| As a writer, the most important person in your | | | | audience and how you can present your |
| work life is your readers—the people who pick | | | | information to reflect that. |
| up your book, buy it, and take the time to read | | | | Where and How Does Your Audience Get their |
| it; the people who see your article and contact | | | | Information? |
| you for more information; and the people who go | | | | Let’s keep going with the example |
| to your web site and decide to buy your product | | | | above—where do moms like to get their |
| or service. Your readers are your audience, the | | | | information? This one is a no-brainer; they like to |
| people you are trying to reach and persuade. | | | | get their information from other moms. When |
| Therefore, you should always keep your readers | | | | moms get together, they share tips, struggles, |
| in mind as you write. | | | | and ideas. They like to talk to their friends about |
| So what does that mean? Well, first you have to | | | | the problems they’re having. This is why |
| know your audience. Who are they? Where do | | | | parenting magazines are written in a |
| they live? What do they need? What are their | | | | conversational, girlfriend-to-girlfriend style. If |
| habits? Then you have to step into their shoes | | | | you’re writing a book about potty training, |
| and look at the information you’re presenting | | | | then that’s the style you should use to |
| from their perspective. Let’s consider the | | | | convey your information to your audience. And |
| process one step at a time. | | | | every sentence, example, and anecdote you put |
| Who is Your Audience? | | | | on the page should reflect your audience and their |
| You probably know more about your audience | | | | needs, wants, and challenges. |
| than you might think. They are the people who | | | | How Can You Write for Your Audience? |
| need what you have, whether that’s a | | | | You’ve probably heard this example: imagine |
| product, service, or information. For example, if | | | | you’re writing an e-mail to your boss about a |
| you’re writing a book about potty training, | | | | recent business trip to Hawaii. The information |
| your primary audience is moms with young | | | | you convey in that e-mail and the tone in which |
| children. Your secondary audiences might include | | | | you convey it will be very different than an e-mail |
| dads, daycare workers, grandparents, and child | | | | you would send your best friend about the same |
| development professionals. By this point you | | | | trip, right? If you want to keep your job, then the |
| should know exactly who you’re writing your | | | | two e-mails will probably be very different. Tone |
| book for, so take out a piece of paper and list | | | | plays a role in writing for your audience as well, |
| your primary and secondary audiences. | | | | and I’ll cover tone in more depth in chapter |
| What Does Your Audience Want? | | | | five. |
| Now think about your audience. What are their | | | | But for now, as you’re writing, ask yourself: |
| needs? What do they want? What’s | | | | • Who is your audience? |
| important to them? What do they like to read? | | | | • What are their needs? What are their |
| Let’s examine the primary audience from the | | | | wants? |
| potty-training example—moms with young | | | | • What’s most important to your |
| children—layer by layer. What do moms need? | | | | audience? |
| Well, on layer one, need their child to be out of | | | | • What ideas or information do you have that |
| diapers, sooner rather than later. Now if we look a | | | | might surprise your audience? |
| little deeper, we understand that moms’ lives | | | | • How can you best convey your information |
| tend to be pretty busy and hectic—take it | | | | so that your audience understands and enjoys |
| from someone who knows—so you could say | | | | what you have to say? |
| that moms need simplicity. They need the | | | | • What will keep your audience interested in |
| potty-training solutions offered in your book to be | | | | your book? |
| easy to implement and maintain. | | | | • What impression do you want to leave on |
| Next—what do busy moms want? What’s | | | | your audience? What do you want them to think |
| important to them? Well, they want to stop | | | | about you? |
| changing diapers, obviously. But they also want | | | | Hooking Your Audience, and Keeping them on the |
| their toddler to feel good about going to the | | | | Line |
| potty. To a mom, nothing is more important than | | | | Regardless of what you’re writing about and |
| her child. So, you have to write in a way | | | | who you’re writing for, you can ask yourself |
| that’s simple and easy for busy moms to | | | | these questions about your audience and write in |
| manage, and write in a way that reassures the | | | | a way that speaks directly to their needs and |
| mom that her child will gain confidence and feel | | | | wants. Communicating well with your audience will |
| supported throughout the potty training process. | | | | make your information resonate with readers and |
| Now think about what’s important to your | | | | your writing will be more successful as a result. |