I recently heard an editor (freelance I should note) go on and on about how authors should not write for the market, but write with passion. That passion, she noted would be what sells your book. For this editor, having a story that the market actually wants right now did not matter.
Unfortunately that is totally wrong.
Let's consider for a moment, any element of business and marketing.
If you don't trust me on this one, watch Shark Tank. You are sitting in your home one day thinking of being an entrepreneur. You want to really make a butt-load of money. You know that people are into healthy food right now. You also know that this costs a lot of money. However, those 24 packs of toilet paper from Costco are really cheap. You spend hours of time researching and creating ways to convert toilet paper to food. Since you live alone, your only "partner" is your pet goat, Gaston and he really loves it. This has become your TRUE PASSION and you put everything you have into this research...
I think you get the idea.
Honestly, even if you could somehow make this work, would you want Charmin Noodles on your plate? Probably not. And neither would the rest of the world.
The market does not want it.
Don't get me wrong. Your passion for your project will come though in the writing. However, the passion alone WILL NOT sell your book.
This editor just loved reading someone's craft. Loved helping them write amazing prose or poetry that was probably totally beautiful. Is there a publisher who wants it? Are there enough readers to buy your books warrant spending the $800+ she was going to charge you to tell you that was beautiful?
No.
You have to look and see if there are really readers out there and if anyone is ACTUALLY looking to read that material. If not, do not waste your time.
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