Self-help is a $10 Billion market. This means that people all over the globe are trying to improve their lives. It’s a large market for information products. This includes books and articles designed to help self-help consumers.
This genre can include inspirational stories or Positive words, which can prove to be very lucrative. People can access any information and the latest knowledge anywhere, anytime. It’s a unique opportunity for creators and inspiring writers that was not available 20 years ago.
Short-form articles can be written for self-help, motivational, or online magazines. You can easily sell long-form books, eBooks and audiobooks if you are able to write well.
This article will discuss the target audience, sub-genres and tips for finding transformational topics. It also discusses how to train yourself to create inspirational stories that are well-received and best-selling.
Your target readers
This is what every good writer knows. Who are your readers? Relevance and direction will be provided by understanding your target audience and identifying their problems.
You might be wrong to think that inspirational stories are only for a small audience. This can be for everyone, including professionals and corporate executives. It’s not just for self-help junkies, who cannot live without motivational food. You can also strategically align your topic and story to suit a particular audience.
Let’s first agree on what inspiration is before we get into detail. An idea or story that inspires readers to solve a problem in their lives or motivates them to do so. It is used to inspire and motivate readers to achieve their goals, feel happy, succeed, and, most importantly, feel good about themselves.
Yes, inspirational stories can make you feel hopeful and positive.
Each idea can be tailored to a particular audience so make sure you thoroughly research them before you start. You can then use case studies and anecdotes that match the intended perspective and experience.
The target audience can be divided into individuals or organizations. To identify specific targets, you can further sub-division the target audience within individuals.
1. Life journey
Graduates from high school, college, post-college, quarter life crisis, young adult dating, marriage, mid-life crisis and parenting, grandparenting, retirement, etc.
2. Inner problems
Stress, anxiety and depression, trauma, failure, among others
3. Other problems
Negative mindsets, unemployment, and a cynical outlook about life, career advancement, organizational problems, and other issues.
4. Aspirations
Being financially, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually successful in a relationship/ career.
5. Emotional or mental states
Mindfulness, happiness and clarity, success, peace, compassion, hope, love, faith, and other qualities.
The Sub-Genres
Positive stories are all about positivity. This refers to any story that is based on kindness or open-mindedness. This is why the author must be a positive person and reflect it in her statements.
Writing is easy, but thinking is difficult. A professional writer can switch perspectives, but one’s thinking patterns will not change. If you are a pessimist, it is likely that you don’t feel comfortable writing about positivity or optimism.
This niche is a great place to be a specialist. You should embrace positivity, kindness and optimism.
There are five major sub-genres in self-help inspiration:
- Inspirational General
- Happiness
- Self-Esteem
- Memory Improvement
- Success
These topics are covered in many best-selling self-help books.
- Productivity
- Habits that can be changed and formed
- Positivity
- Show compassion
- Gratitude
- Mindfulness
- Love and hope
- Motivation
- Be you
- Keep the faith
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Tips for Finding a Topic
In order to find the right topic for your research, you can use at most two sources. The first is you and the second is everything else.
You can use your own self to start, but you will need to think and reflect to discover the idea that will make a difference. Any idea or concept that has fuelled your motivation for many years can be the topic. You might find a shortcut or hack that helps you get there faster or provides impressive results.
Check out the top-selling books and most-read articles lists if you’re not sure what topic to write about. There are many options available: Amazon, newspapers best-selling lists and popular sites like Medium. These sites provide analytics that should inspire your imagination.
Learn how to write inspirational stories by training your own
You are most likely already writing. You could be a professional or amateur writer. Most writers know that it takes a lot of reading to be able write. Without further delay, let’s get to the point. Read at least some of the most prominent and up-and coming authors in this genre.
Although it might seem like common advice, it is actually the best tip. With an open mind and sharp eyes, you can learn a lot more by reading the works of other authors. You should pay attention to how the author structures the story and weaves it with main and supporting ideas and anecdotes.
Five steps are required to create inspirational stories.
1. Cultivate empathy.
You must have empathy for others before you can write inspirational stories. It takes time to develop empathy if you are a left-brain writer who is more interested in quantitative analytical writing. While I don’t deny that empathy is lacking, you may not have the experience to write things that inspire confidence and inspiration.
2. Make relatable characters and ideas.
Anecdotal narration can be used to tell inspirational stories. To convey the message, it might be possible to create relatable characters such as beloved protagonists. We learn best from stories, because we are storytelling creatures.
3. Positively take part in the fight.
Each inspirational story begins with a problem, and the struggle to reach a goal. There may be dark moments where the author is lost in his or her problem, depression, or anxiety. Despite the supporting ideas and plots, the majority of the story should be positive.
4. Bring hope.
Inspirational stories that inspire are filled with understanding, peace, hope, and inspiration. Hope is transformative. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything. Modern Positive Psychology refers to hope as a “positive outlook for life”, which is more than just a warm fuzzy feeling.
5. End with some tips.
Don’t give professional advice or suggestions if you are not a licensed psychologist. Instead, share tips and suggestions based on your personal experiences or one of your case studies .
Self-help is a profitable genre that many coaches, writers, therapists, and other professionals want to enter and succeed in. It’s possible with a positive outlook and a can-do attitude. It’s important that you, as an author, project positivity and have empathy for your readers.
