Do you have a book in you? If you feel you might, that’s why I have this series of author interviews and why I created the Spirit-Led Authoring Course.
This segment: Bridging Literary and Romance Genres
Many authors find that what they want to write and what people will buy are two different things. I know I enjoy writing about what interests me. While a few people might share my interests, those who become popular authors often write what a significant number of people crave to read. This means finding a genre with a sizeable audience that isn’t so saturated your book gets lost in a sea of others.
This balancing act can feel like walking a tightrope. After researching your idea, you may discover that there isn’t a big market for what you want to write about. My friend, Jennifer Youngblood, faced this dilemma back in the day. Jennifer is one of the best modern literary novelists I’ve ever read. However, to make a living as an author, you need to write what people are willing to purchase. Jenn found a niche in clean romance. She combined her love for romance with her literary style. Unfortunately, there isn’t a significant market for 300-400 page books filled with similes and metaphors in this genre. Readers in the clean romance genre want a quicker, entertaining read they can trust.
Jennifer could have stopped there. She could have insisted on only writing what she wanted, hoping for a breakthrough bestseller like Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing. Instead, she put her skills to work in a popular genre that had room for a breakthrough author. Frankly, I believe Jennifer Youngblood’s Secret Song of the Ditch Lillies (which she co-wrote with her mother Sandra Poole) is a masterpiece of literary fiction with strong characters and a compelling plot. I’d love to see Reese Witherspoon transform it into film. (Reese, if you’re reading this, please check out Secret Song of the Ditch Lillies and consider it!)
In the end, Jennifer found a way to merge her true self with her writing, using her gift for exceptional literary style in her clean romance novels. This blend is beautifully showcased in her Honeysuckle Island Series. The first book in the series is Chasing Whispers.
Watch the Interview Clip
In this enlightening interview segment, USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Youngblood shares how reading has been a tutorial for her writing career. Growing up devouring classics and a variety of literature, Jennifer developed a passion for writing literary works. However, she realized that while literary novels have a narrow audience, many people prefer engaging, entertaining reads without wading through extensive similes and metaphors.
Jennifer discusses the importance of learning the market, genre, and audience expectations when choosing writing as a career. By understanding these elements, she successfully bridges the worlds of literary novels and romance, creating compelling stories that resonate with a broader audience.
Discover more about Jennifer’s journey and get inspired to find your unique writing path! Join me for my next Spirit-Led Authoring class and learn how to write, publish, and market your fiction or nonfiction book.
Learn more and join today: Spirit-Led Authoring
Thank you for reading and watching! I look forward to supporting you on your writing journey.
Marnie Pehrson Kuhns is a best-selling author, consultant, musician and Certified SimplyAlign Method™ Practitioner who blends decades of business acumen with spiritual wisdom, nature observation, and music to mentor you past barriers, fears, and doubts to find greater peace, love, joy, and fulfillment in daily life. Her motto is “let it be easy.” Her practical, down-to-earth style helps her clients and students accomplish their goals and aspirations in a graceful, fulfilling way. Whether you’re trying to write and publish a book or stay spiritually connected while you deal with the challenges of life and career, Marnie is a resource to you.
Marnie is a bestselling author with 33+ fiction and non-fiction titles ranging from historical fiction and romance to business and inspirational titles. She blogs about nature, creativity, inner peace, and spiritual topics at www.CreationGirl.com and lives and works alongside her husband Dave at Spirit Tree Farms.