Listen to this lesson (5:25)
[audio:http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/authorcartel/Rule%201.7%20-%20audience.mp3]If you free yourself from the false fantasies of fame and limits of the publishing industry, it changes the way you approach writing because it changes your audience.
Who is your audience? Photo by Photo Atelier.
The first audience for your story is your story itself. Keith Jennings says, “Writers serve one thing: stories.” Almost like our children, we give our characters life and then let them loose, capturing their adventures along the way. Your story has a life of its own.
However, at some point in the writing process, you’ll start thinking about another type of audience: your readers. And your story will begin to change in response to their needs. This is normal and healthy. After all, the definition of a story says that they’re meant to interest, amuse, or instruct.” You certainly don’t want to bore or delude your reader.
When you begin to write for your readers, you have a choice. Who will you write for? I think it’s helpful to picture one or two people you’re very close to in your mind as you write. In this way, you can better understand what would interest, amuse, or instruct them. And by picturing them, you will end up writing better stories.
Don’t Pander to Publishers, Instead Connect With Community
Often writers don’t start picturing the people close to them, they start imagining how publishers will respond to their work. They start writing what they think will interest, amuse, and instruct publishers.
The problem is that publishers often want different things than readers want. Harry Potter, for example, was rejected nine times, and the first books were heavily edited when they were finally published. It wasn’t until later, once J.K. Rowling had an established track record, that her publisher gave her more free reign to write the way she knew her audience wanted (which is why every book in the Harry Potter series was longer than the one before).
To write better stories, you need to be in touch with what will interest, amuse, or instruct your readers. By writing for the people close to you, you will write a story that connects with your readers at a deeper level.
This completely changes your process. Instead of writing the perfect novel you think a publisher will want, you can focus on writing something that will teach your kids right from wrong, a story that will make your friends laugh, a story that will make the girl or boy you love swoon. You can write something for your community.
Remember what Amanda Palmer said, “It’s about a few people loving you up close, and about those people being enough.”
What if you wrote something for them, something they would love? How much better do you think it would make your story?
Case Study: J.R.R. Tolkien
When J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Hobbit, he never thought anyone would be interested in it. Tolkien wrote the novel as a bed time story for his four children, in other words, as a way to connect more deeply with his family.
After he finished The Hobbit (and presumably read it to his children), he shared it with several of his friends. Somehow, with very little effort on Tolkien’s part, The Hobbit ended up in the hands of a publisher and the rest is history.
Isn’t that amazing? One of the best selling books of all time was written by a man who didn’t even intend to publish it in the first place and only wrote the story to entertain himself and his kids.
By the way, The Hobbit wasn’t the first time Tolkien had made his children the audience for his writing. By that point he had already published several poems, including one based on the classic nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle called The Cat and the Fiddle: A Nursery Rhyme Undone and its Scandalous Secret Unlocked. He even composed a slew of amazing letters to his children from Santa Clause.
The connection Tolkien had with his audience changed the way he wrote his stories. For example, The Hobbit has such a whimsical, mischievous tone precisely because of who Tolkien was writing to. Tolkien knew what his audience enjoyed, what would make them laugh or jump with fear, and as he wrote, he held his audience, his children, at the front of his mind.
Can you do that with your stories? How would it change the way you wrote, if you wrote as a way to connect with your audience?
Next, we’ll discuss who you think you’re audience is. Click here to continue.
Hmm, I’m having problems with this one. I guess I never really thought of publishers as my audience, merely as a means of reaching my audience…
I write best when I write what I want, giving myself permission to let my characters do or say anything they want. Often, the writing isn’t something I’d want my mother to read. Once I start censoring myself, the writing fails. I have to write with an audience in mind at my job, which I enjoy doing, but I love the freedom of letting the work go where it will. Is this different from targeting an audience?
I agree with you, Marla. I often find that even when I start with a specific idea in mind, the writing often takes me someplace else entirely. In the novel I started, I have to change the beginning because in the course of the writing, the person who was meant to be the main character stepped out of the limelight, and someone else filled the stage.
Of course, there are exceptions: we are obviously going to be writing differently depending on the age that our writing is geared for (children, YA, adult) and our writing has to fit its genre (e.g. a pure romance is not written in the same way as a psychological suspense novel) at least to a degree.
Maybe when we write, at first we have to write with the freedom to let it take us where it will, and after we have our first draft down, it’s time to listen to our beta readers, so we can see what worked and what didn’t, so that our writing can reach its natural audience.
Oh, I like this approach, Mirel. If we try too hard to predict even what our best friend will like, we might miss something unusual or interesting that our story calls for. That something might turn out to be the magic that touches our audience. But we still have to come down to earth, and that’s where a beta reader is useful.
I agree; there’s no point in chasing an audience or trend, because it may not (probably won’t) be there when we’re ready to publish. I think that first effort has to be done with abandon. Trying to customize a message too soon will only kill the message.
I agree Marla that censoring takes the buzz out of the work. I remember you taking the kissing out of one of your stories. It was still great but buzzed less after that.
I like the concept of connecting with a community because ultimately that’s what we develop when we write. We may not have an close relationship with everyone in that community, but we can be comforted knowing that we have a lot in common.
I like the idea of the story itself being its first audience. It personifies it, gives it life. And, I don’t know about your writing process, but my writing process has proven the story is dynamic. Whether I outline or not, the story takes on a life of its own and goes its own direction.
By the time I’m fully immersed in the story, and definitely when I’m editing, I’m able to write for an audience. I think by then the story is mature enough to stand on its own and I can regard it from a different vantage point, that of a writer speaking to a specific person or group.
So right Staci.
I can only know who the story’s for when it’s done and I’m editing. When I’m writing, the story and characters take over. And they do strange things that I would never have thought. In my novel, someone had to die. And so he did. Then my editor made me write his sister out of all the scenes. One was for plain old editorial tightness, but I can tell you, it killed me when I had to kill that other character off. As for who my stories are for… I think I’m beginning to find out. It’s the people who follow my blog and are interested in cross-cultural matters and politics yet are all the time aware that it’s love and common humanity that underpins us all. I’m thinking it’s a 42 year old intelligent woman who’s lived and knows there’s a whole lot more to the world than she realizes, than any of us realizes.
Having said that I’ve now written a war story about a man – 110,000 words of it! I’ve no idea who that’s for.
Created the greatest arcsilet, you have.
I had never considered the story itself as an audience! Hmm…
I see myself as the first audience of my story; however, if it remained at that point, the story would stay in a journal, and no longer be a story. So I consider how my wife would read it, how my friends would read it, what reactions they may have from the story. To write with connection intent does change the story: makes it have a deeper purpose and higher quality composition.
It really does make a difference. In blogging, I’ve always heard that you should figure out who your ideal reader is and write to them. I always felt silly constructing a fake person to write my blog posts to.
Then one day as I was writing a story, I started writing it as with one friend in mind. I was amazed at the difference that it made. I usually write without a specific person in mind, letting the story tell itself. But I found that I explained things more clearly and different parts of the story unfolded in a deeper way when I was writing with someone in mind.
I agree with Staci that it works best when the story has matured and is able to stand on its own that this works best.
Good explanation, Stacy.
This is a big reason why so many stories are rejected I suppose and others are accepted- The publishers want what they know their readers will buy. Each of us also- as writers – know what our readers want to read. Once we write the 1st story & it’s accepted we go back and prime the pump making each story better and even more of what we know OUR readers want to read thisis what creates genre.
Interesting point about genre, Melissa. One of my writing professors in college said the best writers were always very aware of genre, even if there books didn’t fit into them perfectly. As you said, genre speaks to what people want to read, what’s marketable. And even if you don’t write in a specific genre, you can borrow from them to help your story.
This lesson and the discussion may be what is lacking in my story/stories. The novels I have had stuck away and resurrected are what I am trying to work with. They are actually what I have begun to think would be a memoir. The audiences I thought were different for all three. The emotion, information, story that I put into those manuscripts are all from deep within me.
I do agree that some stories take on a mind of their own and just ‘go.’ We need to catch up and direct, hopefully before the end. I like the example of Tolkien.
Yes, it’s a tough thing to do, isn’t it, to serve both your story and your audience? I think you start with your story, but if it doesn’t circle back around to your audience eventually, I think your story will struggle to connect with them.
Mirel, I know what you mean how the writing take you someplace different. I am working on a novel and there is a nagging in my head that the villain is no longer who I want it to be, but the male love interest in the story. I keep telling myself no, no, I want him to be good. But he keeps coming back and saying “Sorry,it’s me.” So listening to your story as you write is important. But if I go that way, how will my readers think? They are important too. It’s a holistic process I think.
With their current fees & reoliatugns making money on ebay has become a major headache. Little bit more of their insane fees & it will be useless.
Again Sunny I totally relate. Both of my kids are sick as well and yesterday was the big packing of the truck day. It was CRAZY!!!!! Now tonight we clean up the remnants of our apartment and off we go. I am so sorry stella is sick. I hope she is ok for the flight.
Vanskelig å velge..hvit er jo en safe mulighet, men ikke den som er mest spennende. Ville nok valgt å malt den i sånn lilla farge jeg:) Synes lilla er en nyydelig farge.
Iran’s missile capabilities are extremely limited. Despite this, this is probably one of their greatest strengths. Also of strategic use is their diver teams (explosives) speedboats and mining technology. If used right, these could be a significant problem.However, these can all be repealed by various means. The US Fifth Fleet has been focusing on crafting strategies to deal with asymmetric threats and other denial strategies.
Writing with the reader in mind is an area I have been working on. Visualizing a reader holding my book in his/her hands serves as a motivator to keep focused. As part of an exercise to define my target audience, I wrote up three people who might be in my audience-giving them names and characteristics. I can’t appeal to everyone and if I know who I am writing for, I can write with more intention. Having a blog has helped me know my audience as well. My readers give me valuable feedback on what they like and want.
Hmm… Wow… I really like this idea! That is amazing about J.R.R. Tolkien keeping his children in mind while writing The Hobbit.
Yes, I can do this! I will do it next time I sit down to write. To be truthful, I am not sure how it would change my writing, but I love the sound of it so I will try it and let you know.
How’d it go, Devin?
I had no idea that Tolkien originally wrote for his children. That’s inspiring! I’ve heard so many times to write for your reader, however, I must first write for myself – for what I’m passionate about. I don’t intend that to sound selfish, but I’ve made the mistake of writing what others thought I should write. Working on defining my audience, although I have a fairly good idea.
Not selfish at all. Start with yourself. Worry about your readers later.
I write for myself as a way to process the things in my life that are difficult. It’s amazing how good it feels. I’ve also written stories with my family in mind. My kids have asked me to write stories for them. I have written a few Halloween short stories that they love.
Fun!
I currently write w/my reader in mind. The only time I don’t is if I’m journaling because usually that’s for my eyes only.
I have heard it’s important to write for myself and not to try to write to attract readers. Writing to connect with your audience is very different. It says to me “have an audience of real people in mind when writing so I my writing comes from the authentic creative place.”
Great distinction, Cam.
Of course you have to write for an audience. But the #1 most important person in that audience is yourself. Writing for an audience doesn’t mean throwing your own preferences and sensibilities out the window. It means making sure your stories are fully developed and aren’t dependent on elements that exist only inside your own head.
Interesting distinction. I think I need to think about this one some more. A story enters my mind and I write it. I don’t actively write for a particular audience. Hmm, maybe I EDIT with a particular audience in mind.
I couldn’t get the audio to work on this lesson. I’ve grown spoiled to listening to all the lessons here. 🙂 I had no idea I was such an auditory learner until I started listening to the Cartel lessons.
Try it now. It had a weird formatting issue. Sorry about that. But I’m glad you’re enjoying them! I like putting these kinds of lessons on my iPod and listening to them in the car.
You know, even when I journal, I have an audience in mind. Sometimes my journalling consists of letters to my best friend – which she only sees in edited form. 🙂 Or letters to God. Or notes for my great-great-granddaughter who might discover it in an attic someday. When I’m writing a story, though, I still haven’t figured out who I’m usually writing to.
That’s cool, Erika! What if you wrote your stories as a letter? Have you read Gilead?
You know, I’ve toyed with that idea, but only for a novel. I hadn’t though of writing a short story like that. I’m going to. 🙂
Do it!
I have my family and friends as readers in mind when I write. When I write about experiences in a journal, I always imagine people a hundred years from now reading them.
I realize that I have accidentally fallen into knowing who my writing is aimed at through sheer luck. I started this book with a specific audience in mind and used my older sister as my “in house” audience. If she was being entertained, then I was hitting the target.
Currently, I write stories that mean something to me and I share them with people around me (mostly family and friends). They are my audience. My partner is my biggest fan, but not critical enough. I’m hoping that there will be people in the Story Cartel audience who will enjoy my stories.
After my father died, I found myself writing stories as if I were him. My best friend swore that he wrote them because they sounded so much like his “voice” (not that he ever wrote stories) It was weird.
I think at the moment I write for women who want to build a new life for themselves or live isolated in country areas, and for young women and men who want to follow their dreams in art and music, and for communities recovering from trauma through music and art, laughter and family. I definitely also write to amuse my children, family and friends, and connect with them.
I write YA. Ever since I became serious about writing, I’ve always tried to write what I think the YA audience would enjoy to read — not what a lit agent or publisher would. When you write for your audience instead of with the hopes of getting published, I think the writing becomes more authentic — the characters seem more real, the voice is better, and the plot more attention grabbing. When you write to get published (like focusing on a recent trend) then you’re hurrying along thinking more about a publisher/agent than who will be buying the book.
If all becoming successful required was being determined and of the right mindset, you’d already be there.
I don’t need a linear-regression line, though, to know that there is a positive correlation. One of these days I hope that when I’m browsing at Barnes and Noble, I see a section dedicated to Kim Writes. With a name like Writes you just have to write. It makes a superb sentence.
Kim writes.
I should change my last name to Reads or Reeds.
Kim Writes.
James Reeds.
🙂
Pin my tail and call me a doeykn, that really helped.
Hey, I used to have a hermit crab, when i cleaned his cage it was so smelly! Anyways, enough for me. Sounds like you have an ideal house for ur crab, with the sand and everything. For the Food: You can get the food at your local pet shop and put in some cut up apple/fruits/vegs in it’s little house u have for it there.Thanks, angie.
My children are a little young yet. I would have to stick to fairy tales. But, for the time being, I write about things that reflect what I’ve been through, things that I think, and things that bother me or move me.
I write for me, and to say something important to others.
When I picture who I’m writing to and am even deliberate about it, I find my writing has a person touch to it. Where it feels like I am having a conversation with someone that happens to be overheard.
My grandkids are always asking me for stories from my head. When I’m talking to Jude and Charlie, the stories please them because that’s my main objective. For that time, there is no one else in the world. Connecting with my audience is the only way to write, and if I am struggling with any writing, that’s the first place I should check to see if there is a loose wire.
I imagine writing, to connect with a very specific audience, like selecting the right wine for a dinner party. As a host I possess specific knowledge about the dinner being served. Armed with that knowledge I’m able to apply my understanding of wines by match food and the pressed grape in a very determined way. Magic can be the result of such efforts. Seems I’m always searching for magic.
you rebmmeer the good old days when you could rip people off with a pen and paper. was mostly local then. eh Max. you could only go so far. good old fiber optics.
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Being a mother of four boys and writing stories geared more towards girls, I’ve made my audience a dear friend who reads along as I write and encourages me. Writing with her in mind does help.
My Dad read stories to me and my brother a lot, when we were kids. He’d read us children’s stories by authors such as Roald Dahl, AA Milne, and Kenneth Grahame. Hearing or reading stories aloud became a huge inspiration for me.
I remember reading a book that I really enjoyed, and hoping my Dad would enjoy reading it too. The book was “Ballet Shoes” by Noel Streatfield. At the time, he was into reading spy thrillers by John Le Carre, so naturally it wasn’t his thing. However, I got him to read it to me, and reluctantly he agreed. As it turned out, he really got into it, so much so that he ended up reading ahead of reading it aloud to me. I guess that’s when I first realised the power of sharing stories.
A great story, and a realization to boot! I like it when that happens.
I recently asked the folks who follow my blog, (all 10 of them ;o) to critique the stuff that I had written. What I got back was that they enjoyed my vulnerability. That by sharing who I am and what goes on in my heart and mind, they are touched and encouraged in some way. Yeah, I have a specific demographic in mind when I write. But, that isn’t as important to them. What’s important is putting myself ‘out there.’
I noticed that if I think of my friend while I’m writing, the only one who currently reads my work haha, I have more freedom and ideas to write about. That’s because I know her and I know how to appeal to her.
Did that make sense? :p
Writing for the audience as a journalist is as basic as making sure your prose is understandable and relatable. I tend to include esoteric subjects (finance as a journalist and meditation as a novelist).
Beyond making it understandable and believable, I wonder if I would self-edit more what I would be willing to write, if I considered my audience. Don’t have the answer to that.
Thinking about one person who needs/wants to hear what I’m writing about is my go-to for “stage fright” while I’m writing. It’s also super useful for keeping me from turning into some stuffy talking head. Sometimes that audience is me: I mean, I write what I know I would want to read, in the most playful or neediest parts of my heart.
I’m going to take the time to know my audience more now; I will know who that one person is.
Do you know, I’ve never really thought about this before (am I the only one?). I have just written what I find interesting and amusing, and have hoped that everyone else in the world will like it as well (!). Simply because I have enjoyed the process I assumed that others would enjoy the results. Am I wrong?
What an interesting concept. Never thought of it that way. I did write “Willie” for children in general, and to be read by adults to younger children. I guess that was in the front of my mind while I wrote it. But I also wanted Willie to be alive from the front cover to the last word. That involved trying to write in language a young child would understand. Maybe that covers both bases?
This is interesting, as all of the content creation sites say write for just one reader. But that’s copywriting. It appears that it’s not “just” copywriting. It’s writing.
I love this story Joe.
I know what my audience like – good storytelling, its all about good story, stories that turn pages, that keep people up late reading.
This is something I need to work on. Being in theatre, I see the story process as sharing it “with the audience” which, many nights seems like one huge organism. But they are in the dark and not on stage. I “stage” my books with “the audience” in mind. In my mind, that audience is dark; I see no one.
I didn’t realize this until I read this article twice.
I don’t really know who my audience is. I guess it’s the people with a taste for the kind of stories I write. At he moment, I have been experimenting with different types of stories, it’s fun!