Misconceptions about finding your ideal readers
Rethinking these narratives opens the gateway to your audience
My posts this month are all about how to identify your ideal readers. This is an essential step to ensure your writing is actually read, and moves the hearts and minds of your readers.
On Tuesday, I shared a post (and 24 minute video!) for my paid subscribers where we walked through how to identify your ideal readers in a step-by-step process. More exclusive posts coming up for my paid subscribers this month — join us here:
Today I want to talk about some common misconceptions that many writers have in finding their readers. I don’t mean for this to be negative or judgy. But I find that these narratives hold writers back, preventing them from seeing opportunity that is right in front of them to connect their writing to readers. I love this work because it is inherently about completing one’s vision as a writer — when your words profoundly change the life of a reader, giving them a moment of respite in an otherwise overwhelming world.
I will frame today’s post as phrases writers sometimes say to me, where they dismiss the idea that they can or should identify their ideal readers. Okay, let’s dig in…
“My readers should find me. Besides, I don’t want to look desperate by seeking them out.”
As with every statement in this post, I have empathy for why someone would say this. Is it a writer’s hope that readers magically find them? Yep. But I encourage you not to simply expect this to happen. Why? Because I grew up as an artist and have been surrounded by creators my entire life. Again and again, I would see passionate creators painstakingly develop work, and then release it to the world, only to hear crickets. No one buying the book, coming to the art opening, seeing the show, stopping at their booth at a craft fair, etc.
Seeking out readers does not negate the idea of other readers finding you on their own.
The other part of the statement above is often more invasive to our mental health and our goals as writers: “…I don’t want to look desperate by seeking them out.” To me, this translates as fear of shame and embarrassment at the mere idea that people might see you caring about your work connecting with others. It reinforces the concept that one can’t advocate for the ideas and stories that they desperately care about. That they can’t connect with others or bring people together around this work. That if you make an effort, that this means you have “sold out.”
None of this is true.
Having spent so much of my life around writers and artists, I can remember the thousands of moments that they crafted, bringing people to their work, and developing a truly meaningful experience because of it.
In case you need to hear this: it is okay for you to share your own work. I spend so much of my time studying successful writers, artists, and creators in history, and in nearly every case, they took huge steps to share their work and advocate for it.
Can great art magically finds an audience? Yes. But in reading long biographies of creators and listening to long interviews with them, what I hear again and again, is stories of them trying to share their work to ensure it is seen and cared about.
“My book is for anyone ages 18-80!”
Can your book truly move anyone and everyone? Yes! But is that a great marketing strategy? Maybe not.
When you focus on a specific group of people to share your writing with, that does not mean you are dismissing the possibility that others can find and appreciate it. When you get more specific, you ask yourself sometimes difficult questions about who would be drawn to it more immediately and why.
I’ve heard variations of phrases such as “If your book is for everyone, then it is for no one” over the years. Meaning, if you don’t do the work to connect it with those more likely to appreciate it, then you are essentially offloading this work to the reader.
Let’s take an example from another industry:
Me: “Do you want to come eat at my restaurant?”
You: “Um…. maybe. What kind of food is it?”
Me: “People LOVE our food.”
You: “Okay… but what type of food?”
Me: “We have so many types of food! You will certainly find something you love!”
You: “Is it spicy food?”
Me: “If you like! But we also have food that is not! Come try some…”
You: “What is your restaurant called? Maybe that can give me a hint.”
Me: “It’s called Dan’s Place.”
You: “Is it inspired by any kind of cuisine I may be familiar with?”
Me: “Oh, we don’t want to put ourselves into a limited box, we cook from a wide range of influences, I’m positive you will love it.”
In this scenario, I am asking for so much trust from you, and for you to do all the work to figure out the most basic aspects of what is being offered. Yet so many writers frame their work this way. Here on Substack it may look like this:
“Dan’s Substack! Updates and news on what I see in the world and a mix of topics from my writing.”
Consider the themes that your writing focuses on, and who would resonate with that most immediately. While your book may end up with a very wide readership (yay!), don’t be afraid to start small and specific.
“Oh, I’ll get an agent and publisher and they will figure out who my audience is. They are the experts, after all.”
Now, this sounds so logical, right? Akin to: “If I want to wire a new light, I hire an electrician, I don’t want to electrocute myself or burn down my house. So likewise, if I want to find readers, I sign with an agent and publisher, and let those experts tell me who my audience is.”
And in some ways this is true! Agents and publishers are amazing people, and can be incredible partners.
However…
You may find yourself in a situation where they ask you about your ideal readers. Where they ask you who you see this book reaching, about your own personal network of connections, and maybe even about your platform as a writer. Wouldn’t it be great to have an answer? To walk into the room as a partner focused on their goals of considering who would love this book and how you may reach them?
Wouldn’t your agent love it if you could talk fluently about your ideal readers? Wouldn’t your publisher appreciate that you have a literacy of the marketplace that your book is being published into? And of course, wouldn’t it benefit your own aspirations if you understood these things as well? Not just as data points, but as conversations you have had with real people slowly over time.
“My readers are perfect, and amazing, and inspiring!”
I mean, that sounds great, right? What issue could there possibly be here? That you feel your readers are only these perfect people. That they read all the time, visit bookstores constantly, engage with their local arts communities, volunteer for a wide range of causes, and so much more."
Now, these people do exist. But oftentimes your readers aren’t perfect. They read way less often than they would like. They read haphazardly across a wide range of genres. They want to show up to do good things, but don’t. They are stressed out, distracted, and sometimes choose to stay home and rewatch an episode of some reality show, instead of show up at local bookstore event.
What is the upside in saying any of this? That when you realize that your readers are average people, who have a wide range of distractions, you are more able to see these readers all around you. They aren’t in some distant city, always in a museum and indie bookstore. They are your neighbors, the people in line behind you at the grocery store, and that colleague at work.
Readers are real people, doing the best they can. Look around, you may begin to see a world full of readers.
“I’m only targeting influencers, I want maximum return on investment.”
Wouldn’t it be great if someone with a huge audience told them about your book? Yes!!! Because it can lead to sales, but also the validation that we so often seek. So please pursue that strategy if you like, but don’t make it your only strategy.
This is best seen in my conversations with author
. A celebrity with 11 million followers shared a photo of herself reading Jess’s book, and sales went through the roof. But Jess is also a tireless advocate for her books. I interviewed Jess twice about her book marketing efforts, and also did a solo episode reflecting on this:As you look for big wins with influencers, don’t ignore more places that aren’t quite as glamorous, but may lead you to readers. I will simply say this: sometimes it is better to meet with a group of 11 people in a book club, than it is to attend an event where 3,000 people might walk by your booth.
There is a phrase in business (I have no idea who to attribute this to): “The riches are in the niches.” This is meant to be counterintuitive, that if you want to find success, look for the smaller groups of people who care deeply about something.
Can you pitch yourself as a guest on a huge podcast? Yes, go for it! But also consider reaching out to smaller podcasts, whose host has a wonderful relationship with their audiences. You may be surprised not only how many books it sells, but how good it feels.
“I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. So, I’m waiting until my book is ready to be published before I consider who my readers may be.”
This too feels logical, to not even consider an audience until you know exactly what your book is and when it will be released.
But why not give yourself the gift of time. To slowly ask yourself the difficult questions, to reach out to other writers and ask about their own efforts, to carefully consider how readers find books like yours, and to have actual conversations with real people about reading.
So much of this is about challenging your own assumptions, some of which I tried to illustrate above. We have these assumptions because have each lived and learned, and these assumptions can feel like a way of protecting ourselves and our time.
But this Substack is called The Creative Shift for a reason. I love when writers and creators embrace a (reasonable) risk to share their unique voices. To connect in a meaningful way with their readers. I am endlessly inspired by the writers or artists who take the risk to share what deeply matters to them.
Please let me know in the comments: what is one assumption about creating or sharing that you have since challenged and rethought?
And a reminder to catch up on my fall curriculum, plus the other exclusive content I’m sharing each Tuesday — some good ones coming up!
Thank you for being here with me.
-Dan
Kid of the Week: Every couple months the little fella announces it is Puppy’s birthday. Here is a necklace and birthday hat he made this week:
When I got my first book deal, I definitely had the misconception that it was the publisher's job to find my readers! I've since realized how much that's actually my role—for better and for worse. And working with you a few years ago taught me how much benefit there can be in pitching myself and my books to websites, podcasts, schools and libraries, etc. Just because people don't know about me (yet), doesn't mean they aren't a perfect fit for what I write!
Yes, indeed. Specificity rocks. Here's a corollary: Tape this on your bathroom mirror so you can be reminded of it each and every day:
DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT.
Thanks, Dan.