"In our factory, we make lipstick. In our advertising, we sell hope." — Peter Nivio Zarlenga
I chose that lipstick quote above for this newsletter because I found an article in The Atlantic about cozy mysteries (I know, weird, right?). Anyhoo, what it proposed, in part, was that people who read THRILLERS and people who read COZIES are actually similar: both are dealing with life. Cozy readers immerse themselves in a "kinder, gentler" world, one that distracts them from the difficulties of their own life. THRILLER readers want to read about lives in turmoil, so their own existence seems orderly in comparison.
Obviously, those are not the ONLY reasons people read these genres, but I thought the article outlined an important takeaway for authors:
Books make people feel, help them cope, make them see the world around them through a new lens, or reinforce ideals they already hold dear.
They want them to.
If you know what the readers of your genre are looking for, you'll be more successful. For example, I found people responded to the relationships in my mysteries. I didn't set out to write "women's fiction" per se, but it was clear the relationships between my characters, young and old, were a big draw. Now, I'm careful to explore family dramas and friendships in more depth than maybe I did in book one because I know the readers are hungry for it!
Remember, millions of people didn't read 50 Shades of Grey because they were desperate for BDSM in their life. (I could go on all day about that --- and have with other authors, LOL.)
Put on your psychiatrist hat: What do your readers REALLY want? Put on your psychiatrist hat: What do your readers REALLY want? Or better yet... ask them! This is a great example of where having a robust author newsletter following comes in handy!
