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Annex — Genre Research

Genre Performance Analysis Worksheet

Reference Materials & Templates · 2 min · Updated 3 September 2026

Genres do not behave the same way. Romance and thriller readers devour series and reward Kindle Unlimited; literary fiction and most narrative non-fiction do not. Before you commit to a path, find out how your genre actually performs in each model rather than assuming the averages apply to you.

Spend an afternoon on the research below, then fill this in. The answers change what the Path Router is choosing between.

Where to Look

Research sources

The Worksheet

Genre performance analysis

Fill this in as you go. Answers stay in this browser — nothing is sent to AuthorAZ, and there is no account.

Setup

Traditional publishing performance

Typical advance range for a debut in this genre
to
Bookstore presence for this genre
Trade review attention (Kirkus, PW, Booklist)

Self-publishing performance

What top indie authors in this genre appear to earn per year
to
Kindle Unlimited performance in this genre
Direct sales potential
Reader community engagement

Five comparable authors in my genre

Authors publishing now, at a level you could plausibly reach in three years
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Decision

Based on this research, my genre performs better in

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