Publishing Secrets

First 5 Step #3: Pick Your Persona (Re-Air)

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Episode notes

In this episode, you’ll also hear:

  • The only two things your readers actually care about
  • How to write a book that your ideal reader is guaranteed to love
  • Questions to ask yourself to determine who you are writing for and what they want to read
  • Your greatest qualification as an author — and how to use it effectively

If you missed the previous episodes in this series, be sure to check them out here!

Zig Ziglar says it well: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” 

And that’s exactly what you want, isn’t it? As an aspiring author, you want to change lives. Every aspiring author does! But for some reason, the most important person in the book-writing process often gets left out in the cold. 

You see, most aspiring authors write for themselves instead of for the marketplace that's going to buy their book. This is a big mistake, because it ends up robbing them of the influence and impact they need to actually change lives. 

What Do Readers Actually Care About?

Here’s the hard truth: No one but your parents — and maybe other family members — actually cares about the book you are writing. Yes, the people who love you are happy that you want to write a book. But the end reader only wants two things:

  • Answers to their questions
  • Solutions to their problems

That means the end reader will only be interested in your book if, and only if, it does those two things. 

So the big question is: Who are you writing for? If you can figure that out before you start writing your book, then you will have a book that your ideal reader will love. Why? Because you will literally be catering the book to them. 

If you have a value proposition, then the value your book delivers to your ideal reader will make them want to choose your book above all others. So you've got to determine who you are called to help and settle on the problem you are called to solve. 

And most likely, this is a problem that you have already solved for yourself or others. You can't sell to everyone — instead, you need to get clear on a specific niche audience that you want to reach. 

Who Benefits from Your Book?

Most aspiring authors try to sell to everyone, because it seems like everyone can benefit from their book. And while this may be true for some, the majority of the time this ends up sabotaging your results. 

So, to keep that from happening, you've got to get clear on the exact type of person that will benefit from your book. Ask yourself:

  • What is keeping that person up at night? 
  • What is disrupting their ideal life? 
  • What does the presence of this problem look and feel like? 
  • How can you position your book as the answer and/or solution? 

If you can connect your book to the pain and problems that your ideal reader is encountering, then you will become the expert. Your qualification is more than just your credentials and the letters behind your name — it’s in your relatability.

Your ideal audience will connect with your book’s message because what you write (and what you say when you speak) feels right to them. Because you speak their language, and you’ve connected with them in such a way that they feel connected to you emotionally. Because they see themselves benefitting from buying your book and joining your tribe. 

So you’ve got to pick your persona. Don’t try to boil the ocean and serve everyone. Instead, get crystal clear on who you’re called to serve, and write from their point of view. 

 

BIO:

My name is Tamara "Coach Tam" Jackson and I am a published author, Facebook© Certified Digital Marketer, host of the Top 100 Publishing Secrets podcast, and founder of The Christian Authors Network (C.A.N.) Facebook© community. I specialize in helping mission-driven authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs increase their exposure, impact, and income through strategic self-publishing and digital media appearances. Just say yes and we will work together to attract a tribe of loyal followers that 1) "get you", 2) love what you do, and 3) are happy to invest in your book, business, cause, or movement. Plus, we will accomplish all of this without fake, salesy, sleazy, or manipulative tactics. Yes you CAN write, publish, and profit in a way that honors God; join the community today at https://christianauthors.net/fbgroup.  

 

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