Target Audience for Writers

by: J. C. Adamson
Publisher, VoxClarus Press

Please also see the article on the target market for the VoxClarus Photography Series.

Every writer probably has some idea about his or her target audience. Yet I think many writers have only a vague and general understanding of their targets, and fewer still make full use of the targeting concept to enhance their writing.

Many writers try to write for too large an audience. The tendency is understandable. If an author has something worthwhile to say, she wants as many people as possible to read it. Surely everyone will be interested and will benefit from her knowledge or perspective—won't they?

The simple answer to that question is: no—they won't. Even the most widely read of literature; things like the Bible, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, are read by relatively few people, and are of absolutely no interest to great numbers of humanity.

For most writing, a narrow target audience best represents the actual readers of the text. An author might, for example be writing to women, but will all women be equally interested? Perhaps women of a particular age group will be more likely to benefit from the work. Further, women of certain economic groups, or with certain political leanings, or with specific hobbies or interests might be more inclined to explore the writing.

Then, suppose our writer wants to influence these women in some way, or to persuade them of something. If the topic is controversial, potential readers probably fall into three groups: those who already agree with the author, those who will never agree, and everyone else. This writer would be well advised to concentrate on that last group. Those who already agree don't need the information, and the author's time is wasted writing to those who will never agree.

But why does it matter? Why not just write about the subject, and let those who are interested read the work, and the rest ignore it? There are two reasons to target: marketing and effective writing.

Perhaps the most important is really the impact that target audience thinking has on the writing. A writer who has a clear idea of who will be reading the work can write specifically for the audience. He or she can use language specific to that audience, can use examples and illustrations that are relevant to the audience, and can concentrate on ideas that are the most important to the audience. Such writing will be focused. It will make a stronger impression, and will be easier to read—for its intended audience—than will be a similar work written to appeal to everyone. Targeted writing is simply better writing.

The marketing idea, though, is not to be ignored. A writer who knows with some precision who will be interested in his writing will have an easier task of getting his work published. Publishers of all kinds select certain target markets for their work. Small publishers often create books or magazines exclusively for one particular kind of reader. Larger publishers create magazines or book imprints, or sometimes entire publishing divisions specializing in specific target markets. Both writers and publishers want to match those targets to the works being published. Clear definition of the target audience makes that possible.

So, how should a writer define a target audience? The simple method is to ask the questions alluded to earlier, "Who will be interested in my ideas, and whom do I want to influence?" Then, those questions should be answered with some precision. The answers fall into two large categories: demographic descriptors and psychographic descriptors. Both are important. Demographics are those things that can be quantified and measured, such as age, income, gender and geographical location. Psychographics are things like interests and lifestyles.

Let's use this article as an example. Who is my target audience?

Psychographics:
Writers
Interested in being published
Interested in writing effectively

Demographics:
Men and women, in approximately equal numbers
Ages 30-65
Household Incomes $40,000-$150,000
College educated
North American, English speaking

Does this mean that a 28-year old, or someone who makes very little money can't read this article? Of course not. But it does mean that I have written with a certain kind of reader in mind. In fact, I have been imagining a couple of specific readers as I've been writing. Sometimes I go so far as to think of acquaintances, people I actually know, who fit my target audience description, and I write as if my work were directed specifically to those individuals.

How well have I succeeded here —both in the targeting and in the writing? You're reading these words; how many of those target descriptors fit you? And how clear and convincing did you find the article?

I hope my point is well made. A writer who writes for a specific target audience will have a better chance of being read and understood. Aren't those the goals of most writing?

by J. C. Adamson
Publisher,VoxClarus Press, LLC

Please also see the article on the target market for the VoxClarus Photography Series.

Copyright © 2007 VoxClarus Press, LLC