“I think a lot of people get confused when it comes to knowing your audience and writing to one.” This was a comment by Vicki Orians to a recent blog post I shared at WriterUnboxed.com:
Do You Know Who Your Audience Is? No, Really: Do You?
The post itself describes the value of knowing who your audience is, and coming to terms with the fact that, no, your story is not universal. I also outline tips on how you can find your audience:
- If You Can’t Build A Small Audience, How Can You Build A Large Audience?
- Regardless of When Your Book Comes Out, Start Building Your Audience Now
- Finding Your Audience Is About Listening, Not Talking
- Research Is Often Missing From Most Writers’ Author Platform Process
- Be Polarizing – Make Choices
Vicki’s point is an excellent one, and cuts past many of the objections that writers make in terms of the need to consider their audience. Another commenter on the post, Pat O’Dea Rosen, shared the link to another post on a similiar topic. Here, Chuck Wendig digs into “How Do I Write What The Audience Wants to Read?” Chuck, as usual, has a very funny, honest and insightful take on the topic.
But this is where Vicki’s comment becomes really useful. That knowing who your audience is shouldn’t change your work away from your core vision, but it can help you ensure that your stories reach an audience that cares.
And this is exactly why I love working with writers – to ensure their work finds an audience.
Thanks!
-Dan