💡Write What You Love (Even If It’s Not Trending on TikTok)
Why Popular Genres Shouldn’t Hold You Hostage — and How to Free Your Voice
Let me be blunt:
The pressure to write what’s popular almost crushed me.
And I don’t mean the dramatic, “crying-in-the-rain-while-listening-to-Adele” kind of crushed.
I mean the kind of crushed where I shelved my own creative instincts to chase algorithms and bestseller trends.
And yeah... I have the abandoned drafts to prove it. 😅
💡 The First Time I Thought I Found My Niche
My very first short story was... kind of odd (in the best way).
It was an interview-style fictional biography about a bestselling author who left her thriving career to become a stay-at-home mom to six kids—only to find out her husband was, well... an absolute scumbag.
Not exactly the stuff of romance charts or thriller bestseller lists.
But it was fresh. It was unexpected. And I loved every second of writing it.
I played both interviewer and interviewee, weaving a life story through conversation, confession, and raw emotional truth.
I didn’t care that it was unconventional. I was having a blast.
“This is it,” I told myself.
“This is my niche.”
“This is what I want to be known for.”
Plot twist: Google disagreed. 😐
🔎 The Great Google Spiral of Doom
Curiosity got the better of me.
I did what every insecure but hopeful new author does:
I Googled “how to be a successful writer.”
And the internet answered.
Over. And over. And over again.
Every article, listicle, TikTok, and blog screamed the same thing:
“WRITE ROMANCE!”
“Romance sells the most.”
“Romance is in demand.”
“If you’re not writing romance, are you even trying???”
Don’t get me wrong—I love romance readers and respect the genre deeply.
But here’s the thing:
I had zero desire to write a romance novel.
Trying to force one out of me felt like trying to build IKEA furniture without a manual... or tools... or patience.
But the pressure kept building.
🧨 When Passion Meets Panic
Suddenly, all I could think about was how unmarketable I was.
Interview-style fictional biographies? Where’s the genre for that on Amazon?
Was there even an audience for the weird, emotionally layered, slow-burn psychological stories I loved?
I convinced myself there wasn’t.
So I pivoted.
First to murder mysteries (which I actually enjoyed writing).
Then to romance—where I wrote, no joke, 20 unfinished drafts that still live in my “to-be-ignored” folder.
Each one fizzled out.
I’d start a romance story and instantly feel myself drifting. My brain would wander. My characters would go quiet. The spark was gone.
And every time I opened one of those interview-style stories?
I lit up again.
🧘🏾♀️ The Moment I Said “Forget the Trends”
After months of doubting myself, I finally did what I should have done from the start:
I said, “To hell with it.”
(Respectfully.)
I went back to writing books I wanted to read.
Books I’d proudly put my name on.
Books that didn’t fit into neat boxes—but felt right.
And here’s the honest truth:
My niche hasn’t made me rich.
It hasn’t landed me on bestseller lists (yet).
But it makes me happy.
It fills my creative cup.
My characters feel real again.
My writing sessions feel electric again.
I’m not just writing—I’m living in these worlds, asking big questions, and pulling stories from the deepest parts of myself.
And that matters more than any chart-topping genre.
📚 Why You Shouldn’t Let Trends Choose Your Genre
Let’s break it down:
✖️ You’re Not a Factory
Trying to write what sells—without passion—will burn you out eventually. You’ll put out books that feel empty or, worse, unfinished.
✖️ Your Voice Will Disappear
Chasing trends risks silencing your natural voice. You’re no longer writing your story—you’re writing their expectations.
✖️ Trends Change Constantly
One year it’s billionaires and vampires. The next it’s cozy mysteries and morally gray romantasy. If you try to chase every wave, you’ll drown.
✅ What to Do Instead
✔️ Lean into your weird.
Write the story only you can write. No one else can replicate your perspective, imagination, or emotional depth.
✔️ Accept the niche life.
Niche books don’t always blow up immediately—but they build loyal readers. The kind that stay.
✔️ Use trends as seasoning, not the meal.
You can nod to trends if it fits, but don’t force your whole story around them. Write your plot first, then sprinkle in what helps it shine.
✔️ Be patient with your path.
Some authors blow up overnight. Most don’t. That doesn’t mean you’re not doing something worthwhile. It just means your story is still finding the right ears.
📝 Final Thoughts from a Genre Rebel
Here’s what I know now that I didn’t know then:
You don’t need to write what’s trending.
You don’t need to fit a mold.
You don’t need to chase someone else’s success story.
You just need to write what lights you up.
Even if it’s not shiny.
Even if no one else is doing it.
Even if it’s an interview-style fictional biography that only makes sense to you right now.
Your niche is your power—not your weakness.
So go on. Write your weird, your heartfelt, your dark, your funny, your quiet little masterpiece.
And when the world finally catches on?
You’ll already be ten stories deep into what you love.
Thanks for reading this genre therapy session disguised as a blog post.
I hope it gave you permission to stop worrying and start writing what you love.
Because that’s the only kind of writing that truly lasts.
💛 Keep going, rebel writer. The world’s waiting for your story.
— Makitia Thompson
#Mindsindesign #Makitiathompson #Themiduniverse
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