The Categories Within the Genre
It's important to know what subjects lay within the genre and which topics belong elsewhere. You should give the term “family” a broad definition and be inclusive. In addition to writing about parents, children, grandparents, and siblings you can also include stepparents/children/siblings and significant others or life partners.
Do not confuse relationships among members of the family unit as used in this genre with “relationship” books, which are another group. Relationship books, sometimes found under sex or self-help books, generally have to do with dating or maintaining a good relationship with a significant other, although they do cross over into this genre, especially when affecting family members.
There are many subcategories within this group of books and because the degree of expertise you will need to write a book in this genre varies, you must know exactly where your book belongs. To help you focus on a possible subject, a brief survey of some of the major areas should give you a useful overview.
The Divisions of the Genre
There are many types of books within the parenting, family, and relationship genre. With more than 13,000 titles, books about the family in general are the largest category and include:
Adoption
Child rearing and development
Fatherhood
Motherhood
School-age children
Sex education
Marriage
The topic of “family issues” is the next largest category with almost 3,000 titles addressing problems encountered by family members such as divorce, infertility, and addictions. Pregnancy and childbirth is a subgenre unto itself as are books about children with special needs such as ADD/ADHD, Down's syndrome, learning disabilities, children's diseases and disorders, and mental illness. Finally, with people living longer and new issues and concerns arising, so many books are written about the elderly that they are now categorized as books about aging and eldercare.
A complete review of all the subjects within this genre is not only unnecessary; it is impractical. However, by examining several select categories you will be able to see the different writing styles, methods, and expertise you will need to write a book in any subject of this genre.
