by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Considering how much I post on Twitter, it’s amazing how little time
I spend there (thanks to a handy-dandy free tool called “Social Oomph“).
There are a few things that I see on
Twitter that make me wince. One is a BSP
(blatant self-promotion) tweet that’s a variant of: my book is for anyone who loves a great story!
Twitter that make me wince. One is a BSP
(blatant self-promotion) tweet that’s a variant of: my book is for anyone who loves a great story!
Well…sure. We hope that anyone who enjoys reading will
love our books, right? Just the same, I
know a good deal about who I’m aiming for with my books. I know how and where
they shop, their general age range, their interests, their general thoughts on
profanity and violence in books. I know
their gender and some of the things they enjoy doing in their spare time. I know what they’re looking for when they pick up a mystery.
love our books, right? Just the same, I
know a good deal about who I’m aiming for with my books. I know how and where
they shop, their general age range, their interests, their general thoughts on
profanity and violence in books. I know
their gender and some of the things they enjoy doing in their spare time. I know what they’re looking for when they pick up a mystery.
Clearly, not everybody is going to fit
into that very general reader demographic. But many do. I aim for them with my books. How do I know so much about them? Readers email me. They’re my friends on Facebook and Pinterest.
I listen to them and pay attention. My publisher helps me with demographics, too, and
nudges me in the right direction if I stray too far (which happened in my last
manuscript, as a matter of fact). And I sure hear about reader preferences in
the customer reviews…good, bad, and ugly.
into that very general reader demographic. But many do. I aim for them with my books. How do I know so much about them? Readers email me. They’re my friends on Facebook and Pinterest.
I listen to them and pay attention. My publisher helps me with demographics, too, and
nudges me in the right direction if I stray too far (which happened in my last
manuscript, as a matter of fact). And I sure hear about reader preferences in
the customer reviews…good, bad, and ugly.
This isn’t a difficult task. And structuring a story for a particular
genre or audience doesn’t much alter the most basic aspect of our story,
either. We do this all the time…this process comes naturally to us.
genre or audience doesn’t much alter the most basic aspect of our story,
either. We do this all the time…this process comes naturally to us.
For instance, y’all know I recently
returned from a family vacation in Kenya (photo above. With baby elephant in the background). :) Upon my return, I’ve been asked about my trip by different friends and
family.
returned from a family vacation in Kenya (photo above. With baby elephant in the background). :) Upon my return, I’ve been asked about my trip by different friends and
family.
When young children asked me, I talked
about the big cats and the elephants we saw.
about the big cats and the elephants we saw.
When my son’s teenage friends ask me, I
share with them that we had a leopard and hyenas running through our safari
camp at night.
share with them that we had a leopard and hyenas running through our safari
camp at night.
When my parents asked me, I may have left
out the bit about the leopard and the hyenas since they wouldn’t have been wild
about the fact their grandkids were in a tent with wild animals around.
out the bit about the leopard and the hyenas since they wouldn’t have been wild
about the fact their grandkids were in a tent with wild animals around.
When an epicurean friend asked me about
the trip, I talked about the food that we ate there and how it was prepared.
the trip, I talked about the food that we ate there and how it was prepared.
A well-traveled friend specifically
wanted to know more about our flights over there and where we stayed for our
layover.
wanted to know more about our flights over there and where we stayed for our
layover.
You get the idea. And this is just
filling people in on a vacation…in a way that hopefully makes the
vacation story at least a wee bit more interesting to them. We do this all the time, right? Tailor our stories for different groups of
people we know. Our boss will hear one
version, our parents another, our children another, our best friend a different
one still.
filling people in on a vacation…in a way that hopefully makes the
vacation story at least a wee bit more interesting to them. We do this all the time, right? Tailor our stories for different groups of
people we know. Our boss will hear one
version, our parents another, our children another, our best friend a different
one still.
If we’re writing genre fiction, it does
help to know the genre…not to limit ourselves, but because we have a good
picture of our reader. We know some
general expectations that readers of a particular genre may have.
help to know the genre…not to limit ourselves, but because we have a good
picture of our reader. We know some
general expectations that readers of a particular genre may have.
So, for me, if I’m writing a story about
a con man who gets murdered, I’m slanting it in a different way because I’m
writing for readers who enjoy cozy (traditional) mysteries. The con man’s death won’t be gory, or, if it
is, I’m sure not going to describe it. My main character will be an amateur
sleuth who is tangentially involved with the case and feels a personal duty to
investigate. Forensics won’t be
included. The dead man’s wife won’t be
cussing up a storm when she comes across his body. The pace I’m aiming for is
one that moves along, but isn’t afraid to have some gentler detours.
a con man who gets murdered, I’m slanting it in a different way because I’m
writing for readers who enjoy cozy (traditional) mysteries. The con man’s death won’t be gory, or, if it
is, I’m sure not going to describe it. My main character will be an amateur
sleuth who is tangentially involved with the case and feels a personal duty to
investigate. Forensics won’t be
included. The dead man’s wife won’t be
cussing up a storm when she comes across his body. The pace I’m aiming for is
one that moves along, but isn’t afraid to have some gentler detours.
Now, let’s pretend I’m writing a story
about a con man who gets murdered—but I’m writing a police procedural. Now my main character is likely a cop. I will probably describe the crime scene in
some detail, since the police must examine the crime scene. Forensics will be
there and my protagonist will be checking in with them later to get all the
clues they need to help solve the case.
My victim’s wife can throw any kind of a fit she likes. The pace of the story is fairly measured (but
never slow) as the police investigate the crime with a structured approach.
about a con man who gets murdered—but I’m writing a police procedural. Now my main character is likely a cop. I will probably describe the crime scene in
some detail, since the police must examine the crime scene. Forensics will be
there and my protagonist will be checking in with them later to get all the
clues they need to help solve the case.
My victim’s wife can throw any kind of a fit she likes. The pace of the story is fairly measured (but
never slow) as the police investigate the crime with a structured approach.
Now I’m writing a thriller about a con
man who gets murdered. Maybe the reader
is even in the killer’s head sometimes….heck, maybe we even know the killer’s identity (which we sure wouldn’t know in either of the
other two genres I’ve mentioned) because the important thing in this story
isn’t the whodunit puzzle, it’s the race against the clock. Perhaps the killer
has a long-standing grudge against the man who conned him out of his life
savings and all the people the con man cares about. We’re in a race against time and jump from
the killer’s POV to the cop’s POV with nerve-wracking parallel editing. The mood is dark and tense and the pace is
very fast.
man who gets murdered. Maybe the reader
is even in the killer’s head sometimes….heck, maybe we even know the killer’s identity (which we sure wouldn’t know in either of the
other two genres I’ve mentioned) because the important thing in this story
isn’t the whodunit puzzle, it’s the race against the clock. Perhaps the killer
has a long-standing grudge against the man who conned him out of his life
savings and all the people the con man cares about. We’re in a race against time and jump from
the killer’s POV to the cop’s POV with nerve-wracking parallel editing. The mood is dark and tense and the pace is
very fast.
The fact that I know what I write and who
my readers are means that I’m not going to turn a thriller over to my editor
for my cozy readers.
my readers are means that I’m not going to turn a thriller over to my editor
for my cozy readers.
When I get an occasional email from a
teenage boy or a college-age woman saying they love my books…I’m thrilled. I
really am. And it shocks me to pieces.
They aren’t the demographic I’ve shot for. And I’m delighted when I pick
up readers along the way.
teenage boy or a college-age woman saying they love my books…I’m thrilled. I
really am. And it shocks me to pieces.
They aren’t the demographic I’ve shot for. And I’m delighted when I pick
up readers along the way.
Who is your reader?
I know I’m not your target audience, but I’ve read and enjoyed two of your books (so well done!). You also are a great resource on social media and general writing tips (and always so friendly) so I’ll always be coming back to check in on what you’re up to and may just decide to read another one of your cosies now and then :)
I have a target audience too, but I still hope to appeal to some that don’t normally read in my genre. Its a great feeling.
……dhole
Donna–It’s great to think that we could have some crossover appeal and introduce a new reader to our genre, isn’t it?
Lorel –Thanks so much! That’s so kind of you to read my books…I appreciate it. :) Hope your own writing is going well, too!
Thanks for this great information and the Social oomph resource. I am interested in anything I can pick up from published authors.
Elizabeth – I couldn’t agree more about the importance of knowing your audience. That’s the way the writer connects with them. It’a basic fact about communication really, and writers are nothing if not communicators. We consider our audience when we write, because we want them to respond. And if people can’t connect in some way to what we write, they won’t read it.
…Oh, and ps, I love that ‘photo!!!
Africa’s great, isn’t it! There’s a balance between knowing your target audience and trying to please everyone. When you get reader comments that there’s too much of this, but get other comments that there’s not enough of it–you have to remain true to the characters, because it’s probably the characters that are capturing your readers.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Hubby and I are going to South Africa in September, but we won’t be staying in tents, LOL. Wow. This is such an explicit explanation of how important identifying target audience is. When I was in marketing, I knew this. But somehow, as a writer, I find it hard to think about as I am writing.
Recounting your trip – brilliant analogy!
My target readers changed some over the course of my series. Those who enjoyed the first book the most weren’t exactly who I was aiming for, but they are the ones I wrote the next two books for. They let me know what they liked the most and I tried to give it to them.
And at least that leopard didn’t stop in your camp for a snack.
First of all, I’m not sure you’re a real person. Are all the photos of you as good as the ones posted? :) The only way I get a good photo of me is to substitute another person (in place of me) in the photo.
So true about feeding what the readers need and want. That’s how you keep your readers happy.
T
That is why knowing your target audience is so important.
My husband really won’t want to visit Africa now, knowing wild animals were running through your camp. LOL
Alex–I love how responsive you were to your readers!
Ha! Yes, fortunately the wildebeest were migrating, so there was plenty of good food to be had! Apparently humans don’t taste all that great, anyway.
Dobson–You’re so welcome…Social Oomph is a good program to be acquainted with.
Margot–Definitely. It might seem a bit cynical in the planning stages, but the effect is what we’re looking for…readers will read the books!
And thanks on the pic! We’d been flying along in the Land Cruiser or whatever those things are and I look a little wild (not unlike the animals we were seeing!)
Terry–That’s definitely true. For instance, I’ve got a group of readers that seem to want a romantic involvement between 2 characters…I don’t see it happening. :)
Diane–Ha!~ But see, you can edit that part out. :)
Karen–Enjoy your South Africa trip! I think you’ll love it. :) These were permanent tents…hardwood floors, electricity, 4-poster beds, bathroom…but yeah, the walls and ceiling were still canvas…ha!
I’d forgotten you were in marketing! This is second nature to you, then. This doesn’t apply to everybody…I’m writing commercial fiction in a particular genre, so I need to really be targeted with my approach. You can always tweak later, too!
Teresa–Your pictures are always good! And I didn’t include the umpteen million pics of me looking grim as I clung desperately onto my 11 year old’s legs (she kept climbing on top of the Cruiser’s pop top and there were lions below! Full lions who’d just eaten wildebeests…but still!) Those are very rough-looking pictures of me. :)
Sometimes the blatant plugs on Twitter get to me. After reading excessive one, I tweeted: Stephen King: “I could not put down Roland Yeomans’ latest. Joe put super glue on the covers!”
It got lost, of course, in the surging tide of twitters. :-)
I envy you your trip to Africa, but my dream trip is to New Zealand to track down all the shooting sites of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT.
Thank you for pointing folks to my post on the Seven Deadly Sins for writers. May your sales be high!
What a great explanation of writing to genre. Most stories could be slanted one way or the other. As a writer, it’s helpful to know beforehand!
Roland–Ha! Love it!
Ah, your bucket list sounds like my husband’s! I’m sure we’ll make it over to New Zealand one of these days.
Same to you, Roland–and thanks so much for coming by. :)
Laura–It can definitely save time later, that’s for sure!
I’m struggling with this very issue. While I’m not part of the mystery genre, I write romantic suspense, and my readers seem to be all over the place in terms of demographics. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
What a great example! I write for teens, and since my oldest son is 16, I consider his “friends who are girls” when I plot.
I love this post. I have a target audience, too, and I’m always surprised and delighted when those outside it enjoy my books, too. That’s one of the things that makes it fun!
Julie–That’s great that you can visualize your audience so well!
lilybishop–That can be tough. Maybe see what books are similar to yours at the store and look at the cover art, etc., for a clue as to whom it’s marketed?
Carol–It does make it fun, doesn’t it?
Hi Elizabeth – great way to describe the process of knowing our audience .. and don’t we just alter things to suit accordingly ..
So pleased you had such a happy time in Africa – and now you’re brave! you’re even considering NZ .. fun!
Cheers Hilary
You posted this very informative piece at midnight. Wow. It’s when I’m usually up and about as well.
Hilary–Traveling is scary and fun at the same time!
Larry–Oh, it was scheduled. :) But…I’m almost always awake between 2 and 3:30 a.m. Insomniac. Sigh.