Know Your audience: Your Readers Are Your Partners

Last time we talked about using judgy readers to our advantage. Now, more about those readers…first in a series of follow-up posts.

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In an earlier post, I talked about how connecting with your audience involves making them feel something. And in order to know what that is, you need to know who they are.

Here’s a True Fact maybe nobody is telling you: writing is about creating a relationship between you and your reader/s. Just like any relationship, you need to show you’re thinking about them, or they’ll lose interest in you mighty quickly—and with reason.

Let’s talk about a few ways to discover your audience and develop that relationship so it becomes a win for everyone.

Readers—your silent partner

At some point, you may partner with another writer to create a story. That’s one kind of partnership, as is the partnership between writer and editor. Both of these are frequently recognized and well respected. Less visible is the implicit partnership between a writer and their reader/s.

In the investment world, the term “silent partner” refers to an individual or entity whose involvement is limited to providing capital. They are seldom involved in the day-to-day business. Likewise, readers aren’t involved in the day-to-day writing process, but they do provide capital—their feedback to shape the story as much as their money to buy your book.

Not being able to see them while you’re in the process of writing (an admitted handicap) makes this no less true. What would the story be, without your readers?

One possible answer: a journal.

Writing feedback often comes with a delay, but it’s there. Publication gives you feedback in the form of reviews (professional or enthusiast), recommendations, and sales numbers. But you don’t have to wait to be published. You can get feedback from writing buddies, beta readers, editors, and writing coaches.

Your readers are your partners, whether or not they know it.

Knowing your book = knowing your reader

The best way to make this clear is by way of an example. Let’s say you’re writing a book about dogs, and more specifically, let’s say it’s a book about dog training.

Imagine this book, as written for any of these audiences:

• kindergartners
• dog walkers
• veterinarians
• cats

Quite different books, wouldn’t you agree?

Let’s take it a step further. I’m guessing many of you assumed that this is a book of nonfiction. What if it were:

• fiction?
• memoir?

Getting interesting, right? You could even drill down to subgenres:

• western
• business strategy
• coming-of-age

There is literally no way to write a book without having some idea of that book’s audience. Even if you never thought about those readers explicitly before you started, they are already shaping your story.

Connect your Why to theirs

Thinking about your book’s What is one way to figure out your audience. Here’s another: think about your Why…and reverse role-play where you are the reader.

Fido is writing his memoirs. He wants to make sure you (the reader) realize how you affected his quality of life every time you made him wear the Cone of Shame (TM). Why do Fido’s readers care about this?

• If you were a kindergartner: Maybe you know what it’s like to feel different and have people laugh at you in the schoolyard—or you don’t know what it’s like to be on the other side of that laughter.
• If you were a vet student: Maybe you’re interested in new developments in veterinary practice and patient well-being.
• On the other hand, if you were the cat: Perhaps you seriously enjoy self-deprecating comedy routines.

The distinction between why Fido is writing and why the audience is reading may seem small, but it’s significant.

If you, like Fido, recognize a disconnect, you can build a better story. You can build that relationship.

Maybe Fido wants to make sure kids feel understood, but his story construction is so complicated only final-year vet students know what he’s talking about.

Perhaps he’s made the mistake of writing a how-to book on best practices for veterinarians and totally forgotten the needs of their feline patients.

Easy fix, right? Connect the audience’s why to yours.

Go genre-hunting

Finally, a good way to figure out who your audience is and what they’re interested in is to look at what else they’re reading.

That’s right. If you thought you could be a writer without being a reader, I’m here to burst your bubble.

Going genre-hunting is the closest you can come to answers without directly asking your readers—a luxury you may not have if you’re a first-time or undiscovered writer.

Bottom Line

Knowing your audience doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think. You can start close to home, with your own book idea and your own preferences as a reader (rather than writer).

May your audience relationship be a long and fruitful one.

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Want help figuring out your audience and their Why? A book structure intensive could be just the help you need.

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CC image “Standing Together” courtesy of Rolf Dietrich Brecher on Flickr. Some rights reserved.