When you set out to write a book (or short story), do you try to imagine the audience? If writing is simply a creative outlet for you and you don’t have plans for publishing, then this post may not be for you. But if you do have dreams of seeing your name in print (be it through self publishing, hybrid, or traditional), your audience is a HUGE factor in your success.
And I’m not speaking solely of the average reader who comes across your title in the bookstore.
Your audience is so much greater than that! Take a look at this table to give you some perspective of the types of people who will be handling your book, compared with you, the author.
| Audience | Perspective | Motivation |
| Authors (YOU) | Focus on creative expression, storytelling, and conveying themes. Strive for originality and connection with readers. | Artistic fulfillment, communication, impact on readers, potential recognition. |
| General Readers | Seek immersive experiences, emotional connections, and entertainment. Value relatable characters and engaging plots. | Enjoyment, escapism, personal enrichment. |
| Literary Critics | Analyze themes, symbolism, and narrative techniques. Assess societal and cultural implications. | Examination of literary merit, contribution to discourse, understanding of deeper layers in the text. |
| Publishers | Evaluate market trends, commercial viability, and potential profitability. Strive to match manuscripts with target audiences. | Economic success (mostly), nurturing authors, contributing to the literary landscape. |
| Book Clubs | Delve into thought-provoking content, often with discussion in mind. Select works offering diverse themes for group analysis. | Intellectual stimulation, social interaction, shared reading experience. |
| Educators | Consider educational value, thematic relevance, and potential for critical analysis. Choose works that resonate with curriculum. | Enhancing learning experiences, exploring complex ideas, encouraging critical thinking. |
| Agents | Identify promising manuscripts, negotiate deals, and support authors in the publishing process. | Discovering talent, facilitating book deals, building author careers. |
| Booksellers | Curate selections based on customer preferences, market trends, and book availability. | Catering to customer interests, driving sales, contributing to readers’ literary journeys. |
| Cover Designers | Visualize the essence of the book and its target audience, creating compelling cover art. | Capturing the book’s tone, attracting potential readers, enhancing marketing efforts. |
| Editors | Polish manuscripts, ensure coherence, and offer constructive feedback. | Elevating writing quality, refining ideas, preparing manuscripts for publishing. |
| Publicists | Develop strategies to promote books to the media and public. Coordinate author events and interviews. | Generating buzz, increasing visibility, driving sales, connecting authors with readers. |
| Readers’ Groups | Engage in shared reading experiences, often focusing on specific genres or themes. | Community interaction, exploring personal preferences, exchanging diverse perspectives. (The difference between this and book clubs vary, but generally these groups don’t always read the same book, and may pair a parent/child for reading time, depending on ages and reading levels, etc) |
| Industry Analysts | Study market trends, sales data, and reader preferences. Predict shifts in the publishing landscape. | Understanding market dynamics, providing insights to publishers, authors, and other industry stakeholders. |
Think: how would I market to that person? How would I pitch my book to them? How would I interact with them? How would I show them how my book stands apart?
Example: How might you capture the essence of your book for a cover designer? What sort of questions would you include for a book club (even if your book isn’t considered the usual “book club” material)? What would you say to an educator who’s considering adding your book to their classroom?
If you can summarize an answer to each of those questions for each of these readers above, you’ll be well on your way to marketing your book!
Why not get a little practice in? Pick from one of the “reader” options above and describe in the comments on how you’d pitch your book to them. ( :