Do you know why it is so important for the author of Identifying Readers 👥?
Your readers are the fans of your genre, and these individuals form your target audience. However, this concept is too abstract and requires further clarification.
But why is this necessary?
🔹 Not knowing the gender, age, and geography of your readers makes setting up effective advertisements a challenge. Successful advertising is crucial for authors, for how else will you attract new readers?
🔹 If you are unfamiliar with the primary characteristics of your audience, you won’t know whom you’re addressing. This lack of knowledge will lead to continuous difficulties when crafting content for social media, your website, author pages, and so on.
Consider this: fans of romance novels who are 15-25 years old 💞, and those who are 35-55 years old ❤️, are two entirely different audiences. The younger audience dreams of a prince 🤴🏻, whereas the older group fantasizes about a smart man 👨🏻💼. They require different characters, book covers, book descriptions, and advertising strategies.
By defining the core attributes of your audience, you gain a vital tool: understanding who your audience is.
For instance, if I encounter an ad that starts with, “Every girl dreams of dressing fashionably” 👗, I instantly discern that the message isn’t directed at me. I haven’t been addressed as “girl” for a long time, and fashion or clothes don’t preoccupy me.
To seize my attention, you need to communicate differently. For example, I instantly noticed an advertisement that claimed, “The most comfortable bra in the world” 👙.
Your readers are no different. You need to comprehend who you’re communicating with and whom you’re writing for. If not, your content will fail to pique people’s interest.
Defining the Target Audience for the Author 🎯
At this point, you need to identify your readers.
🌍 Understanding Geography, Language, and Culture
The society your readers belong to significantly influences their book choices. For instance, in the United States, fantasy stories where the main character undergoes transformation, gaining a superpower, are particularly popular, as many are discontent with their real selves. In contrast, Russian readers favor fantasy stories where the main character ventures to another world, reflecting their discontent with their reality.
🌈 The Dreams and Needs of Readers
Fiction genres mirror the readers’ dreams. Some dream of adventures, some about love, others about treasures. All the emotions that elude us in the real world can be experienced in the imaginary one. Non-fiction genres, on the other hand, cater to needs. By solving a problem or completing a task with the book characters, we can realize what we aspire to.
📚 The Reader’s Situation
Some turn to fiction to unwind, some to feel heroic, some to escape from reality. Non-fiction readers might seek self-development, resolve a specific problem, or delve into a knowledge domain. Regardless, the reader finds themselves in a life situation where the book meets their needs.
The gender and age of readers play a pivotal role in defining their dreams, needs, and situations.
Example: A 40-year-old woman living in the USA, with an office job, a loving husband, and teenage children. She’s not looking to flirt and jeopardize her relationship. However, she yearns to relive the emotions of budding love and first sexual experiences. Books serve as a source for these emotions 💖.
It isn’t challenging to determine the type of books she would enjoy reading and the social media accounts she would likely follow.
And here lies the answer to why no one subscribes to an author’s social networks and how to craft enticing book synopses. Simply offer your readers what they’re already seeking: a specific set of emotions.
If you’re struggling to pinpoint your genre or determine what emotions your readers seek, join our Facebook group “📚 How to Find Readers and Promote Your Books.” Post your question there, and let’s discuss it together.
