Skies, Godzilla...). And the rumors are true—if you write for the market, your work has a huge chance of getting published.

BUT, your work will be the forced product of something you may have no interest in.

While it's tempting to write for the market to have a better chance at getting published, writing for the market is just not the answer. The market changes; by the time you finish your vampire novel, pop culture could change to pirates. There's no point in it.

Don't write for the market. Write for you. Write what you want to read, and you'll enjoy it so much more than writing for other people. Sure, keep in mind your audience and readers, but you're the writer, not them. You make the ultimate decision. You're writing the book.

If you're not interested in vampires and werewolves, don't try to write a vampire book. If you're not interested in post-apocalyptic or dystopian genres, don't worry. The market will change, so there's no point in freaking out about publishing your book. Just keep trying.

Don't get caught up in the "write for the market, you'll get published" fad. Write from the soul, write what you want, write until you bleed words, write until you find what you want to say. Then, say it.