3 Reasons to Keep Your Reader in Mind

Who is your audience? It’s a simple enough question. And your answer may appear simple as well: “my readers.”  But that’s not specific enough. You’re not writing for “everyone;” you’re writing for the people who are seeking the information you have to share.  Thus, regardless of genre, you need to concentrate on your target audience.

Yes, even memoir or autobiography writers need to visualize their ideal reader throughout the process. You might be thinking, “It’s the story of my life! Why should I consider the reader?” Because although your story is about you and your experiences, it must relate in some manner to your audience. If they don’t connect with your content – emotionally or intellectually – then they will quickly lose interest and never finish the book, let alone recommend it to others.

To keep your audience engaged, consider the following three points:Read More

Write with Purpose, Not Pretension

If you’ve ever been on social media, then you’ve probably noticed the overwhelming majority of personal posts from people who seemingly lead perpetually blissful lives. You know, the ones who constantly write about their fantastic job, perfect kids, exquisite meals and fabulous vacations. As a friend of mine once said, “People only post their highlight reels on social media.” What she means is that people tend to freely write about the positive aspects of their lives, but rarely share any of their challenges.Read More