Your Audience

Who is your audience?

As a writer you want to understand the correct classification for your book. This includes main genres or categories, your target audience or age group, and understanding of narrow audience vs wide audience. Is this a local story that only the city locals will relate to or can you attract international readers with this story or narrative. There are just too many categories to choose from, but in most cases the first three will be the ones you need to promote the most.

In marketing, an audience is defined by creating a “persona.” In this case, this description should be made on the perfect reader for your book. Make sure to include the following:

• Background: Name(hypothetical), living situation, income, job, gender
• Demographics: Age, place where the persona lives, location
• Other: goals, interests, hobbies, lifestyle, personal life, and buying behavior

These steps are not fun and require some research, but it will help you plan ahead when you reach out. This exercise is done by marketing professionals and by applying it, you are leveling up to their standards of understanding. Basically, you are getting in the head of the consumer, in this case the reader. The keywords to use to attract this “persona” will become apparent later on.

Are others interested in my book’s content?  How can I know?

If you have no idea about an audience, then find out if there is an audience interested in your content.

• Start a discussion group, read the comments and join the discussion
• Send out polls on social media or include it in a website
• Create posts about topics related to your book content
• Observe how people react to phrases, photos, posts
• Analyze the responses. Do others want to continue the discussion or there is no interest?

This should help you find and understand what audiences are interested in your content or book topics.