Last month we talked about our ideal reader and what that looked like. I chose to look at the people who are currently reading my work, thinking that would be a great database to use. After all, they’re reading my work, and they’re very excited to get my books.
There was a problem. These readers are not what I pictured my ideal reader to be. And, after more than a few online “chats” over “politics” and basic rights, I realized that these readers are more in line with my two grumpy old men fighting me on Facebook over Trump than they were with me.
So, I did more digging to figure out what to do. The ideal reader is pretty important because I’m creating a platform and launching system to effortlessly launch my books from. I need to know what message to use, what word choices to avoid, what colors work best with them, etc, etc, etc.
I also discovered that knowing my real ideal reader affects my writing.
I experienced an anxiety attack each time I sat down to write because “my ideal reader” would pick everything I wrote apart, throw it all out the door, yell at me, and stop reading. I’d be alienating the readers who have been loyal to me for years.
That’s when I talked to Becca Syme. She’s awesome, by the way. She informed me that I didn’t have the map of my ideal reader. I had the map of the people who were currently reading me. Part of my issue is that I’m an inconsistent writer/producer. The people I think are my ideal readers need that consistency because their worlds are chaotic. The people who are actually reading me can read based on my chaotic schedule because they’re all comfortably retired.
My mind exploded. She went on. I need to give this reader a name and a face. As I’m writing, I need to ask myself, “Would Veronica like this?” Yes or no. No? Change it to fit her needs, answer her pains. Yes, then keep it and roll with it.
Brilliant!
So, instead of my conservative retiree readers who are currently reading my works—and loving my stories, whom I know and have emailed repeatedly, whose stories I know because they’ve shared them with me—I crafted my ideal reader.
Veronica – Frankie’s Ideal Reader
So, Veronica is a working mom who’s been single before, might be now. She’s been in bad relationships and is either looking for a good one, or is in one right now. She has zero fucks for drama or bullcrap. She’s remarkably good at failing and has created a pretty comfortable life—though still challenging—because of it.
She’s overworked and underpaid. She wants to practice witchcraft but lacks the time to devote to learning how to do it right, and this one thing she wants to do right.
She likes craft projects like scrapbooking, crocheting, sewing, gardening. She gathers sticks and rocks and pine cones for “future projects” that never get done. She’s excited about the world, but she’s currently exhausted by it because she’s one of the millions the people at the top are sucking dry. She loves to learn and is upset by the turn of current events. She’s not liberal, but she is left-leaning middle or a conservative liberal. She’s afraid of things going too far and she’s open to political discussion occurring in the protection of her home as long as both sides are willing to listen.
She enjoys baking but can’t eat any of it. She loves pancakes and bacon. She’s trying to lose a few pounds to get healthier and she’s now starting to eat more organic. She recycles as much as she can, which has left her with a bigger pile of “future” craft projects that will never get done. She’s trying to leave a good mark on the world around her, but not just for her kids. For the children of the world.
What To Do With This?
You can then use this information to craft your book and marketing specifically to her.Knowing who your real ideal reader is affects everything:
- Which projects are chosen and which are set aside?
- How do I focus my scenes?
- How do I pitch my book?
- Which social media platforms do I focus on?
- How do I market to her?
Join me in the Deep Dives/Career as I share my plan to do exactly that.
