This month’s FM Merry-Go-Round blog is about my ideal reader. That’s an interesting topic. Especially since, as authors, it’s up to us to target our audience.  My professional writing career started 1998 with the sale of my first non-fiction book, then refreshed in 2005 with the sale of my first novel. My view of the ideal reader has changed a lot since then.

It used to be that I fantasized my ideal reader was someone who read the likes of David Eddings (whose books I greatly admire). With the non-fiction I imagined my ideal readers were serious students of the occult. Now that I’ve added more genres and pen-names, and now after I’ve met my readers my entire viewpoint is a bit different. See, there are some of my readers who read everything I pen. I have a group of die-hard fans out there that, believe it or not, does not consist entirely of family members or close friends. That’s what most writers strive for — an appreciative audience who enjoys their work.

Sure, I target each book and each pen-name to a select group of people. For example, my erotica stories are geared toward women who enjoy erotic romances with bdsm.  My fantasy novels have a much broader audience.  There, anyone aged 11+ who loves swords, sorcery, and the struggle between good and evil is a potential reader.  With my mysteries I am looking for a very specific reader in someone who loves a good paranormal mystery heavy with occult themes. Finally, with my non-fiction my target audience is practicing magicians and those who either practice or are interested in practicing Daemonolatry.

While I know who I target when I advertise or announce my books, the audiences my books actually attract is much wider. It turns out my ideal reader doesn’t come from any particular socio-economic background. My readers have a wide variety of interests and favorite authors. My readers range from age 11 to over 90.  Ultimately I suppose my ideal reader is someone who enjoys my stories or finds my non-fiction enlightening or inspiring.

As writers, that’s the best any of us can hope for. I am grateful for each and every reader I have because ultimately it’s because of them I am able to write full time. Not to mention it’s highly motivating knowing there are people out there who have found joy and inspiration in your work and who appreciate what you do, and that they’re waiting for your next book with anticipation. There’s no high like that. So to my readers, I love you guys! I hope I continue writing books and stories you love to read for many years to come!

About The FM Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour

Today’s post was inspired by the topic Your Ideal Reader this month’s topic in the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour, an ongoing tour where you, the reader, travel around the world from author’s blog to author’s blog. We have all sorts of writers at all stages in their writing career, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

If you want to get to know nearly twenty other writers and read their thoughts on their ideal reader, check out the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour.  I blog with this tour the 25th of every month.  Up next on the tour: Becky Pratt!