On a Sunday Evening

The sun, smiling warmly on the pasture behind the house, beckons me outside, but the prevailing Northwest wind says not. Today I will listen to the wind. All of yesterday and last night the wind whipped through the barren treetops and rippled the tin on the roof, making it sound like thunder. The Northern world, battered by these same winds, is covered with snow. Wherever you are, today is a perfect day to settle in with a good book. Or, if you're a writer, to work on your own good book, or perhaps think about the audience for your book. If, on a day like today, someone curls up with a book, wouldn't you like it to be yours?

What do people read...and why? Why do you read? Several reasons come to mind, but they can be broken down into three general catagories: entertainment/pleasure, information gathering, and personal insight. Whether a person is reading a book or a magazine, they are reading for one, or a combination of the three reasons listed above.

Now, as a writer, why do you write...what do you write? Do you write short stories, book length fiction or non-fiction, or articles for magazines, newspapers, etc.? Think of who might, on a day like today, be reading something that you wrote. Perhaps someone who is just relaxing for the evening, or someone looking for information for a future vacation or business endeavor, or someone looking for steps toward personal improvement. Of course, these are all generalizations. It is up to you, as a writer, to take these generalizations and break them down into categories that will define your target market. For the freelance writer, writing is a business, and the better you know your audience, the greater chance you have to sell your work. Wishing you success!~~~StellaD