Creating a reader profile is important. Although you are writing your book for many, write it to one person. That may sound odd, but let me explain.
If you create your perfect reader in your mind (and write directly to that person), your book will be more clear, concise and readable. Your writing will be more personable. It will also be more specific to the right reader.
So pick someone. Or create someone by combining your favourite real-life clients into one persona. Think of your perfect reader when planning, writing, and promoting your book.
How Do You Create a Reader Profile?
You ask yourself lots of questions, and you brainstorm the answers in detail. Here are a few questions to consider when creating your reader profile.
What is Your Reader’s Background?
Ask yourself, “What about your reader’s past is relevant to them right now.” Get specific. Where did they grow up? What was their life like? How is this does this affect them reading your book right now?
How Does Your Reader’s Use Language?
We all have unique ways of speaking—favourite words and expressions we use. Ask yourself, “how does my reader speak?” What language appeals to them? Are they casual or formal? Do they like sass? If yes, be sassy. Think of your reader’s education level and language nuances too.
What is Your Reader’s Life Experience?
Are your reader’s past experiences continuing to affect them now? What experiences is your reader having right now? Ask yourself if they are looking for a book with a solution, escape, etc.
What Are Your Reader’s Goals?
What big goal does your reader have for picking up a book you wrote? And what are the smaller goals that lead to those larger goals? I’ll give you an example.
Imagine that a couple is deciding where to go for vacation. Bob says Florida, and Jerry says Hawaii. They are determined to get what they want and fight over it.
They then go to their regular weekly couples’ counselling. The counsellor asks each of them why? Bob says Florida has beaches, warm water, and snorkelling. Jerry says he wants to fly over a volcano, and Hawaii has volcanos! So they want to go to a warm place with beaches and volcanos. Now we are seeing the actual goals behind what they say they want.
When you get to the detailed goals, sometimes you find that the larger goal is more flexible. An author needs to understand this if she wants to change her reader.
What are your Reader’s Challenges?
What is in your reader’s way right now? What is stopping them from reading your book? What objections may they have not to read your book?
What Are Your Reader’s Beliefs?
Ask yourself where your beliefs and your reader’s beliefs collide. What do they believe that you don’t? For example, if your reader says, “I’ll never get my kid to eat vegetables,“ and you are a child psychologist, you may not share that parent’s belief. Helping this person get over their belief itself becomes your writing goal.
What Dreams Does Your Reader Have?
What does your reader envision for their future? Is there something they want but won’t state out loud? Think again of the Bob and Jerry example.
What Questions Might your reader ask?
What are all the questions your reader might ask before purchasing your book? Brainstorm and don’t stop until you have every ridiculous question on paper.
Once you have brainstormed lots of answers, you’ll get an image of your ideal reader. Write a bio for this person. Use your reader profile when planning, writing, and promoting your book. It will make your book that much better.
Get started on your reader profile by downloading Author Nation’s Reader Personal Workbook.
– Keep writing
Melody Ann
Author Nation is your go-to resource for becoming a successful nonfiction author, from planning to promotion and everything in between. Download the resource for the stage you are in.
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