Day 19 – 30 Days of Writing Advice – Who Do You Write For?

 

DAY 19

This month of daily writing advice will include tidbits, tips, and sometimes tricks. This isn’t a replacement for editing or book coaching, it’s meant as a jumping off point for exploration and thought! I hope it helps! ~Amy

Amy xo

WHO DO YOU WRITE FOR?

On Day #19 here I’ll admit I Googled to see what writing advice category it might be fun to explore. I tend to skew to the actual WRITING here, which I now realize is uncommon. Most of what I found is more like GO YOU and BUTT IN CHAIR and DON’T GIVE UP. All great stuff but NOT what I was looking for. I have ELEVEN more days of this project and it might as well be  A THOUSAND so help me out and tell me what you want to know!

What I did find online is advice I disagree with. Shocker.

Someone suggested writing for the reader and not for yourself.

Since I am my own ideal reader, I disagree. I also disagree because you can’t write a book (in my opinion) to please an unknown entity with unknown baggage. I write for myself because frankly, I am not egotistical enough to think I am unique. If something interests me, resonates with me, it likely is going to do the same for someone else somewhere. I’m not so different from you or you or you.

I also don’t write to teach a less or express a moral. It’s not wrong if you do, but I’d find it exhausting. I write to tell a story and to untangle things for myself. Again, I’m probably not unique. If I like it, someone else probably will too. Of course I want readers. I want lots and lots of readers, but it’s not the reason I sit down to write. It’s also not because I have to or I have a muse or a calling. I like to write because it’s hard work that challenges me and when I’m done I have a freaking book!

Ok, not your normal writing advice post but it’s what I’ve got today.

SEE YOU TOMORROW!

Amy xo

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