Writing Thoughts: Writing for Yourself vs Writing for an Audience

​There are two types of writers; those that write a story that they dream of writing and those that write a story to please a market. Both have their pros and cons, but which one are you better suited for? What kind of writer do you want to be? Today, I will share my thoughts on this topic and my answers to those tough questions!

The Topic

Most beginner writers are writing for themselves. Usually, they are writing a story that has been on their mind, either inspired by some childhood novel or movie, or it is a story they have experienced. Either way, they have certain expectations of their novel and they want to fulfill those expectations.

For some writers, meeting their own expectations is incredibly difficult. It’s hard to capture a concept, a feeling, that one is so passionate about. It’s a skill that comes with time, but also with practice. It might take several rewrites, but eventually, a writer will create something they can be proud of.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have writers who design and write their novels in order to please a specific audience, not themselves. These writers create a novel based on popular trends, which requires research and a more practical understanding of how a novel should be structured.

It’s no surprise that most writers who write for an audience are experienced authors who understand the elements that make up a good novel. First-time writers will rarely jump straight into the business side of writing before they even tackle the skill set required to write a unique and enjoyable story, but it does happen.

However they started, both writers have their own hurdles and perks.

Writing for yourself means greater job satisfaction, you choose your style and story. However, you might face high expectations, and your style or story might not appeal to a broad market. Those that write for themselves often take longer to write a novel, and most never finish writing their book.

Writing for an audience means more focus on marketing and researching the different story-telling techniques that work well for readers. It means pleasing agents and publishers to have your book reach more people. It means starting another book soon after your finish the first. These writers usually start with a burst of first-time readers, but their quality will most likely come from their consistency in writing. The impact the novel has largely depends on luck and their natural talent to make those standard story-telling practices feel more unique.

As for the monetary reward, both are on equal footing if they go through publishers or self-publishing. However, a proficient writer who targets an audience might have the edge in the number of releases they make compared to a passionate writer.
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My Thoughts

The dream of every writer is the be a passionate writer who writes the stories they want to write. The entrepreneurial sorts are few and even they will find the urge to continue lacking when they see the difficulties that come with being a writer. However, there is no denying that a writer with a better understanding of the market will have an edge.

Of course, when coupled with enough fans, a writer who targets their audiences can make a big splash. It is, for this reason, I believe so many authors who make it big take advantage of the momentum they created and start writing novels that target specific audiences.

Being a well-known writer for something you are passionate about is great, but with a keen business-oriented mind, one can quickly tune themselves to write novels and series for an audience, rather than themselves. It’s an excellent practice and most writers would leap at the opportunity to create a novel that is guaranteed instant support in the beginning.

Writing is a career that is best suited for those with creative minds and a keen business sense; any creative career is. You can craft the best story you can imagine, but without a thorough understanding of your audience and marketing, you will struggle to write and sell your novel effectively and efficiently.

So, how should all this information affect you as a writer?

Well, you can’t learn to be the best at either overnight. You shouldn’t work on selling a book before you even write the first chapter either. I think there is room to learn in both areas, but focus on the first few steps; plan your novel, write your novel, and keep working at it until you feel you have something you are happy with.

After that, realize that you’re not just going to put it on the market in a week. Take some time to learn more about selling a novel, find your audience, plan marketing strategies, or appeal to agents and publishers. Work the business side when you have a product to sell!
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Conclusion

Of course, these are just some of my thoughts on the subject. Only you can decide the kind of writer you want to be. I would like to hear your thoughts on the subject as well. Do you think one type of writer is better than the other? Why do you think so? Let me know in the comments below.

I hope you enjoyed and as always,

Good day, goodnight, and happy writing!
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