📝What’s Hot in Books Right Now & How You Can Ride the Wave (Without Losing Your Voice)


Let’s be brutally honest: publishing trends come and go faster than your favorite character gets killed off in a George R.R. Martin novel. One year it’s vampires that sparkle; the next it’s morally gray fae who brood. Self-help suddenly becomes “mindset manifesting,” dark romance takes over TikTok, and then boom-someone’s indie poetry book about coffee and heartbreak becomes a New York Times bestseller.

It’s a lot.

And if you’re an author trying to figure out how to keep your work relevant without selling your soul (or your prose), it feels like standing in the middle of a literary carnival while every ride operator screams: “THIS WAY TO SUCCESS!”

Here’s the truth: you don’t have to chase every trend to survive. But knowing what’s hot right now (and why readers are flocking to it) can help you make smarter, more sustainable choices for your writing career. It’s not about losing your voice to fit in, it’s about learning to surf the wave without wiping out.

So, let’s break down what’s sizzling in books right now, what’s driving these fires, and how you (yes, you with your draft folder full of brilliance) can ride the momentum while staying true to your craft.

The Big Waves of 2025

1. Romantasy Isn’t Just a Trend, It’s an Empire

You’ve seen it. I’ve seen it. Your neighbor’s cat has seen it. The fusion of romance + fantasy is dominating everything from TikTok hashtags to Amazon charts. And no, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Readers want escapism, but they also want emotional gut-punches. Enter romantasy: dragons, magic systems, and kingdoms at war plus all the tension of “will they/won’t they?” with a side of morally gray eye candy.

Why it’s hot:

  • TikTok is basically one long romantasy recommendation reel.

  • Readers crave high stakes, both personal and world-ending.

  • It taps into both romance readers (who are legion) and fantasy readers (who are equally rabid).

How to ride the wave (without faking it):

  • If you love fantasy but hate writing romance, don’t shoehorn it in. Instead, lean into relationships (platonic, familial, rivalries). Readers want intensity more than they want kissing.

  • If you love romance but feel lost in worldbuilding, start small. A single town, a single magic element. Don’t feel pressured to map out 14 realms with 300 years of history.

  • If neither romance nor fantasy is your jam, borrow what works: the tension, the “big stakes meet personal stakes” formula, and the way romantasy builds communities around shared worlds.

2. Dark Romance: Readers Want to Dance with Danger

This is where it gets messy. Dark romance is thriving, and it’s not afraid of controversy. From morally gray antiheroes to taboo dynamics, readers are hungry for stories that flirt with the line of “is this okay?”

Why it’s hot:

  • It’s the perfect rebellion against sanitized, safe narratives.

  • TikTok and Bookstagram thrive on strong reactions (shock, swoon, rage). Dark romance provides all three.

  • Trauma, redemption, and messy humanity are baked into it.

How to ride the wave:

  • If this speaks to you, lean into your version of dark. That might mean gothic atmospheres, psychological manipulation, or villains who get the girl.

  • If it makes you uncomfortable, don’t do it. Readers can smell inauthenticity faster than burnt popcorn.

  • Instead, pay attention to the emotional intensity dark romance thrives on. You can weave that same intensity into thrillers, dramas, or even historical fiction.

3. Short Fiction & Episodic Content Are Back (Thanks, Digital Attention Spans)

Surprise: not everyone wants 700-page epics. Platforms like Kindle Vella, Radish, and even serialized newsletters are booming. Why? Because modern readers like bite-sized storytelling they can consume on a commute, during lunch, or before bed without commitment.

Why it’s hot:

  • Streaming culture has rewired us to love bingeable, serialized storytelling.

  • Authors can test ideas faster and cheaper.

  • It’s perfect for building loyal communities.

How to ride the wave:

  • Break down your big ideas into arcs. Could your 120k fantasy novel also work as a serialized release before you bind it into a book?

  • If you’re already blogging, consider turning your posts into “micro-stories.”

  • Don’t ignore poetry and flash fiction. They thrive in this space.

4. Nonfiction Readers Crave Specificity (Not Just “Inspiration”)

Vague self-help is dying. Readers no longer want the same “10 steps to success” listicle dressed up as a hardcover. They want lived experiences, actionable insights, and raw vulnerability.

Hot right now:

  • Hybrid memoir/self-help.

  • Industry-specific “how I did it” books.

  • Narrative nonfiction that feels like a novel but teaches something real.

How to ride the wave:

  • Be specific. “How I survived burnout as a nurse” will sell better than “How to Be Resilient.”

  • Use your story. People want authenticity more than expertise.

  • If you’re writing fiction, consider essays or blog content on the side. It builds your voice and your brand.

5. Cultural Horror & Gothic Revival

Blame it on the chaos of the world, but readers are obsessed with horror that doesn’t just scare-it reflects. Stories rooted in cultural identity, folklore, or the quiet horrors of everyday life are dominating.

Why it’s hot:

  • Horror is a safe space to process fear, grief, and injustice.

  • TikTok horror recs are exploding.

  • Readers are ready for diverse voices redefining what “haunting” looks like.

How to ride the wave:

  • You don’t have to write slasher gore. Lean into atmosphere, unease, and the universal fear of being powerless.

  • Mine your own culture, history, or family folklore for material.

  • Blend genres. Gothic romance, horror-fantasy, psychological horror-thrillers, hybrids are thriving.

6. AI Anxiety Is Fueling New Storytelling

Yep, we can’t ignore it. AI is the ghost haunting every industry, and publishing is no exception. Authors are grappling with copyright, originality, and the terrifying thought that robots might out-churn us. But here’s the twist: this anxiety is creating new creative demand.

Why it’s hot:

  • Readers value human stories more than ever.

  • Dystopian/tech thrillers are on the rise.

  • “Authentic author voices” (memoir, indie poetry, niche essays) are thriving because they can’t be faked.

How to ride the wave:

  • Don’t panic-write about AI unless you’re genuinely obsessed.

  • Instead, highlight your humanity. Your perspective, your flaws, your scars, that’s your edge.

  • Market yourself as a person, not just a product. Readers buy connection.

7. Community-Driven Publishing

Kickstarter, Patreon, Substack, these platforms aren’t fringe anymore. Authors are using them to fund books, build fandoms, and skip the gatekeepers.

Why it’s hot:

  • Readers love feeling like they’re part of the process.

  • Authors gain financial independence.

  • Direct-to-reader means direct-to-loyalty.

How to ride the wave:

  • Don’t just ask for money, invite readers into your world. Behind-the-scenes content, Q&As, even playlists.

  • Use your blog and socials to funnel readers toward your “inner circle.”

  • Remember: community is currency.

How to Ride the Waves Without Wiping Out

Now that we’ve talked about what’s hot, let’s talk about the part that matters: you.

Because here’s the danger, you see a hot trend, you twist your work to fit it, and suddenly you’re writing books you don’t care about, for readers who can tell you don’t care about them. That’s the fast track to burnout and bitterness.

Instead:

  1. Know what excites you. If you hate romance, don’t write romantasy. If you’re bored by self-help, don’t write it. Trends only work if you can bring authentic passion.

  2. Borrow, don’t steal. Take the elements that resonate (emotional intensity, serialized formats, folklore vibes) and mix them into your style.

  3. Experiment small. Before you commit 2 years to a trend, test it with a blog post, a short story, or a serialized arc.

  4. Trust your voice. A trend may sell books, but your voice keeps readers coming back. If you bend too far, you’ll break.

Final Word: Your Voice Is the Trend They Haven’t Seen Yet

Here’s the secret the industry won’t tell you: every “trend” started because one weirdo wrote the thing they couldn’t not write and readers flocked to it.

Romantasy? Someone blended kissing with dragon fire and refused to apologize.
Dark romance? Someone said “what if love but make it messy?”
Poetry-on-Instagram? Someone posted their heartbreak in line breaks.

So yeah, trends matter. They’re currents in the publishing ocean. But your voice? That’s the ship. You decide whether you let the wave carry you or whether you steer straight into new waters.

And who knows? The next hot thing? It might just be the book only you could write.

- Makitia Thompson

#MindsInDesign #TheMidUniverse #Makitia #MakitiaThompson #Wheretimecantexist #Midstories #Untiltimeremembers 

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