Hi Friend,
We just finalized the latest update of the K-lytics category performance database.
Going through some 8,000+ bestseller lists, we noticed many changes compared to last month.
ONGOING AMAZON CATEGORY MODIFICATIONS
Amazon made several changes to the category hierarchy. Here is your update.
Some of the changes make sense and are probably based on feedback from authors to the survey that Amazon launched after changing the KDP Upload Dashboard from BISAC Industry Codes to the actual storefront category structure this June.
Other modifications seem illogical or lack market demand. (For example, last week, Amazon introduced a second-level Romance subcategory, "Romance in Uniform." [???!!!!] )
ROMANCE GENRE
Most of this month's modifications happened in Romance:
- Romance-Inspirational got dropped entirely! - Yes, that's right. However, all its sub-bestseller lists "survive" in different deeper category paths elsewhere (e.g., for Christian Fiction.) or got "promoted" to a higher category level (e.g., Amish and Western.)
- Amish Romance was promoted to subcategory level and now prominently features as the second subcategory from the top in the vast Romance top-level category.
- Romance in Uniform is a new subcategory (!). Many other tropes would merit a new subcategory instead of this one. While the new category now caters for romance involving firefighters, rangers, etc., it is part-redundant with the still existing subcategory Military Romance.
- Historical Romance boasts three newly introduced sub-sub-categories in the category path Romance-Historical:
-- 20th Century
-- Gilded Age
-- Viking
- Simple renamings include:
- Romance-Anthologies => Romance-Collections & Anthologies
- Romance-LGBTQ+ Romance => Romance-LGBTQ+
- Romance-Mystery & Suspense => Romance-Romantic Suspense
- Romance-Westerns => Romance-Western & Frontier
NEW GENRE FICTION
After years of waiting, gaming literature enthusiasts now find a new, wholly dedicated subcategory: - Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > GameLit & LitRPG
It was back in 2017 when we first examined the genre with our own "Virtual Bestseller List" report on the fledgling genre, even before Stephen Spielberg's adaptation of Ready Player One hit the movie theatres.
I admit I was wrong with my forecast in 2019 when I argued there would not be a LitRPG category on Amazon as one author in the genre successfully filed a trademark (albeit only on the "supplemental register.")
Well, here we are years later. I am not a lawyer. Amazon introduced the "GameLit & LitRPG" category.
This addition underscores that both terms have become widely adopted and used generically within the industry to describe a specific genre of literature rather than the distinctive source of a good or service. Thus, enforcing related trademark rights may be difficult anyway.
In my view, this is good news for all independent authors in this category and perhaps beyond.
OTHER CHANGES
And, not to forget, there is a new Far East Travel Photography category—probably the most crucial addition to Amazon Kindle ever made. :-) At the time of this writing, the bestseller list is empty. So, there is a market up for grabs. (You know I am kidding.)
RE-OPENING K-LYTCS PLOTTR WEBINAR
"Amazon Category Mastery ++" (Next 7 Days)
If you have not followed all changes to the Amazon category selection process and bestseller list system, you can re-watch our recent in-depth webinar video on the topic. You can watch it right here.
K-LYTICS ELITE ACCESS OPPORTUNITY
And if you want to get complete transparency of the performance of all 8000+ Kindle categories (ELITE), we have the time-limited webinar special for K-lytics memberships here. (Get 6 free bonus months with an Annual Membership.)
Happy writing, happy publishing!
Alex
K-lytics.com | e-book market intelligence for success
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