General Nonfiction Is Struggling. Here’s What to Do Instead.

Niche Is the New Mainstream

Recently, I had lunch with an old friend who oversees nonfiction at a publishing house. While we were catching up, he casually mentioned something about general nonfiction sales being terrible these days (I forget the exact phrase, maybe “tanking?”). I didn’t put too much stock in the comment—hanging out with a good friend invariably involves a certain amount of bemused complaining and doom-forecasting once you hit middle age. (Incidentally, it’s especially true when it comes to our health, as we try to outdo each other with how ridiculously/pathetically we’ve sustained our latest injuries.)

I might not have thought about my friend’s comment again if I hadn’t happened to meet with a literary agent just a few days later, and heard an almost identical complaint from her about the struggles of selling general nonfiction in today’s marketplace.

While two data points aren’t statistically significant, there’s something to be said for expertise—both commenters are smart and highly successful, and most relevantly, they know the publishing industry inside and out. Curious, I did some research on nonfiction sales and quickly discovered that there was indeed something to the rumor.

According to a July 7, 2025 post from Publishers Weekly about 2025 print sales:

“Adult nonfiction sales fell 3.1% in the first half of the year despite a stellar performance by The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins, which sold more than 1.7 million copies. The biography/autobiography/memoir subcategory had the biggest decline in adult nonfiction, with units falling 10.7%. General nonfiction sales also took a big hit with units down 9.9%.”

Read that last sentence again: General nonfiction sales also took a big hit with units down 9.9%.

That is a massive tumble. And while total nonfiction sales declined 3.1%, overall book sales decreased by only 1.2%, and fiction sales increased by 1%. Nonfiction is the clear straggler in the publishing industry.

As it turns out, 2025’s decline isn’t the worst that general nonfiction has seen. Further research turned up this grim little nugget from a July 2022 Books + Publishing post:

“Despite having the overall bestselling title with James Clear’s Atomic Habits, adult nonfiction sales were down due to declines in all categories except for travel. General nonfiction was down 17.7%, reference titles were down 16.1%, and biography/autobiography/memoir were down 15.3%.”

It seems that general nonfiction has been struggling for a few years—maybe even closer to a decade.

The next question is why? And, perhaps more importantly, what can nonfiction writers do about it?

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The Trouble with Trying to Reach Everyone

1. Readers Crave Resonance

The classic power of general nonfiction is right in the label: general. It has a broad appeal. Big idea. Big topic. Big audience.

At least, that’s how it used to work. These days, however, “for everyone” is too broad a category, too non-specific. We live in the age of TikTok and Substack, an era of ever-fragmenting markets and attention spans; we’ve been trained to follow voices that speak directly to us. If a book sounds like it’s speaking to everyone, it’s easy for readers to assume it won’t speak deeply to them.

2. Retailers Require Clarity

Then there are the booksellers to consider. Especially at chains and big box stores, shelf space is limited. If they can’t easily explain what a book is, who it’s for, and why it’s different, it doesn’t get stocked.

3. Media Wants a Sharp Angle

Producers and journalists are looking for timely, relevant stories with clearly defined subjects. A book pitched as “a deep look at everything from burnout to innovation” is harder to cover than one with a clean premise and target audience.

(If non-TV media even sells books anymore is a topic for future discussion…)

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Niche Isn’t Small. It’s Strategic.

Whether you’re writing about leadership, wellness, productivity, psychology, or creativity, one thing is clear: the nonfiction market has shifted.

So what can a writer do about it?

Simply put, don’t try to be for everyone. In other words, sharpen your focus.

Books like:

• The Mountain Is You (for people self-sabotaging their growth)

• Die With Zero (for professionals disillusioned with traditional retirement advice)

• Come As You Are (for women rethinking sexual desire and identity)

…all succeeded by being narrow enough to resonate, wide enough to spread.

The formula that worked for these books?

Specific audience + specific promise = market traction.

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How to Identify—and Own—Your Niche

First of all, don’t confuse niche with tiny. Niche means strategically focused.

If your book’s scope feels too wide, try zooming in with questions like:

• Who is struggling most acutely with the issue I’m addressing?

• What kind of reader do I understand best? Not just demographically, but emotionally.

• Where is this reader already looking for help, and how is my book different from what they’ve already tried?

The goal isn’t to alienate readers outside your niche. It’s to make your core readers feel seen. That emotional connection is what drives word-of-mouth sales.

And word-of-mouth (and I will die on this hill) is what has always sold books.

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How to Rework Your Book Pitch for Today’s Market

If you’re working on a proposal or in edits, rethink any language like:

• “This book is for anyone who wants to be more productive…”

• “This is a book about change, growth, and living your best life.”

• “This book is for people looking to find more balance in their lives…”

Instead, ask yourself:

• What kind of productivity?

• What kind of change, for whom, and under what pressure?

• Balance between what? Work and family? Ambition and wellbeing? Who’s struggling to find it, and what’s standing in their way?

In a recent Author Insider interview with literary agent Lucinda Halpern, she highlighted the need for authors to frame their book proposal “in a way that’s specific, urgent, and aligned with what your readers are craving." Successful non-fiction authors “know what they want to say, who it’s for, and why it matters now.”

Nailing this will help not only your book proposal but also your title, marketing copy, launch strategy, and ultimately, your sales.

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Final Thought

The idea that specificity limits you is outdated. In the modern publishing landscape, specificity is a superpower.

The more clearly you can say, “This book is for X person facing Y problem who wants Z outcome,” the more likely it is that someone says, “That’s me.”

Editors, marketers, and booksellers all rely on this clarity to position your book effectively. Readers rely on it to feel understood. And you, the author, rely on it to break through the noise.

In a crowded, distracted world, writing for someone is infinitely more powerful than writing for everyone.

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