Writing is a solitary endeavor that takes so much of your own time, concentration and dedication. However, it would be wrong to say that writing takes place in a vacuum. Everything that you read, watch or otherwise consume has the potential to influence your writing in some way.
So does this mean that you should bundle all that information up and make sure you are writing to the current market? This is a loaded question to which there is no easy answer. If you’re struggling with whether to write for yourself or the market, you’ve come to the right place.
The market is an ever-changing beast
Popular reading trends come and go rather quickly. In the early 2000s vampire young adult novels were all the rage. That trend gave way to paranormal YA, and then on to novels set in the real world. In just 20 years the market among YA readers shifted dramatically and repeatedly.
If you are hoping to hop onto a reading trend, you’d better have light speed typing skills. The traditional publishing process can take about two years. Consider the time you need to write the book, make revisions and find an agent, and you’ll probably miss the cutoff for participating in a specific trend.
An important thing to remember is that when trends die down, they still don’t wholly disappear. Sure, vampire books might not be the hottest thing right now, but you can still walk into a bookstore and find one sitting on the shelf. There will always be a baseline reader group for these genres.
Your novel is a personal journey
While writing to market might have some value for already established authors who have the time and resources to churn a new book out, you might not have that same luxury.
This means that you will probably need to spend considerable more time and effort crafting your novel over months or even years. Can you survive the journey of creating a novel if you’re writing to market instead of for yourself? While some might be able to, dedicating that much of yourself to something you don’t feel passionate about could actually damage your love for writing.
Read outside of trends
Who doesn’t love to pick up the newest trending novel from the display at the front of the bookstore? While there is merit in staying abreast of trends, you also need to be sure you’re actually reading in your genre. Reading is a key component of great writing, so if you’re only reading the newest and trendiest books, you’ll probably miss the mark in your own writing.
Ultimately, your writing journey is your own. Whether you prioritize writing for the market or writing for yourself is your own decision. However, if your goal is to create an opportunity to thrive as a published author, exploring your own unique voice and stories will surely give you a leg up.
