Learn To Write (Exactly) What Your Readers Want To Read
Know your reader and work backward
Most writers write to be read.
No revelation here. Yet many writers struggle to do that. So why is it such a struggle to write something that readers consume readily?
Many writers give their best to the stories only to find a handful of people reading them. That baffles them and sometimes even makes them hang their boots. If you are one of them, hold the thought.
It is not something that you cannot fix. All you need to do is change your angle of approach.
1. Don't address a problem; address the person facing that problem.
I know it sounds confusing because it's the same, right? Wrong.
A problem is non-existential; a person exists.
When you write a story about 10 ways to keep children busy indoors, you focus on the problem of how to keep children occupied within the house.
Change your approach. Write for a parent who is finding it challenging to keep their kids indoors —
Now you are talking to an audience.
Similarly, instead of writing about how to grow on LinkedIn, write for a person struggling to grow on LinkedIn.
Start thinking in those terms — a friend who has come to you for advice. Then you are more emotionally invested, making your story more relatable.
Remember: Talk to your reader, not to his problem.
2. Make your reader a person of flesh and blood
So you got your idea to write on — what do you do?
You write away? No, pause.
Who are you writing this for? Who is going to read it? How is it going to make their life any better? So basically, who is your reader?
Have a picture of your reader in your mind.
I will tell you mine. When I start a piece, I have my reader alive and breathing right before me. Recently, I wrote about improving writing productivity. So, I had a reader:
- She is a writer with two kids — a 7-year-old and a 2-year-old.
- She's on the sofa, monitoring the kids as she browses her phone.
- The babysitter has taken a last-minute leave, and she has guests coming.
- Writing and baking are her two passions.
- She is stress-free and jovial, taking life one day at a time.
Now I have a person to 'talk' to. It's like having a guest. So subconsciously, I try to write keeping in mind that she needs to go in some time to start her cooking.
How can I come to the point quickly?
How can I format it in a way so that she gets the maximum out of my story?
In what way do my ideas make her job easier as a writer who has other responsibilities?
And sometimes, I imagine a reader on his way to the office in a cab. He is using this time to browse through stories in search of an interesting read.
I don't feel alone when I write. I have company. (Don't get me wrong — I have a perfectly sound mind!)
There is a difference between writing in front of a wall and in front of a person, albeit fictional.
Remember: Have a clear image of your reader before you write for them.
3. Don the critic's hat and read your story as another reader
I do this to all my stories — I act like a reader and try to find faults.
Placing yourself in the reader's shoes is a great way to tweak your stories till they get into perfect shape.
Go back to your reader for whom you have written the story, and now imagine the same person reading the story. Give them every chance to find faults with it. Trust the process; it will only benefit you.
A tip: Read aloud. It is the best way to know how your story actually sounds (literally).
Remember: Keep finding faults till you are flawless.
Final thoughts
Writing is tricky that way, but once you know your way around, you will always get to where you desire.
Just keep these things in mind and ensure that your reader is with you throughout this short journey.
- Address a person; not a problem.
- Have an image of your reader before you write.
- Learn to become your worst critic to bring out your best.
That's all for now, see you soon in another story.
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