1- Who will want to read your book and why?
Based on what I know about the type of books certain types of people read, I would say that the average reader for my current WIP, The Pearl Necklace, would be:
Target customer #1:
A woman age 25-45. She has a busy lifestyle, either a stay at home mom or a working mom, so she is looking for a book that is shorter than most, because she does not have much free time for reading.
She longs for a sence of danger and adventure, but would rather face it from the safty of her own home by sharing it with the stories MC.
She most likely lives on or near a beach, or grew up on or near a beach or dreams of someday living by the seaside.
She loves fantasy type creatures, esp mermaids.
Target customer #2:
A student of the stage, may be an actor but most likely to be a dancer of tribal, belly, or ballet.
Is seeking a fantasy story that can be translated to stage and dance while utalizing experamental music and dance moves created by the troupe.
2- What makes your book different?
The first differance is the book itself, which contains the story in two formats: first is the original novellette, followed by the script for taking the story to stage via dance.
What makes the story differant, is that it is a romance between a girl and a merman, but the merman is a villain.
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Editors ask this because they want to know how much market research an author has done. Editors are more likely to choose a MS from an author who included a detailed summary of their prime target reader. The reason is because they want to publish a book that sells and publishers rely on the author to do as much of the promotion as possible.
Authors who know who their “target” reader is, usually know how to reach that reader, and is more likely to spend their own money to promote their book locally, which in the long run means more book sales and more money for the editor.
If an editor has 2 MSs they are deciding on and they ask both auhors who their target reader is, it is the author who sends a detailed outline of the demigraphics of the target reader, who will be choosen, not the one who sends back: “Everyone!” or some other lame answer.
The reason for this is the publisher needs to know where to market the book. Which types of shops (non bookstore) would carry it?
Would it make for a good mass market edition? (sold in grocery aisles with magazines, where the working mother ages 30-45 is going to see it). Should they market it to upper class women?
If an emo goth teen is the target reader than they will want to market it to strip mall stores.
Is it marketed for single women? Single women shop in differant places than married women.
What is all boils down to is the publisher needs to know where to sell your book and they rely on the author to tell them who the target customer they should be aiming at.
What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!
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Copper Cockeral
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Copper Cockeral
What’s your take on this? I’d love to hear what you have to say about this post. Leave a comment and share your views!
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Photography, Art, and Designs by Maine artist and photographer Wendy C Allen aka EelKat © 1978 – Present
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