Sam's Wattpad and Writing Tips

Target Your Audience

So many times I've heard, "Why are only women reading my book?" Well, because it's romance, that's why. And guys don't tend to give a doo-doo about romance, they want action and guns and cars and stuff...usually. Some want swords and Kings and the like. Any way you cut it, if you base a book mostly on Romance and expect men to read it, it's likely not going to happen.

You wouldn't find a book about a young girl starting high school in the Adult section at your local bookstore would you? Of course not! Books about teens in teen situations are going to attract, you guessed it, teens.

When you start a plot, think of your audience. What group(s) of people do you want to read your book? Women, men, adults, teens, pre-teens, action goers, romantic dreamers, and so forth.

If you answered everybody, you're hella ambitious, because hitting one of those types is a very rare thing.

We'll say your target audience is mature romance readers. In this case, you want a protagonist that is older. Preferably female, because most romance readers are female and they want to connect with the main character. You want situations that are more adult. You don't want to write about drooling over a boy in the hallway between classes. You're going to want to write about things like, your protagonist thinking about the hot boss while she photocopies things in the break room.

Lets look at some popular books and their target audience (even though people outside the target audience can enjoy them as well):

Percy Jackson's target audience = teen male fantasy readers (even though girls read it too, the main character expresses a boy's thoughts and feelings designed to connect with a make audience)

The Vampire Diaries' target audience = teen female romance and paranormal readers (even though some males read it too, the main character is female and expresses female thoughts and emotions designed to relate to a female audience)

Sookie Stackhouse novels target audience = young adult female romance, mystery, paranormal readers

Most Stephen King novels target audience = Adult male and female horror readers (his main characters vary and usually share a bit for the male and female readers alike)

The Hunger Games target audience = teen and young adult male and female action readers (Katniss is female, but her emotions and thoughts don't seem to be restricted to either gender)

Harry Potter broke through and attracted most audiences because it's a captivating story and exceptionally well written. This can't be hoped for every time.

So if you want a certain audience to read your book, keep them in mind as you plot and design it. Covers and blurbs are a big part of what lures your audience in. You're going to want to make it attractive to your target group.

You wonder why an older seductively embracing couple are on the adult romance books? Because it catches the adult romance book reader's eye. That's the kind of thing you want to do for your audience. A action book might depict someone running or aiming a gun, or some other form of action on the cover. A fantasy book might have a dragon or a magical realm on the cover. Know what you want to show the passing reader so as to attract the right ones. Good luck and happy writing!

Vote if you've been pulled in right away by covers that looked like your type of book.