Who are Your Readers?

WHO ARE YOUR READERS?

by Tam Francis

I was talking to a fellow writer and blogger, he wanted me to read his novel and write a review on Good Reads.  It got me thinking about who my readers are and who your readers are. As writers we might assume that just because we have completed a well-written manuscript, our writer friends should be interested in reading it or *gasp* buying it. 

I’m not so sure. As much as we want to support each other, it also comes down to personal taste and knowing your readers is as important as knowing your punctuation and spelling. In fact, if everything I am reading is correct, then the agents and publishers want to know too. AND if you’re self-publishing, then brother (sister) you better figure it out fast.

The bigger question I’m thinking is:

DO WE NEED TO MARKET TO FELLOW WRITERS?

I’m thinking…maybe. More specifically, we must find those fellow writers who write and or read in our genre. For example, I don’t write Sci-Fi Fantasy, but I like to read some of it, but how would you know that from my profile. Guess what, you wouldn’t.

How do we know?

How do we find out?

How much “writerly” blogging should we be doing?

These are the big questions I want to answer and tailor my platform in that direction.  I don’t tell my blog readers about learning hashtags, signing up for tweetdeck and the confusing world of Mailchimp creating campaigns; I tell them how to make the perfect vintage cocktail, what my favorite classic movie is, and short stories about jitterbugging the night away.  As a contemplative writer I can’t help throwing in this kind of blog, but I’m not sure this kind of blog post would nab me a buyer for my novel?

ASK YOURSELF: WHO ARE MY READERS

Who is going to go to the bookstore, (or website and download) and buy my book? How do I appeal to them? How do I find them? Our bigger market is not each other (we writerly writers), we are the support team, our bigger market, what’s going to make a novel a best seller has got to be tapping readers who like our subject matter.

The whole of marketing is a science, but it still seems to have the element an element of luck and magic. I’m trying to approach and hope to make some magic.

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What do you think? Is this the right approach? What has worked for you? How do yo find your readers?

Tam Francis is writer, blogger, swing dance teacher, avid vintage collector, and seamstress. She  shares her love of this genre through her novels, blog, and short stories. She enjoys hearing from you, sharing ideas, forging friendships, and exchanging guest blogs. For all the Girl in the Jitterbug Dress news, give-aways, events, and excitement, make sure to join her list and like her FB page! Join my list ~ Facebook page