Know Your Audience: The Key to Writing and Selling Your Story

As a writer, knowing your audience is half the battle won. Understanding who your readers are, what they crave, and what ignites their imagination can transform your storytelling from a whisper into a roar. Writing is more than just putting words on a page—it’s a dialogue, an exchange of emotions, and a bridge between you and the people who immerse themselves in the worlds you create. When you and your readers are on the same page, sharing the same hunger for adventure, the same love for quests, elves, and magic, storytelling becomes effortless.

But in today’s literary landscape, brimming with genres and sub-genres, it’s easy to lose sight of your target audience. Are you writing for Young Adult (YA) readers? New Adult (NA)? Is your story an Epic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, or something entirely unique? The lines often blur, making it challenging to classify your work.

Take Stories of the Land as an example. Initially conceived as a high-fantasy epic adventure for young adults, the series has grown and evolved. By the time readers reach Volume 3, Curses and Spells, the story takes on deeper, darker themes. It explores sinister magic, sexual awakening, and the exploitation of children during an era reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution. As the narrative matures, so too does the audience it appeals to.