How do you write what people actually want to read?
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I’m not sure any author truly knows exactly what readers want. Sure, we can study the bestseller lists, look at which books are receiving five-star reviews, and follow the latest reading trends. But can you really write a book simply because you believe it’s what everyone wants to read?
What if tomorrow everyone decides cookbooks are the greatest books ever written? If you’re not a cook and have no interest in cooking, could you write a cookbook that people would truly enjoy?
I believe the best stories are the ones that come from our own imaginations, the characters, worlds, and adventures that take shape in our minds and demand to be written.
Maybe I’m a little biased because I’m retired, and writing, selling, and marketing books aren’t my entire life. I have the freedom to write the stories I love rather than chase the latest trend.
Of course, I want people to discover and enjoy my books. Every author does! But what matters most to me is that my stories touch readers in some way. Maybe they make someone laugh, cry, think, or lose themselves in another world for a few hours.
I don’t want someone to read my book simply because everyone else is reading it. I want them to read it because the story interests them, the characters stay with them, and they genuinely enjoy the experience.
I’d rather write a story I love and find the readers who connect with it than write a story I don’t believe in just because it’s popular.
To me, that’s what makes writing worthwhile.
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