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The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Audience

Audience

What Does Your Reader Need?

By Bob Hostetleron June 13, 2018
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I attend many writers’ conferences, as an author, speaker, and agent. As a result, I meet and become friends with many fine people and outstanding writers.

At a recent gathering, I enjoyed a spirited and stimulating conversation with an aspiring author who has a passion for reaching readers with the good news of Jesus Christ. I identify with that. But I’m not sure we ever got onto the same page, so to speak. As far as I can recall, some of the conversation went something like this:

SHE: People just need to know that Jesus is the answer.

ME: Absolutely.

SHE: I just wish they knew how much they need Jesus.

ME: Ah, I think you’ve hit on something there.

SHE: What’s that?

ME: It’s hard to write books that meet a need people don’t yet know they have.

SHE: What? What do you mean?

ME: You said, “I wish they knew how much they need Jesus.”

SHE: Right, exactly!

ME: But if they don’t already know how much they need Jesus, how are you going to persuade them to buy a book about how much they need Jesus?

SHE: I don’t follow.

ME: When people walk into a bookstore, they have some very real needs.

SHE: Yes, and first among them is a need for Jesus.

ME: Yes, okay, but they don’t know how much they need Jesus.

SHE: Exactly!

ME: So they’re not looking for books about how much they need Jesus.

SHE: They’re not?

ME: How can they? They don’t know how much they need Him.

SHE: But—

ME: So if they see your How Much You Need Jesus book on the shelf, why would they pick it up?

SHE: Because they need Jesus!

ME: But they don’t know that.

SHE: That’s why they need my book.

ME: I think we’re going around in circles.

SHE: You are. I’m not.

ME: Let’s try this. Picture your reader.

SHE: Okay.

ME: Female? Forty years old, maybe? Married? Two kids?

SHE: Sounds about right.

ME: She’s walking into a bookstore right now. But her car as she drove to the store was making a weird noise. But she and her husband are barely making ends meet as it is, so they can’t afford costly repairs…and she doesn’t want to say anything to make hubby angry. And he seems to be angry a lot these days. She’s pretty sure he’s going through some difficult things at work, and his new secretary—well, she doesn’t even want to think about that. She has enough to worry about, with her daughter’s cutting and the strange cigarettes she found in her son’s room the night before last. So she walks into the bookstore with all this on her mind, and she knows she needs—what?

SHE: Hope?

ME: Okay….

SHE: Encouragement?

ME: Could be.

SHE: Maybe marriage advice or parenting help. Maybe a break. Maybe an escape.

ME: Right. Those are her felt needs. Strongly felt needs. So do you think she’s more likely to pick up—and maybe even buy—a book about one of those needs, or something you know she needs but she doesn’t yet know?

SHE: But—

ME: So…what is it you need right now?

SHE: I need someone to buy my book!

ME: So, if I were to write a book about how you need to clearly and forcefully connect with your reader’s felt needs, I would most helpfully do it by showing you that that is the most likely path to selling your book—right?

SHE, nodding slowly: Ohhhhh.

 

We talked a little longer, but I’m still not sure we got anywhere. And I certainly could have communicated better. But it seems to be a hurdle many of us—perhaps especially writers who are also followers of Jesus—struggle to clear. We must write books that meet needs—not needs that only the author knows about, but needs that are felt by our readers before they even see our book. Or why would they pick it up, let alone buy it, and read it?

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Category: Book Proposals, Conferences, Pitch, Pitching, The Writing LifeTag: Audience, book proposals, pitch, Pitching, readers

Markets are Different Than You Think

By Dan Balowon February 13, 2018
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Last week I addressed the issue of trying to be too specific or too general in identifying a reader-market and the need to continually address new generations. Today, let’s discuss the culture in the United States and the Christian writer. Here are some unavoidable things to keep in mind as you write: Ours is an “entertainment culture” where all forms of diversion are more important than just …

Read moreMarkets are Different Than You Think
Category: Communication, Marketing, The Writing LifeTag: Audience, Communication, readers, The Writing Life

The Damaged Reader

By Dan Balowon October 17, 2017
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Not like I am some overly sensitive guy, but often when I hear a sermon in church or some Christian presentation, I cringe when a pastor or speaker might say something to the effect, “Raising a family is the most important thing a married man and woman do in their lives.” I agree it is very important, but I also think about the middle age couple four rows in front of me who had multiple …

Read moreThe Damaged Reader
Category: Marketing, Reading, TheologyTag: Audience, The Writing Life, Theology

Meet Your Reader

By Dan Balowon October 27, 2015
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Every year a report or article appears in the media that show how the youth of our world don’t know very much. They are not speaking of ignorance as in stupidity, but in “not knowing” things simply because they have no first hand experience. Beloit College in Wisconsin has a running list going well into the future of things that college freshman know, or don’t know.  A link to …

Read moreMeet Your Reader
Category: Communication, TrendsTag: Audience, Communication

Communicating to a Distra (Hey look at that!) cted Audience

By Dan Balowon December 2, 2014
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It is pretty clear that our modern society has more distractions than any other society in human history. Combine all the conveniences of modern day life that make acquisition of food and other necessities so easy and we end up with a lot of time on our hands, which we quickly use up with all our personal media options among other things. While I write this, I am traveling by train. Across from me …

Read moreCommunicating to a Distra (Hey look at that!) cted Audience
Category: Book Business, Communication, CraftTag: Audience, Communication

Proposals: Know Your Audience

By Karen Ballon September 24, 2014
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I … Love … Coffee … Love going into coffee shops, love ordering the perfect brew, love the ambiance of Starbuck’s and Caribou coffee and Seattle’s Best and Coffee People, and you name it! When my hubby wants to do something special for me, he’ll let me drag him to a coffee shop. Of course, when I’m done ordering, he bellys up to the bar, stares the barista in the eye, and says, …

Read moreProposals: Know Your Audience
Category: Book Proposals, Get PublishedTag: Audience, book proposals, Get Published

Who is Your Audience?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 21, 2014
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Recently I went shopping for a new watch. Thankfully, I later discovered I could have the old one repaired and am taking that route. However, since I’m a literary agent, I can relate everything to books, so here goes. At high end stores a salesperson was immediately available. While I was trying on watches, I was given statistics such as, “This watch is Swiss made. The band is solid 18 …

Read moreWho is Your Audience?
Category: Book Business, Branding, Craft, MarketingTag: Audience, Branding, Marketing

Look Up!

By Steve Laubeon May 21, 2014
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by Karen Ball A friend shared the video at the end of this blog with me in response to what I wrote here last week. I love the message, not just for me personally, but for anyone who seeks to touch people through their writing. Because really, how effective can we be in what we’re doing as writers if we don’t see and spend time with the people around us? We write about our “core audience” in our …

Read moreLook Up!
Category: Get Published, Karen, The Writing LifeTag: Audience, The Writing Life

Generally Speaking, Think of Someone in Particular

By Dan Balowon April 22, 2014
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  Any mode of communication requires an audience to justify itself.  Even someone shouting on a street corner will have someone hear them, if even in passing. An audience of one only goes so far. While everyone talks to themselves, if you do it too much, you will end up talking to a psychiatrist.  However, there are benefits of talking to yourself. Comedian George Carlin once said, “The …

Read moreGenerally Speaking, Think of Someone in Particular
Category: Branding, Communication, Dan, Platform, Writing CraftTag: Audience, Communication

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