Pop Culture and Writing

You’ve heard the expression, ‘history repeats itself’! And it’s true, but have you considered why?

Think back to your childhood. Was there a toy, movie, T.V. show, a place, or something else that you connect with positively? Hopefully, there’s more than one! And when we see those same things in our present, they become a tie to our past.

To this day, whenever I hear music from the 1950s and 1960s, I immediately think of time with my dad. He loves music and when he would put on one of his old records, he’d start dancing and so would everyone else. They’re fun memories.

What if I said, ‘Just do it!’ You’d probably think of the Nike check and slogan. Or how about, ‘My precious.’ Does Gollum from Lord of the Rings come to mind?

So what does this have to do with writing? Well, something that’s important is learning to write to market and doing that means the author is aware of their readers’ interests and the things that carry meaning/memories.

If I wanted to write a romance novel for a woman in her 20s, I need more than good structure. A writer needs to know what the audience expects

• Do they want spice or clean?
• What kind of music or entertainment do the readers like?
• Are there certain memes or expressions these readers like?
• What are common occupations? Or are they in school?

The more an author can discover what their audience connects with, the better the audience will connect with their book and characters.