Well good morning lovelies,
Now this post is an easy one. This is actually a tip that I read about and quite an important one I think. Basically it means that while you write as the writer, you should write with the reader in mind. What questions will your reader have about the story or about the character? What payoff do you (as the reader) feel you want (or need) to have enjoyed the book the most you can enjoy it?
Every reader cultivates a list of questions as they read through a story and a really good book has answered at least most of these by the end (if it’s a stand alone) (or answered at least some if it’s a series). If you haven’t thought about the reader once as you’re writing, then they may end up being sorely disappointed when they reach the end off the book and none of their questions have been answered or if they felt as though they never really got the chance to jump into the story and really meet the characters and get to know them.
Now, a way to take this concept a step further is to ask possible readers what their favorite tropes are or favorite character traits. Then you’re writing those directly for the reader hoping they will pick up your book and enjoy them. This would be closer to commercial-styled writing, as in writing to the market, to what readers are looking for. But, I’d say that tropes and traits are a bit different and not so commercial as anyone can choose a certain trope for any reason and make it fit well within the story they are creating. But it is a good idea to get a sense of what your audience may enjoy reading.
Not only will this help you find your audience, but if you decide on a certain trope because readers enjoy it and it works well with your story and characters, then you’ll also expand your audience just by using the trope, if none of the other aspects of your book clash with what they enjoy reading. This is an excellent way to grow your audience and incorporate more people into your readership by inviting them in with the things they enjoy.
Talking to your potential audience can be a very good idea, especially if you’re not sure who your audience is (will be) or you’re still in the process of figuring that out. Talking is the best way to find the information you don’t have. And your readers ( or potential readers) know what they want, they know what they like. So they would be the perfect people to go to when you have questions. If you’re not sure what you should write or what you want to write, then they can give you some tips on what readers like them enjoy.
Writing reader-first also means paying a greater attention to detail. The devil is in the details, as the saying goes. So all the fun would be too. ;) And if all the fun is in the details and how all the details connect or how they connect to the larger story later on, then it’s a very good idea to pay attention to them. The details can mean the difference between your writing feeling full and realistic or feeling flat and unbelievable.
I hope I didn’t step on too many toes with this post! But it is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. And explaining about this tip is a good way to ensure that more people know what it means and how to do it properly. It’s a bit like when people say to read your story as though you didn’t write it, to read it as a reader picking it up for the first time. It shows you things you didn’t notice before. Maybe the beginning is confusing how you get from point A to point B without spelling it out a bit more. We don’t want to leave the reader confused, we want o guide them through the story without telling them every little thing. We want the story to unfold before them so it feels like they are experiencing it themselves.
Anyway, that will be it for my today guys. I hope you enjoyed this one! I did do a bit of research for some of it so I could gather my opinions fully before sitting down. But I loved having you here today. I feel like things are looking up and I’m really beginning to come into my own as a writer. Writing here on this blog, I think, has been helping a lot and I’ve really been enjoying it. Lots of love! Happy reading and writing! Until next time, bye.
Celine Rose Marie
