The "Ideal Reader" is a TERRIBLE Idea!

Writers are told all the time to find their “ideal reader”. This isn’t a real person, but some unicorn concept of a person who will trip over themselves to get their hands on your next book. Sounds great, right?

I’ve personally been told to think about what this mystery person is like in almost every facet of their life. Where do they hangout? What other books do they love. What matters to them? What problems do they have? And you know what I think about doing any of that? Big thumbs down! Honestly, I think it’s a huge waste of time. But I do think it’s important to think about who will be reading the book you’re writing.

Wait, wait, wait, didn’t I just say thinking about your ideal reader was stupid? Yes, I did! But thinking about your "ideal reader" and thinking about your in real life, actual person you know readers are very different things.

Now before you disappear into your writer hole to die of embarrassment, let me explain. I don’t think thinking of all your friends and family and people you knew once reading your work is all that helpful. In fact, I think trying to analyze if the people closest to you will enjoy your work can paralyze you so you CAN'T work. What I do think is life changing is picking one person in your life to devote the writing of a specific project to.

What I’m working on right now is for my daughter. The themes and lessons woven in the prose are ones I think she’s going to need to hear when she’s older. The characters mirror some real life people she’s likely to encounter. And, most of all, the problems and the solutions the people in this story create will be relevant to her. Knowing all of this makes it easier to write. And knowing it’s for her to read one day makes beating the motivation monster a little easier on the days when writing feels like pulling teeth..

So, no, I don’t want you to think about an ideal reader.

Pick one person in your life who needs your work to think about as you write instead.

Try it and let me know if it's as groundbreaking for you as it has been for me!