Are YOU the NEXT TREND?

 

 So what's 'OUT' this year as far as books?

 Dystopian? Faeries? Steampunk? Vampires? Werewolves?

What genre has been used up?

Who knows these things? And the truth is ... something will always be a trend.

Readers fall in love with a type of storyline and

 read THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

For many young males there must be horror, action, (zombies are hot), and a smidgen of
romance.

For many young females, there must be the glamor of the supernatural, whether it be
faerie, mermaid, or hunky/"harmless" werewolves, vampires, or ghosts.

For self-published authors that means if you can establish an audience,
they will follow you loyally. 

It also means you can write about a subject or news event before the interest fades.

Case in point:

Two weeks ago,
Apple's iBookstore launched Breakout Books in the U.S.,
a new book merchandising feature that showcases books from popular self-published authors,

 including several that have already achieved New York Times bestseller status.

The New York Times covered the story last week, as did The Wall Street Journal.

Apple's merchandising team hand-picked the titles,
all of which have earned high ratings from Apple customers.

So what are the keys to writing that riveting hit?

1.)  A hero/heroine to root for:

     Heroes come in all sizes.
          Sick children, weary firefighters, debt-ridden doctors, lonely single mothers.

     Heroes from Bestsellers are memorable, flawed, yet relatable characters.

2.) THE CAVE YOU FEAR HOLDS THE TREASURE YOU SEEK.

     We grow by facing those demons we wish to flee.  The hard path and the right path
     are usually the same road.

     But they lead along detailed, fascinating worlds that ask novel questions:

          In a world where colors killed, would artists be criminals or assassins or both?

          What if shadows gained sentience?  Would they demand we go where they wanted
          or have a say in what we did with our lives?

     The evils to be faced are on a grand, primal scale depicted in such an absorbing way, it
     makes the reader imagine what she/he would do in that circumstance.

3.) CONTROVERSY is the siren of all bestsellers:

     Those books take Joseph Campbell's HERO's JOURNEY and tips it on its ear in a
     startling new way.

4.) CLIFFHANGERS, AT THE END OF EVERY CHAPTER.

     Self-explanatory really.  

     This is also partly why they are viewed as "page-turners" 

     (Or perhaps: "Chapter-turners"?).

 

5.) THE SAME THEMES: REVENGE and/or SEX 
 

      Potter wants to/(has to) avenge his parents'
      death by Voldemort.
 

     Anastasia from 50 SHADES doesn't want to sell
     Girl Scout cookies to Christian.
 

You really should watch this informative video: