Who is Your Audience?

When I was eight-years-old, I decided I wanted to write a journal to record what was happening in my life because my little brain could not retain all that was going on out of my control. While it seemed that most of my peers had memories of learning to walk, read, write, etc. I could barely remember my last name for the moment. As a child tossed about in the child welfare system like a hot potato, my capacity to retain aspects of life around me was not only limited, but an unknown luxury.

So, when I learned that writing could help me to at least remember the people whose home I was living in or the older boy who called himself my brother, I fully embraced it.

Although I would eventually learn to write for school assignments or academic purposes, my writing has 90% been for an audience of one — me, myself & I (one could easily argue this is three and would probably be convincing!).

Over the years, this has not changed much even though I’ve had a number of blogs or publications in public spaces. However, as I embark on my journey to write a novel that others will — hopefully — read, I find that it is a different experience to write for a target audience and to engage with some of my readers.

It is actually rather rewarding, but I admit most of the feedback has been positive which encourages me. I wonder how I will handle the inevitable negative criticisms that are bound to come, but let’s not focus on that just yet! Really, it is like interacting with my people when I connect with my readers and it gives me motivation to keep writing.

So, tell me, “Who is your target audience?” or “Who is your ideal reader?” as you open 📖 the sunshine ☀️ into your heart ❤️ to tell the stories📚 we all have waiting to be told?