I’m a fiction author. I call my books psychedelic fiction, which is a category unrecognized by Amazon, but that category also feels limiting to me... How might authors differentiate their category beyond genres?
That's a great niche. And remember: when creating a new category, today's platforms aren't going to "recognize" it because it's new. (Military Romance wasn't a category that was recognized by Amazon or any platform—until one day, it was.) So your job is to educate readers on your new category on your own, and wait for the world/platforms to catch up and adapt.
The "limiting" feeling you feel comes from a faulty mindset (everyone has it) of thinking, "If I get more specific, I'm excluding potential readers." This isn't a bad thing. This is a good thing.
You're forcing readers to make a CHOICE: "Do I want to read psychedelic fiction, Yes or No?"
And forcing them to make that choice makes it easier for the right ones to find you, and the wrong ones to ignore you.
Thanks! I think it feels limiting more on my end... like will I always want to write in such a specific genre? I also write a bunch of more general short non-fiction. But coming to the realization that I will market the specific psychedelic novels as psychedelic fiction and my other activities will stay separate.
I'm not sure how to reach out to Category Pirates as a paid member, anyone?? I have a question ill post here in case:
I'm a paid member of Category Pirates, and loving the mini-books. I think I ripped through about 5 of the this week already, Great stuff!
My question to you and your team, is if I can create/name a new category if the name is already in the dictionary and it kinda already means in a way what this category would be. The thing is, no one has used it, and to me it feels like the perfect word will would start using, it just make logical sense.
My other question is can I coin that word the definition of how I/my company sees it, and become the King in this new category?
Hey Chris, short answer is yes. Words, by themselves, have no meaning. They only have meaning when we explain what those words mean, to us (aka: pair them with a point of view). So you can do that, just realize the emphasis isn't on "the word" but on educating the world on what that word/words MEAN, to you (and then you have to be objective and see whether people hear that definition, agree with it, and then start using it themselves). - Pirate Cole
If I am to create a new category and coin that new term/name/thing... should I coin it personally under my name and known for it, or my company? I thinking Me but what are your thoughts?
Hey Chris, either way nobody is really going to notice the difference. What matters is the new category/languaging and whether or not it grabs hold. Whether YOU create it or YOUR COMPANY creates it is sort of besides the point. You want to evangelize it from everywhere! - Pirate Cole
I’m a fiction author. I call my books psychedelic fiction, which is a category unrecognized by Amazon, but that category also feels limiting to me... How might authors differentiate their category beyond genres?
That's a great niche. And remember: when creating a new category, today's platforms aren't going to "recognize" it because it's new. (Military Romance wasn't a category that was recognized by Amazon or any platform—until one day, it was.) So your job is to educate readers on your new category on your own, and wait for the world/platforms to catch up and adapt.
The "limiting" feeling you feel comes from a faulty mindset (everyone has it) of thinking, "If I get more specific, I'm excluding potential readers." This isn't a bad thing. This is a good thing.
You're forcing readers to make a CHOICE: "Do I want to read psychedelic fiction, Yes or No?"
And forcing them to make that choice makes it easier for the right ones to find you, and the wrong ones to ignore you.
Both are terrific outcomes.
Thanks! I think it feels limiting more on my end... like will I always want to write in such a specific genre? I also write a bunch of more general short non-fiction. But coming to the realization that I will market the specific psychedelic novels as psychedelic fiction and my other activities will stay separate.
Thanks so much for your great Substack!
I'm not sure how to reach out to Category Pirates as a paid member, anyone?? I have a question ill post here in case:
I'm a paid member of Category Pirates, and loving the mini-books. I think I ripped through about 5 of the this week already, Great stuff!
My question to you and your team, is if I can create/name a new category if the name is already in the dictionary and it kinda already means in a way what this category would be. The thing is, no one has used it, and to me it feels like the perfect word will would start using, it just make logical sense.
My other question is can I coin that word the definition of how I/my company sees it, and become the King in this new category?
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Chris V.
Hey Chris, short answer is yes. Words, by themselves, have no meaning. They only have meaning when we explain what those words mean, to us (aka: pair them with a point of view). So you can do that, just realize the emphasis isn't on "the word" but on educating the world on what that word/words MEAN, to you (and then you have to be objective and see whether people hear that definition, agree with it, and then start using it themselves). - Pirate Cole
If I am to create a new category and coin that new term/name/thing... should I coin it personally under my name and known for it, or my company? I thinking Me but what are your thoughts?
Hey Chris, either way nobody is really going to notice the difference. What matters is the new category/languaging and whether or not it grabs hold. Whether YOU create it or YOUR COMPANY creates it is sort of besides the point. You want to evangelize it from everywhere! - Pirate Cole
Thanks a bunch!
Awesome, thank you!
Arrrrrrr!