Do Readers Want a Lightweight Novel?

The prevailing advice in book marketing is, "find your target reader". Oh. Okay! How do I do that, exactly? 

My writing approach is, let's say, different. I don't know how other writers do it; I'm aware that many of them outline their stories, which is something I would never do. Honestly, writing an outline would take all the fun out of writing for me and would turn it into a job. "Okay, kids; here's your instruction manual. Just follow the steps in order and voila!" I have a hard time following an actual instruction manual, because I always want to skip to the "good parts".

For me, writing is 90% about discovery. Damn, I'm not making any money at this; I should at least enjoy the process. And know what? Discovery works. I've never had one of my stories fizzle out; in fact, discovery has usually led to something pretty great, which never would have occurred to me had I sat down and drawn up an outline. 

If I was to run all my books through some type of analysis software, I'm confident that certain themes would emerge ~ uncertainty, lack of self-confidence, impulsivity. In other words, I write about the human condition. My main characters are not an idealized version of what a grown-up female should be. She's the exact opposite of a "girl boss". 

But maybe my approach is not what readers want. Perhaps they're looking for escape, a main character who's the exact opposite of themselves; one who is the person they like to imagine themselves to be. Maybe they don't want to "relate".

I've never read a modern book that's labeled women's fiction. I may write it, but I don't want to read it. Why? Because from their blurbs alone, the characters are not women I could invest in. They always seem to be angry ~ at social injustices, at "the man" holding them back. They don't seem to ever look inward, to recognize their own flaws. These books are the classic good versus evil, with the main character being the "good". I don't want to be clobbered over the head with a message, especially one I don't believe in. 

The term women's fiction has a bad connotation. Some say an author should use "emotional journey fiction" or "relationship fiction" instead. Then there are the old standbys, upmarket and book club fiction. These last two seem rather presumptuous to me. Am I really going to get a book club to feature my novel? And "upmarket" connotes a literary aspect, whereas I just write the way normal people talk and act, and I don't derive deep meaning from gazing upon something like an ash tray. I hate that kind of conceit.

In trying to pinpoint my target reader, it's suggested that I first analyze my existing customer base. Well, I don't have a customer base, so that's rather impossible. If I had one, that would be half the battle, wouldn't it? But let's say I do have one. I need to look at their demographics; their age, location, occupation, income. Then I'd need to consider their purchasing behavior. What? How would I know that? Hire a private detective? Park outside their houses and watch for Amazon deliveries? The third factor seems more feasible and applicable: study their values, interests, lifestyles, attitudes.

After months of studying my hypothetical reader base, I should know how to market to them. "Hey, gals! Are you emotional? Do you cry a lot? Do you lack self-esteem? Are you easily confused? Well, buy my novel! Only $2.99!"

Of course, I'm currently not marketing, so the points are moot. I would, however, for my own edification, like to know what people (women in particular) are looking for in a novel. Is it pure escapism? What they call a beach read? A cast of gossipy, bitchy women? I'm afraid to know the answer.

I can't (won't) write these kinds of stories, so maybe that's my niche ~ the anti-fluff novel. My logo could be:

As I (very impatiently) await my book cover design, I really should start thinking about marketing again. But I probably won't. As I've written too many times here, marketing doesn't work. Really, all an author can do is throw their book out there, maybe get a few eyes on it somehow, probably through a fluke, and grow comfortable with silence. 

I'm slowly getting more comfortable. It's awfully boring, though.