10 Ways to Research a Trending Book Niche (Without Losing Your Mind)

10 Ways to Research a Trending Book Niche (Without Losing Your Mind)

Ever feel like everyone else knows something you don’t?

Like there’s this secret handshake all bestselling authors are in on... and you missed the memo?

You sit there, blinking at your screen, watching niche after niche blow up - dark romance, cozy mysteries, alien mafia billionaire shifter dads - and you’re just like… What the hell is even happening anymore?

Yeah. You're not alone.

You scroll through the charts. You scan the bestseller lists. You second-guess your own ideas because suddenly it feels like everything's already been done... but also, somehow, you’ve missed the train?

You want to write what people are actually buying. But you also want it to matter. To not feel like you're selling out - or worse, shouting into the void.

And that tight little knot in your chest? That mix of curiosity, FOMO, and low-key panic?

That’s normal. That’s the author brain trying to be both creative and strategic at the same time. It’s messy. It’s overwhelming. And yes - it can make you feel like you’re chasing a moving target with blindfolds on.

You're not broken for feeling this way.

You're just trying to figure out where your voice fits in a noisy, ever-shifting landscape.

So let’s talk about that.

Let’s strip the buzzwords, kill the fluff, and get down to the nitty gritty of how to actually research a trending book niche - without spinning out, selling your soul, or writing something that makes you want to yeet your laptop into the sun.

Sound good?

Cool.

Let’s begin.

1. Lurk in the Bestseller Lists (But Read Between the Lines)

Amazon's top 100 isn't just a list. It's a roadmap - if you know how to read it.

Don't just look at what’s there. Ask why it’s there. Look at covers, titles, subtitles, blurbs. Notice the tropes. Pay attention to formats (is it mostly Kindle Unlimited? Audiobooks? Box sets?). Read reviews, especially the 3-stars - they’re brutally honest.

And don't just skim the top - scroll down. Trends often bubble up from the bottom.

2. Use the “Customers Also Bought” Rabbit Hole

This is the digital equivalent of eavesdropping in a bookstore.

Start with a book that feels close to your vibe or target. Click it. Scroll to “Customers Also Bought.” Click again. And again. Do this 10–15 times and you’ll start to see patterns - same tropes, similar aesthetics, recurring themes.

You're not stalking. You're studying.

It’s pattern recognition. It’s research. It’s legal.

3. Spy on Reader Groups (Without Being Weird)

Facebook. Reddit. Discord. Even TikTok comment sections.

Find where your readers hang out and listen. Don’t jump in waving your book around like a flag. Sit back and absorb.

What are they complaining about? What are they raving over? What books made them feel seen? What tropes are they sick of?

The intel is free. The emotional goldmine is real.

4. Google Trends + Pinterest = Secret Sauce

Data + Desire = Fire niche potential.

Google Trends shows you what people are searching for. Pinterest shows you what people want to feel. Combine them and you’ve got both logic and longing - exactly what drives book buying.

Type in terms like “best romance books 2025” or “scary thriller books” and see where the spikes are.

If it’s rising on Google and pinned on moodboards? You’re not just onto something - you’re ahead of the curve.

5. Don’t Just Look at Books. Look at Culture.

Books don’t trend in a vacuum.

Pay attention to movies, music, fashion, memes. Watch what Gen Z is crying about on TikTok. See what Netflix is greenlighting.

If suddenly everyone’s obsessed with witches, pirates, or 90s nostalgia - you can bet that energy’s bleeding into fiction, too.

Books follow the cultural heartbeat. Learn to feel the pulse.

6. Mine Kindle Unlimited Like a Gold Rush

KU is the Wild West of what readers actually devour.

Authors who publish there often ride the edge of trends before trad publishing catches up. So dig into KU-heavy genres and track what’s hitting hard.

Even better? Download sample chapters. You’ll see instantly what style and tropes are making readers one-click like their life depends on it.

Spoiler: it’s often not Pulitzer-worthy prose. It’s hooky, emotional, and oddly specific.

7. Check Out the Flops Too

Not all that glitters is gold - and not all books that should succeed, do.

Find the books that tanked despite looking trendy. Ask why.

Was the blurb confusing? Did the cover scream the wrong genre? Was the pacing off?

Reverse-engineering failure is just as powerful as studying success.

And yes, it stings a little. But it makes you smarter.

8. Use Publisher Rocket or KDP Spy Tools

Let’s get nerdy for a sec.

Tools like Publisher Rocket or KDSpy can show you keyword volume, estimated sales, and competition level.

You don’t need to be a data wizard. Just look for niches where the demand is high and competition’s not soul-crushing.

If 10,000 people are searching “spicy alien romance” every month, and only 100 books are competing? Baby, you’ve got yourself a niche buffet.

9. Start a Swipe File (Like, Now)

Every time you see something that makes you pause - save it.

That cover that made you do a double take. That blurb that slapped. That review that hit too close to home.

Keep a folder. Screenshot everything. Label it. Organize it. This is your idea graveyard and your creative laboratory.

Over time, you’ll see what speaks to you - and what consistently hits readers in the gut.

That’s your sweet spot. That’s your niche calling out.

10. Test Small, Pivot Fast

Research is great. Action is better.

Write a short story. Publish a low-stakes novella. Post an experimental chapter on Wattpad or Ream or Medium.

Watch the reaction. See what sticks. Pivot like a caffeinated squirrel if needed.

The best niche research isn’t passive. It’s you, in the trenches, putting your voice out there and adjusting as you go.

Real talk? You won’t find the “perfect” niche sitting in your head. You find it by doing. Fast. Imperfectly. Authentically.

Final Thoughts (That Might Sting a Little)

You don’t need to chase every trend.

You don’t need to write what everyone else is writing.

But you do need to understand what readers want - before you can give it to them your way.

Trends are just signals. They’re not the story. You are.

So research ruthlessly. Feel deeply. Write boldly.

Because your niche isn’t just something you discover.

It’s something you own.

Now get out there and find it.