Whose Ideal Reader? Pick Your Authors!

Recently a beta reader asked me to focus on what my "ideal reader" would want from my book. So who would be my ideal reader? I'd love to say "everyone." But that is impossible since everyone is different.

Before I get to mine, I asked my fabulous author friends who their ideal reader is. Here are the answers. See if you can spot yourself in there!

My ideal reader is one who can feel my words, get lost in the magic, and find hope for something amazing to happen.
Lisa Bilbrey, Author of Angel's Heart: The Keeper, A Season of Change, and Life's Unexpected Gifts.

A reader who has an open mind and who is willing to enjoy different styles, who doesn't need everything spelled out for them, but is willing to reason things out and use their imagination as long as there is enough information present.
Joan Szechtman

Smart, worldly, irreverent fans of epic, episodic international intrigue thrillers who dislike formulaic pap almost as much as they hate clowns.
Russell Blake

Like sarcastic and/or dark humor... Like kick-ass, non-human heroines... Open-minded... Like a touch of romance... Prefer subtle character development... Like drama
Mia Darien

My ideal reader is someone who wants to be taken on a complex, emotional journey. Also, someone who pays attention to the little details that will be relevant two books down the road.
Christina McKnight, Only In Her Dreams, September 2012

Obsessed with my writing style...
Patiently waits for my next release and doesn't stalk me...
Spreads the word to everyone they come in contact with about my novels and encourages others to buy their own copy.
Moody Holiday

Reads the stories of my childhood and when those stories trigger growing up memories of their own, they share those memories with someone in their family - keeping every day family stories alive
Carol Bodensteiner, author of GROWING UP COUNTRY: MEMORIES OF AN IOWA FARM GIRL

Ooh, fun! My ideal reader is open-minded, must suspend disbelief because I write paranormal, believes in all-conquering love, enjoys finding new authors, and reads voraciously for pleasure and enjoyment.
Dariel Raye

My ideal readers are interested in real life drama with quirky or far reaching undertones, they're open to new experiences, love the unexpected, and are not locked into one genre.
Melissa Foster

My ideal reader: Fun loving, likes to laugh, but can cry when the scene presents itself. A person who enjoys a good romance and understands the complexity involved in relationships these days.
Amy Manemann, Author Deadly Reunion, Deadly Science and Dracula's Party.

I write what I like to read – an interesting story with believable characters. I like to be swept into a story be it romance, mystery or thriller, a story that is believable, even in an imaginary world, as long as it intrigues me.
Nancy Popovich

The child at heart... at any age.
Mark Tierno

Someone who loves reading and enjoys great stories, someone who is willing to laugh, cry, and feel for the characters as if they were a friend, someone willing to invest a part of themselves in the story, someone willing to become emotionally involved, and who is willing to enjoy a story for the stories sake, not because they agree with the author.
James Wilcox

Someone quirky, who loves a good old fashioned love story but doesn't mind it being mixed up a bit. Someone who will stay up until 3 am to finish a great book.Whitney Boyd, author of Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It

Open-minded people with the ability to immerse themselves into a book. Caring and curious about others.Kathleen Patel, Author of 'Hiren's Magical Adventure'

loves angst filled romancelikes stories based on mythology
enjoys a heroine who isn't perfect
wants a gripping romance, but not a mushy one
likes a swift plot
Laura Howard

who love to be entertained, educated, love meeting new characters, titillated, emotionally stimulated and surprised.Ken Farmer

learning something new - a skill, thought or concept, take an imaginary trip to a real place or someplace mythical/fictional, experience someone else's life, disappear into a romance or drama, open to other's beliefs, be amazed, enjoy a laugh or shed a tear
Sandra Moore Bernsen, author of Free My Heart of Grief to Love (a memoir)

Adventurous, imaginative, loves animals, dreams big, willing to suspend reality, views characters as friends, and enjoys an ongoing series.
Diane Rapp

Readers who are curious and eager to learn about new ideas, perspectives, and challenges.
Mary Gottschalk

who enjoys humor, who is sensitive, who believes in hope, meets the experiences, pleasures and challenges that life offers with an open mind.
Mary M Forbes

My ideal reader wants to connect with characters, to feel with them and for them. My ideal reader wants to escape reality for a while, caught up in someone else's problems for a change.
Terry Odell

My readers would enjoy character-driven fiction, heavy on relationships, with a multi-layered plot. Romance that is steamy and sensual, but not erotic, layered with a touch of lyrical prose. A story that is rife with conflict, star-crossed romance and a touch of mystery. The end result must always bring an HEA.
Mae Clair, author of Weathering Rock, to be released Oct 2012

My ideal reader is one who wants their characters to feel like realpeople, who aren't neatly black and white, good or bad, but who
struggle through their fictional worlds the same way we do. I love the
readers who get mad at my characters, and who buy into their worlds,
fall in love with them and want to wring their necks. I love it when
people find my characters as real and maddening and lovable as I do!
It makes me feel less alone in my weird little world.
J. C. Andrijeski

"who love a bit of poetry with their prose and don't mind going in the dark before reaching the light; romantic; imaginative; love brooding heroes and strong heroines who fight the odds."
Natalie G. Owens

who love kick-butt action, Marvel comic books, noble characters, bigger-than-life characters, humor, and a wee bit of teenage drama.
Elise Stokes

1) Full of humour, can even crawl with laughter.
2) Not rigid, can flow with the tide.
3) Easily excited, can be emotional when it calls for that.
4) Accomodating, and not too critical.
5) Very imaginative, and can go beyond the given.
6) Soft-hearted, but very constructive
Molly Nyatanga

My ideal reader is brave, willing to push their own boundaries and find something new.
Todd Maternowski, Author of EXMORTUS: TOWERS OF DAWN

who like wit, who like strong leads, who like variety, likes to think but also have fun
J.A. Beard, author of The Emerald City

Loves suspense.
Loves plots that string them along until the very end.
J.P. Lane

Someone who will fall in love with my characters, and look forward to reading the next book in the series before it's even published.
Andrea Buginsky

For Animal Lovers: children, child at heart, compassionate, vegan, tree-hugging hippie. :)
Kim Cano

My ideal reader: love flawed characters, understanding, compassionate, open-minded, roots for the underdog, can find humor while going through pain, wants a happy ending.
Lucie Ulrich

My ideal reader loves realistic characters and romantic moments to swoon over, isn't afraid to cry, and adores happy endings.
Jennifer Comeaux, Author of Life on the Edge

My ideal reader: love the ridiculous, silly situations, humor and heartwarming scenes, fall face first into my stories and buys into my worlds, want a hero who's not all good, loves characters even with all their faults, and likes the extraordinary story set in an ordinary world.
Mary E. Merrell

My ideal reader is someone who: loves to laugh, loves smart romances, appreciates sarcasm, fan of Sex and the City, is looking for a non-depressing read, enjoys beach reads, had/has an interesting dating life (or would have liked to.)
Bonnie Trachtenberg

And finally...
My ideal readers love drama, are able to suspend disbelief, love to laugh, fall in love and are passionate, imaginative, curious, non-judgmental and sympathetic -- all around good peeps!
Rachelle Ayala

But best of all, after looking at this list, I'm happy to say that I'm an ideal reader for many of the authors on this list. How about you? Whose ideal reader are you? Post in the comments and explore those authors' books. Maybe you'll meet your ideal author on this page!