How AI Helped Me Find a Hidden Market for My First Non-Fiction Book
What AI-driven market research taught me about an overlooked audience"
When I started thinking about possible topics for my first helpful non-fiction book, I assumed I'd write something about productivity or personal knowledge management.
My most successful articles on Medium last year fell into this category. But it worried me that I stopped writing them because I'd got bored doing what everyone else was doing. But I figured I might have to bite the bullet again to stand any chance of writing to a market.
However, after spending the past week and a half using AI as book market research tools to dig into potential options, I've stumbled onto something I never expected: a book for older people about artificial intelligence. This is essentially exploring how to find book market opportunities in the growing field of AI for older adults.
I know how that sounds. AI and seniors? It feels like the narrowest niche imaginable. Yet, the more I looked into it, the more convinced I became. Using tools like Claude and Perplexity, I uncovered insights that changed the way I think about writing for seniors market, marketing, and the people we often overlook.
I Got It All Backwards
My starting point was naive. I thought I'd pick a broad topic, write something that sounded clever, and hope people bought it. The AI-driven research flipped all that on its head. Instead of asking, "What do I want to write about?" I was forced to ask, "Who am I writing for, and what do they really need?" This was essentially learning how to find book market opportunities through audience-first thinking.
The tools helped me analyse different audiences, and one group kept showing up: older adults, 65 and up, anxious about tech. At first, I dismissed it. Surely, the last thing they want is a book about AI?
But the more I followed the thread, the more fascinating it became.
Turns Out, They're Not Behind: They're Ahead
This was the big surprise. The assumption is that older people are lagging behind with AI. But maybe they're not. It could be they're ahead, they just don't realise it.
Younger folk tend to jump into new tech without thinking much about it. But older people are more cautious. They ask sensible questions: Is this safe? Will this invade my privacy? Do I even need it?
That's not ignorance. That's wisdom.
The research showed me that this generation has decades of life experience that gives them strong instincts. They know when something smells off. They value safety over convenience. In an AI landscape filled with scams, deepfakes, and privacy breaches, those instincts are a strength, not a weakness. This makes AI for older adults a market that values cautious, thorough guidance.
What They're Really Worried About
AI helped me look beyond simple demographics. I started to understand what keeps this group awake at night, and what they wish for, quietly.
There's fear: becoming dependent on others for help with technology, getting caught out by a scam that drains their savings, feeling shut out of family life because they can't keep up with the latest tools.
But there's also hope: becoming the go-to tech expert in the family, using AI to make meaningful things like photo albums or memoirs, staying independent while still feeling safe.
It's a rich and emotional landscape, far more complex than the tired idea that "older people are scared of technology."
To give you a sense of how deep this research went, I now have multi-thousand-word reports covering:
Their daily routines, financial constraints, and core values
What triggers their purchasing decisions and preferred learning styles
Physical limitations with technology interfaces and the specific language that resonates versus what makes them feel patronised
Their complete emotional journey: from 3 AM worries about cognitive decline to secret dreams of becoming the family's technology hero
Detailed psychographic profiles including their beliefs, motivations, and what keeps them awake at night
Current solutions they're using and why those solutions are failing them
This isn't surface-level market research; it's almost anthropological in its depth. I simply would not have had the ability or the resources to get this information without AI. These book market research tools allowed me to understand not just demographics, but the emotional and psychological landscape of my potential readers.
A Method That Puts Security First
One of the most important things I uncovered was something I now call the "Security-First Discovery Method."
Rather than diving straight into showing what AI can do, this approach starts with building rock-solid knowledge around privacy, safety, and control. Nothing moves forward until people feel confident that they're not putting themselves at risk.
For this audience, it's not a luxury. It's essential. If they don't feel safe, they'll shut the door before you've even finished the sentence.
This is something I never would have thought of on my own. It only came up because of what the research revealed about their psychology.
A Shift in Perspective
I've realised something important through all this. At 68, I'm part of this group myself. And I see those cautious instincts in me too. I've always approached new tech slowly, methodically, making sure I understand what I'm getting into.
It turns out that's not a flaw. It's a feature.
We live in a world that worships speed and disruption. But what if patience, scepticism, and experience are precisely what's needed right now?
This has made me think differently about ageing. About the real value of the way older people engage with technology. About the idea that we're not falling behind, we're simply moving at the right speed.
A Bigger Market Than I Thought
Here's where things get fascinating. This isn't some tiny little niche. The research shows there are millions of older people who want to learn about AI, but feel unsure about how to start. They're not technophobes, they're just careful. This represents a significant opportunity in the writing for seniors market that most authors are missing.
And they're being overlooked.
Most tech education is written for younger audiences who already understand the basics. The few resources aimed at older people often talk down to them or oversimplify to the point of uselessness. When it comes to AI for older adults, the existing materials fail to address their real concerns and learning preferences.
There's a real gap here. A need for honest, respectful, thorough guidance. Something that treats older readers as capable adults who simply need a different path into the subject.
More Than Just a Market
What I didn't expect was how emotionally invested I'd become. The AI tools surfaced insights that didn't feel like statistics. Instead, I felt anxious for what the future might hold for those of a certain age.
I've seen first hand how easy it is for older people to become 'second-class citizens' when it comes to tech. While they fumble for cash in their purse, they watch a young lad hold his phone up to some device and walk away. They despair that their local high street bank has closed, while telling them that it's far easier to use the app on a phone or tablet. Even simple tasks like parking have become a minefield. Older drivers arrive at car parks to find the familiar ticket machines gone, replaced by QR codes and apps. Leaving them stranded and anxious as they struggle to decipher instructions on their phone screens, while younger drivers effortlessly scan and pay within seconds.
And all of these tech 'revolutions' have been slow compared to the AI one I wrote about earlier in the week.
Maybe AI will make life easier for older folks, I do hope so. But whatever happens, they will have to overcome fear, and adapt.
If they're not going to be overwhelmed, they'll need help and a calm voice, guiding them through things without jargon or judgement.
This isn't just a way to earn some extra income. It's a chance to speak directly to people facing very real struggles and offer something of real value. That makes the work feel worthwhile in a different way.
For Anyone Thinking of Writing
So, If you're considering writing a non-fiction book to make a bit of extra money, here's the biggest lesson I've learned so far: don't start with your own interests. Start with a real group of people. Then use AI to listen, to learn, to understand. Learning how to find book market opportunities means putting audience research before personal preferences.
It takes time. I've spent nearly two weeks just doing research. But it's worth it. I now know who I'm writing for, what they need, and how I can help.
And oddly enough, it turns out the best opportunities might be the ones that look strange or unlikely at first glance. Sometimes, they're sitting right in front of you. You just have to stop and take a proper look.
Next week, I'll share how I'm turning all this into an actual book outline; and what I'm learning about the writing process along the way.
Fascinating, Neil. I love learning with you. Thanks for sharing your journey.