More You Know: What is the Best Book Genre?

I decided to look up what is the most profitable book genres. More women probably gravitate toward romance than men. More men probably gravitate toward cars and motorcycles. I don’t know who in their right mind would want to read a book about bowling or fishing. I consider both boring in most cases although between the two I’d rather bowl than fish even though I’ve done both in the past. So, what is the consensus floating around the Internet? The top five were as follows.

1. Romance and Erotica because it’s pretty self-explanatory. Women and some men want to fill their heads with romance and the freaky sexual encounters they don’t have in their own lives.
2. Crime and Mystery because men and women have an interest in crime especially solving murders.
3. Religious and Inspirational because people want to have a reason to live. They want purpose and meaning in their lives. They want to believe in something and gives people inspiration to do good things. On the flip side, religion offers bad things too. All the more important to know which is which.
4. Science Fiction and Fantasy because men and women love to be known as sci-fi geeks, fantasy nerds, and attend conventions.
5. Horror because people have an affinity for feeling scared while being safe in their own bed.

With this information, you are probably asking yourself so why am I writing a book about dogs? That is if you are a writer and you love dogs! The more important question is are you offering more than just facts and details of great breeding like I’m doing with my blog. Add some humor into it. You know that one time your chug (chihuahua and pug) pooped on the carpet that you stepped and walked all over your living room for a minute before realizing what you did. Maybe not the best example but you get my drift.

Here are the most competitive genres to write and sell on Kindle. There’s a pattern here where people like to read a combination of sorts. Few people want to read Moby Dick. I can attest to it. I’m still trying to finish it since 1994.

1. Romance/Contemporary
2. Literature and Fiction/Contemporary Fiction/Women
3. Romance/New Adult and College
4. Literature and Fiction/Contemporary Fiction/Romance
5. Literature and Fiction/Women/Romance
6. Literature and Fiction/Genre Fiction/Coming of Age
7. Romance/Mystery and Suspense/Suspense
8. Science Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal and Urban
9. Literature and Fiction/Genre Fiction/Erotica
10. Literature and Fiction/Women/Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense/Women Sleuths

There’s also different genres regarding hard cover books and e-books. The top genres that sell the most in both are memoirs and biographies, self help, religion and spirituality, health/fitness/dieting, politics and social science, business and money, and cookbooks/food/wine.

Hardcover books

1. Memoirs and Biographies
2. Self Help
3. Religion and Spirituality
4. Health, Fitness, and Dieting
5. Politics and Social Science

E-books

1. Religion and Spirituality
2. Biographies and Memoirs
3. Business and Money
4. Self Help
5. Cookbooks, Food, and Wine

The bottom line is write what you know or do adequate research so you know what you’re writing about. There’s nothing more frustrating for the writer and reader if someone comes across as not believable. You can make an unbelievable world believable but it’s hard to make an established world unestablished, if you know what I mean. Sometimes, creativity gets a hold of you and doesn’t let go. This is fine but besides being a blog about random facts and information, it’s also a blog about being true to yourself. I have my own reasons for wanting to writing all of my book ideas. Some are challenges, some are needs, some are wants, and some are creative. Whatever anyone is writing, it should come from somewhere inside and not outside. I revamped my writing goals, yet again, and look forward to what is next because there’s always a next time and one after that.

So what is the best book genre? For me it’s become less of what genre it is and more does it keep me engaged? Yet, I gravitate toward historical fiction, social science, politics, horror, crime, self help, and autobiography.