Who's Reading You? On Writing For Your Intended Audience

As an editor, my audience is full of editors, writers, and readers. There are people who want to improve on the craft of writing, people who want to understand writing a little more, or people who want to engage with their texts through different perspectives. 

There are few wrong ways of being an audience member, but writing for an audience when you don’t know who you’ll be writing to [saying nothing of one’s inner critic] can lead to a lot of anxiety. 

It’s a lot like performance anxiety. You might catch some faces in the crowd or know people in attendance, but the only collective words to accurately describe them would be that they are consuming your show at this moment. 

Some writers will tout writing for themselves before writing for their audience. Some are very active in their own communities and take a lot of time to hear what fans of their work have to say. Some choose to write for friends or family members.

Writing that aims to appeal to all audiences won't connect as well with any core audience.

When I had my book published, I wrote it for one specific person who was a big part of my creative journey. I’m also not a full time author. 

Some writers will try for universal appeal. They will try to please any and all readers regardless of their inclinations. This approach can lead to a great deal of frustration and is not recommended. Writing that aims to appeal to all audiences won't connect as well with any core audience. While it's hard to know what that core audience will be until after publications, there are methods that can inform your predictions.  

How Do I Know My Intended Audience?

You might have some marketing data on hand or some predictions as to who you would expect to read your book. This can be helpful guiding information, but it can also pivot a project in an unintended [or unwanted] direction. 

1. Start With Yourself. What are your intentions for your writing? Do you want to tell a story, to inspire, to teach? Consider the inherent value of those intentions, and be specific. If you want to tell a story, what is the story about? What is the nature of the conflict. If you’re trying to teach something, what are you trying to teach? Be as specific as you can. Then, consider who those intentions have served in the past and who they can serve today. This gives you both evidence and validation. Yes, your work is original, and you are going to complete your objective in your own way, but people have likely had similar intentions to yours in the past.
   

2. Now, picture your ideal. Consider the ideal reader. When they chose your book, what would their goals look like, and how would they match your intentions? Consider their possible likes and dislikes and what they might have read before. Not every reader will be your ideal reader, but having this picture can help you find comparables if they are needed. Essentially, consider the sentence structure and organization of the books your ideal reader would enjoy. Think of vocabulary and word choice. What kind of engagement would they need?
   

3. Take style seriously. No one will be able to compose in your voice exactly. There will be tells that distinguish you, and that’s a good thing. When you take up stylistic habits, consider what serves you and what you can commit to. If longer chapters with multiple footnotes best serve your story and you can commit to that, then do it. If this was your original intention, and you find that your writing is taking you in a different direction, don’t force yourself. That’s valuable information. Consider why your direction is changing and whether you need to alter your plan. Sometimes, you will need to retrace and re-work. It’s important to put forth writing that you can feel proud of, not something that feels incomplete or inauthentic.
   

4. I’m finished. Now what? Congratulations! You’ve finished your piece of writing, and you feel confident in what you’re putting forward. How does your story match your original intentions? What else does your piece of writing accomplish? What elements does your story include? The smallest details matter. Now, compare the intentions, the objectives that your writing meets, and elements within your writing to your ideal reader. How does that match up? Maybe your ideal reader looks different to you now.
   

Your core audience might end up surprising you, but these steps can help you to shape your goals, set expectations, and feel more confident in your end product. 

Do you want to go through these steps together or learn more about writing for your intended audience? Contact Purposeful Prose to book a free consultation!