Hello, your Fairy God-Librarian here, and you’re going to think that this post is weird, but I promise that it’s only half-weird. Scout’s honor.
Niche writing: writing for a niche audience.
Now, when I say niche writing, I mean stories that are written about a specific topic. Now that could mean the main theme of your novel involves vampires, steampunk fairies who only live in caves, cloning, or my personal favorite that always gets me to buy it if I see it in a bookstore: The four classic elements (earth, air, fire, and water), with particular interest on Earth and nature-based magic.
Hence why I’m currently writing a duology called The Divine Elements. Book 1: First Human and Book 2: Last Human are coming of age, alternative Biblical histories of the origin of the Earth and how Humans came to exist. What if the original history of the earth, with its intended mortals called Natessera–anthropomorphic beings born of and with the kinesis gifts of one of the four elements (earth, air, water, and fire)–was altered and then doomed because of the forbidden birth of a new mortal: a Human named Alpha?
Now, that might not be your thing. “Who cares about the four elements, I’m more into motorcycles!” you might say. And that’s okay, but there could be someone out there who loves reading about the four elements and is looking for a novel just like mine or someone else’s like mine. They would be my target audience, the people who would desperately want to read more of a story geared towards their personal interests.
Niche writing is different from genres because genre is a word that classifies types of fiction or non-fiction. It’s more broad, whereas niche writing focuses on more narrow topics. The genre I tend to write is YA fantasy, but I have a niche writing preference for the four elements and earth magic.
As a kid, I designed bios and sketches of my friends and I as girls who could control one of the elements and guess what, I was the one who could manipulate Earth (all things plant-and-stone-based). I’ve found books sort of with earth magic, mostly just someone who really likes forests, and I’m still looking for one that leans more towards the magic of the elements. Until I find one, I’m just going to have to write it myself.
Also, my next series will be about fairies and a family possessed with earth magic. It’s still in the planning stage since I’m currently working on Book 2: Last Human of The Divine Elements Duology. The first of the series will be called The Book of Garden Spells (I also love books, if you couldn’t tell).
For example, I have a friend who’s really into chandeliers. I don’t know why, but then she doesn’t understand why I have a thing for pumpkins. Anything related to pumpkins, and I love it. (That might explain why my favorite Charlie Brown movie is It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, but who knows.) I think it’s because my birthday is so close to Halloween, but for my friend, I honestly cannot explain why she has such an affinity for chandeliers. They’re not my niche, but if someone were to design a whole outfit line or painting series dedicated to the majestic light fixtures, she’s all over it. They’re her niche. And that’s not weird. We all have some harmless item, color, or ideal that we’re really into (I’m also obsessed with the color yellow) that gives flavor to our personalities.
So, no matter the genre, if you really like reading books about cowboys in space, the Knights Templar, Christmas stories, or dolphins, you should seek out a book like that every once in a while, just so that it satisfies this innate preference that makes you interesting. Just know that you’re not alone, and you and your dolphin-loving friends can enjoy stories about Flipper in peace.
Signing out!
Love,
Lacie 🙂
