Testing -
To write "popular fiction," one must be a true politician. "Of the people, for the people." This is an absolute truth. Every single writer EVER who has enjoyed success springs from that truth. In other words, to be a success, a writer needs to not only be grounded in the human experience, but also reflect the human experience. This goes for all of us, from the extreme lunacy of an L. Ron Hubbard to the gentle whimsy of E. B. White.
A reader needs to feel a connection to the story. All of these authors, from the ones mentioned previously to the ones I just mentioned, have enjoyed tremendous success. And at their heights, they were not only in tune with their audience, but their audience was in tune with them. E. B. White became one of the most beloved authors who ever lived... because he touched people by being one of them and never stopped. L. Ron Hubbard became a punchline, because he gave up writing incredible science fiction stories for the masses and decided to make a push to be the messiah he believed himself to be.
Of the people, for the people. Once it becomes "Of the me, for the me," it all goes to hell. Anne Rice was a goddess, (who, in the wake of the turd that is the Twilight series must be kicking herself), found God and went on to write several unreadable books. S. King wasted a decade and a million words on a load of books that were PTSD therapy for him and agony for his readers. Barker came out of the closet at a time (the 80s) when that just wasn't done, and proceeded to crank out a zillion useless words to cope with it. (For the record, The Great and Secret Show is one of my favorite novels of all time. I've reread it a dozen times. Everville was pathetic. The gay sex scene was in the watchtower during the parade, and the book was so bad that it's all I remember from the one time I read it). And the less said about Dean Koontz since 1992 the better.
Writing absolutely must be personal... up to a point. The goal is to pour yourself into every word and feel it. BUT - There's a line... you can't be pushing an agenda. If you want to write popular fiction, don't cross THAT line. Once you stop talking to us and start talking to yourself... it's over.
And just for fun Moonbeam - when I was a kid, I was at the hospital once and E. B. White held the elevator for me and my kid sister. Later on in life I got a job as a carpenter and I got to work on his house.