What We Can Learn from Taylor Jenkins Reid

 Nine novels. Nearly all adapted for film or TV. Millions of devoted fans on BookTok. Reese Witherspoon's Book Club.

This is Taylor Jenkins Reid—one of the most popular authors today.

And here's what's fascinating: literary critics often dismiss her work as "easy reads" or "beach books." 

So, what can we learn from her?

• She gives women what they actually want to read about. 

Reid's protagonists are bold, unapologetic women succeeding in male-dominated fields—rock stars, tennis champions, Hollywood icons. They're not perfect. They're not always likable. But they're undeniably powerful.

• She builds worlds you want to live in. 

When you read Daisy Jones & The Six, you can practically smell the cigarette smoke and feel the stage lights. Reid doesn't just tell you about the music industry in the '70s—she drops you right into the recording studio. Her research is meticulous, her details intoxicating.

• She serves up the gossip. 

Let's be honest—we all love a little behind-the-scenes drama. What really happened between the band members? Who was sleeping with whom? Reid understands that readers crave the juicy stuff, and she delivers it without apology.

• She writes for readers, not critics. 

While literary fiction writers worry about impressing critics, Reid prefers to write page-turners that people actually finish. Her books are accessible, addictive, and designed to be devoured in one sitting.

The result? A devoted fanbase that buys every book she writes, shares them obsessively on social media, and creates the kind of word-of-mouth buzz that money can't buy.

Have you read Taylor Jenkins Reid? What do you think of her books? Let me know.

Aloha,

MeiMei

Tip of the Week

Here's what Reid’s success means for your writing: Stop trying to impress critics who may never read your book anyway. Start thinking about your actual readers. 

What world do they want to escape into? What places do they wish they could visit? What characters do they wish they could meet or understand better? What stories make them feel seen and understood?

Quote of the Week

“It’s a lot of pressure… But the actual goal is: I hope I produce work that makes people happy often enough that they’ll give my next one a chance.”

• Taylor Jenkins Reid