#112: The Genre Myth That's Costing You Sales

Read Time: 2 Minutes

"Facebook Ads don't work for my genre."

I hear this concern constantly.

Historical fiction. Contemporary romance. Science fiction. Cozy mystery. Fantasy. Self-help. Memoir.

Every genre has authors convinced they're the exception to the rule.

I understand the thinking around this concern. 

My wife writes a mish-mash of fantasy, historical, romance, science fiction, coming of age and a little bit of metaphysical thrown into the mix too.

Not exactly mainstream.

Not trending.

Not "written to market".

Yet her books have now generated close to $700,000 in royalties with Facebook Ads (along with Amazon Ads) as the driving force.

Here's what I've learned after helping authors across dozens of genres and categories:

Your genre isn't your obstacle. It's your opportunity.

When you focus on what makes your genre "difficult," you miss what makes it powerful and unique.

Every genre has readers (some have more readers than others, sure). 

But there are, without a doubt, passionate, engaged readers who are actively looking for their next read in every genre.

The question isn't whether your readers exist (they do)—it's whether you know how to find them.

What Actually Determines Facebook Ads Success:

→ Books that satisfy reader expectations. When readers get what they came for, they share, they review, they become email subscribers, they buy your next book (and your backlist books).

→ Understanding what your readers really want. Not just the plot and the tropes—the feelings and emotions they're looking for.

→ Patience during the learning phase. Facebook Ads need time to understand who responds to your books so that it can better identify who to show your ads to for a higher return on ad spend

→ Willingness to test and adjust. What works for one author in your genre might not work for you, and that's okay. You just need to keep testing until you find what works, then double down on it.

Notice how none of these depend on "written to market" books or trending topics.

Authors who do well with Facebook Ads understood that being "niche" often means having readers who are hungrier for books than the big mainstream readers.

Your Genre Might Actually Be Your Advantage

Readers in specialized genres often:

• Follow authors more loyally
• Engage more deeply with content
• Share recommendations more readily
• Have less advertising competing for their attention

The real challenge isn't your genre—it's your belief about your genre.

While you're wondering if Facebook Ads could work for your books, other authors in your exact category are out there testing to figure out the answer to this question with real-world data.

They're building audiences, generating sales, and growing their readership.

Not because they found some secret formula.

But because they believed their readers were worth finding.

Someone writing in your genre is making Facebook Ads work right now.

The difference between you and them isn't your topic, your style, or your target audience.

It's that they decided to test what's possible instead of assuming what's impossible.

That's it for this week.

Thanks for taking the time to read and enjoy your weekend.

To Your Success
– Matt