As soon as I hit publish, I realized I neglected to credit Celeste Barber for that hilarious image that reminds me of "Rachel." I edited the post and you can find Celeste on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestebarber/?hl=en
I remember you talking about Rachel and Lauren during one of your classes or our 1:1s and thought this target audience idea was brilliant! Sometimes I pretend to be a Rachel or Lauren while perusing a book store to see which book she might pick out today.
I did this exercise for my book’s target audience by identifying traits and habits of sober readers, sober curious readers, readers in long-term recovery, and the normal drinkers who want to be more mindful about mixing booze and dating/hooking up.
This is so useful! Leigh, your newsletter is like a publishing course. You've got me thinking about my book's readers-to-be, and I'm predicting none of them will be wearing bikinis. More likely aprons.
I did this exercise with Andrea! We came up with "Marcie, the uninspired creative who worries that she's lost her creativity for good." Also I'm Team Rachel with a Lauren rising.
Yoir advice is hilarious and very helpful. Isn't every fiction writer's audience primarily comprised of one or more demographics of white liberal women? I think even the most seemingly "masculine" fiction genres are fueled by white liberal women readers. I remember an interview where I said that even Fight Club was fueled by white liberal women readers and was almost certainly agented, edited, published, promoted, and sold by white liberal women. And there were a few angry comments on the interview by Fight Club dudes who strenuously objected for reasons that seemed both sexist and clueless about the capitalism of the book world. My agent, editors, and publicists have all been women, though a few of them are brown and black! I think there's a certain necessity for us brown and black writers to believe that we're writing "for" brown and black people. But I enjoy teasing my comrade Native American writers by asking, "So your experimental poetry is being gobbled up by rez kids, right?" I know that my Young Adult novel has been read by a lot of teenage boys, maybe even more so than by teenage girls, but I'm guessing that at least 70% of high school English teachers are white liberal women.
I'm going to do this. Michael played cello in high school and thought about a career but then got into MIT. He works in Silicon Valley and still wonders what if. Vicky Hong played violin for years and realized she f...g hated to practice. She'd show up at rehearsals high and skate through. She's looking for a book that makes classical music real.
I have created audiences for my upcoming book, but they’re chronically ill mommies named Jennifer and Michelle. It’s a more serious subject, but fun to do because my MC is relatable to that demographic
I think I’m mostly Rachel (35, 2 kids under 6, opinions about everything) but I like all the Lauren shows and I really like my workout instructors! I feel that eye cream comment, I basically just wash my face and moisturize bc that’s all my husband does and it feels unfair to me that I should need such involved skin care!
As soon as I hit publish, I realized I neglected to credit Celeste Barber for that hilarious image that reminds me of "Rachel." I edited the post and you can find Celeste on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celestebarber/?hl=en
I remember you talking about Rachel and Lauren during one of your classes or our 1:1s and thought this target audience idea was brilliant! Sometimes I pretend to be a Rachel or Lauren while perusing a book store to see which book she might pick out today.
I did this exercise for my book’s target audience by identifying traits and habits of sober readers, sober curious readers, readers in long-term recovery, and the normal drinkers who want to be more mindful about mixing booze and dating/hooking up.
Thanks for another great piece! 🤘🏽
your strategy is so smart because it includes readers at different stages of their sobriety/sober curiosity!
This is so useful! Leigh, your newsletter is like a publishing course. You've got me thinking about my book's readers-to-be, and I'm predicting none of them will be wearing bikinis. More likely aprons.
😂
Thank you for the kind mention -- this is such a fun and powerful exercise!
I did this exercise with Andrea! We came up with "Marcie, the uninspired creative who worries that she's lost her creativity for good." Also I'm Team Rachel with a Lauren rising.
I love that!
I love this.
I love this. Thanks for the mention! I’m a Rachel...
of course 😂
Yoir advice is hilarious and very helpful. Isn't every fiction writer's audience primarily comprised of one or more demographics of white liberal women? I think even the most seemingly "masculine" fiction genres are fueled by white liberal women readers. I remember an interview where I said that even Fight Club was fueled by white liberal women readers and was almost certainly agented, edited, published, promoted, and sold by white liberal women. And there were a few angry comments on the interview by Fight Club dudes who strenuously objected for reasons that seemed both sexist and clueless about the capitalism of the book world. My agent, editors, and publicists have all been women, though a few of them are brown and black! I think there's a certain necessity for us brown and black writers to believe that we're writing "for" brown and black people. But I enjoy teasing my comrade Native American writers by asking, "So your experimental poetry is being gobbled up by rez kids, right?" I know that my Young Adult novel has been read by a lot of teenage boys, maybe even more so than by teenage girls, but I'm guessing that at least 70% of high school English teachers are white liberal women.
haha I hear your point! You recognized Rachel right away because there are so many of her--buying books AND working inside the publishing industry.
Some of my very best friends are Rachels!
LOL
I'm going to do this. Michael played cello in high school and thought about a career but then got into MIT. He works in Silicon Valley and still wonders what if. Vicky Hong played violin for years and realized she f...g hated to practice. She'd show up at rehearsals high and skate through. She's looking for a book that makes classical music real.
Hello. I'm Rachel and I'm tired of giving all the fucks and no fucks about everything right now.
Loved this piece. Thank you for the laugh today ❤️
This is great, thank you! I will be saving this to come back to again, and it sounds fun too 😃
I have created audiences for my upcoming book, but they’re chronically ill mommies named Jennifer and Michelle. It’s a more serious subject, but fun to do because my MC is relatable to that demographic
Love this; am gonna use it for my next memoir!
I love this, and it could work for memoir too. I’m gonna try it.
I think I’m mostly Rachel (35, 2 kids under 6, opinions about everything) but I like all the Lauren shows and I really like my workout instructors! I feel that eye cream comment, I basically just wash my face and moisturize bc that’s all my husband does and it feels unfair to me that I should need such involved skin care!
Thank you for consistently posting valuable content in your newsletter, Leigh. :)