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We are going to start you out with a great article from Patricia Fry. Enjoy and then check out the new books page for a peek at what she shares in her newest work:
"Promote Your Book"
Your Audience Has Needs, Too
By Patricia Fry
So often, when we sit down to write our memoirs, the novel that’s been rolling around in our head or a business book, for example, we focus more on our own needs than those of our readers. Authors say, “I was simply inspired to write this book,” or “Writing this book has been a wonderful experience for me,” or “I just had to write this book—it was therapeutic.” What’s wrong with this picture?
Absolutely nothing, unless you are writing for publication. If you want to be published and be read, then you’d better pay more attention to the needs of your audience than your own literary or emotional needs.
Sure writing can be pleasurable. Aspects of the process can be enlightening and even healing. The fact is that if you don’t get something out of the process of writing, your proposed book may never get written. There are many countless manuscripts out there that will never be seen by another human eye simply because the authors didn’t have the appropriate motivation to complete them. So yes, the author must have some sort of personal incentive or enticement to write what he or she writes. But, in order to sell it, the author must also seriously address the needs/desires of the reader.
Have you ever watched a speaker who obviously has his or her own agenda and seems to have completely shut the audience out while droning on and on? Some authors do this while writing their books, as well. They have a story to tell or a perspective to sell and that is what they focus on throughout the writing process.
What is the result of this author mentality? Readers feel little or no connection to your story or your instructional book, for example. A book written expressly to massage the author’s ego or to fulfill an author’s need to share, may not resonate with his or her proposed readers at all.
What are some of the clues indicating that the author has not considered his audience?
· The manuscript (or book) lacks clarity in places. The author neglects to speak to his audience—but rather just puts his thoughts and ideas down in a rather haphazard manner. He knows what his intention is and he doesn’t consider whether or not readers can follow his instructions or his story.
· The book is not well-organized.
· The book is not particularly useful or entertaining.
· The book is missing elements that a reader would need in order to understand or enjoy it.
· The author seems to be “speaking” to a very narrow segment of readers and most cannot relate to the material
· He includes material that seems irrelevant to the story or informational book and/or he does a lot of ranting.
When you stand up and speak before a group or sit down to write for publication, it is your job—your responsibility—to consider your audience first.
I sometimes suggest to authors who have a gripe, who want to change minds and hearts, who are determined to tell their stories their way, that they write a first draft just the way they want to. Write the rants into it—the anger, personal anguish and gripes, the blame, the fancy words that create meaningless phrases… Then throw that version away. If you still believe it is something that would entertain, inform or assist a large group of readers, then write it anew—sans the personal baggage.
Patricia Fry has been writing for publication since 1973. She is the executive director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) and the author of 34 published books. Her latest book is “Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for Promoting Your Book,” (Allworth Press, 2011). http://amzn.to/oe5
