Who do I write for? We should always know our intended audience, I heard somewhere. But even if we intellectually know them, do we consistently and unequivocally write for their benefit? I’ll tell you my short answer and then expand. I write for my readers. I write for their enjoyment and, if I can manage it, to inspire them.

Writing for the literati

OK, that title may prove offensive to some. Still, it’s a trap I struggle to avoid. Writing for the critics, the publishers and even the agents I will seek to blow away with my next query carries the danger that I will mold and shoe-horn my story in ways that diminish or hinder it. Yet, the thought keeps coming up. How will I structure the beginning of my story to catch an agent’s eye when she reads the first chapters I submit with my query letter? How must my heroine talk and act in order to satisfy the market niche a publisher may be looking to satisfy? What will the critics make of my writing style or my voice?

These aren’t altogether invalid considerations. But should they drive how I write? Or should I rather keep pushing to be true to myself and my vision?

Writing for yourself

I often hear this mentioned as the antidote for the previously stated concerns. Write for an audience of one: you. If the thing you’re writing intends to capture your vision and communicate unhindered who you are from the inside out, it makes sense that at the end of the day, you should find satisfaction in it. Without doubt, I enjoy writing the stories I write, and I enjoy how they turn out. But is that the end all? Is self-satisfaction the sole measure of whether I’ve succeeded?

Setting aside mundane thoughts like, hey, I’d like to pay the bills, I still have to be honest. As much as I may (or not, because sometimes it’s hard!) enjoy the writing process, after I’m done writing and revising a story, I don’t find reading it one more time all that fulfilling. If I’m only writing it for me, I’m not really succeeding. What then?

At this point, I will make the observation: I write, drawing from my ideas and who I am. The “from” implies a “to,” and for me that “to” logically lies beyond myself.

Write for your readers

Many writers I respect and whose work I enjoy will disagree with me on this point. For them, molding a story in a way that will appeal to readers corrupts or dilutes the artistry of it. Doing things like telling people what they want to hear or telling them things in simplified, accessible ways for the sake of selling books seems like too much of a compromise. To a degree, I agree with this apprehension. Yet, I believe my ability to connect with readers carries the same importance as remaining true to my vision, my artistry and my style. This is the logical “to” I mentioned earlier. If I don’t connect with readers, what good is it that I shared of myself, my vision and whatever else I managed to throw into my story?

I see writing as a call to express ideas and vision, to inspire emotion and thought. This carries an uncompromising commitment to what I want to express and even the style I choose to express it. Yet, expression and inspiration goes out to others, namely my readers. At the end of the day, for me self-expression finds completion in making a connection with my readers.

Who do I write for, then? From me to my readers. That’s the simple, non-convoluted, accessible answer.

For samples of my work, visit my Amazon author page.