This term at Western Oregon University has been a blast. I am taking two writing classes. The first one Writing 460: Advanced Fiction Workshop has made me really think about writing. I spend each week thinking about different topics as to how I can improve my fiction. And poof my weekly blog assignment for Writing 414: Writing for the Web is spawned. In creating these blog posts, I refine these topics even more, witch reinforces what I have been thinking about in the first place. Everything I do in each class reinforces the other! How cool is that?
Anyway now for what I have been thinking about recently: audience. The story I am crafting for my Fiction Workshop class, Forbidden Descent, has always had one goal; entertain the reader. I was recently with another member of my class discussing their work. This person did not have much written yet and was struggling. The author was trying to figure out how their piece should end.
I asked, “Who is your audience?”
“Myself, I guess,” was the reply.
“Are you planning to share this story?” I asked.
“Well, I have to share it with the class. But, getting it published would be really cool.”
“Do you think others would like to read this?” I asked.
“Probably not.”
I suggested to the author to examine what the readers of this piece might want in a story. That one cannot exactly determine who their audience is, but examine the elements that have been successful in the past.
One shouldn’t literally be formulaic of course (God knows the world doesn’t need more Twilight copy cats).
If an authors main goal is to entertain, one must ask, “What entertains?” For me it was easy. Conflict with a capital C (not just because it is the first word of my sentence), tension, and the protagonist must be put in a situation in which they suffer (I promise I am not a masochist! It’s just what has entertained me. For example: If Harry Potter had gotten along with everyone had no enemies, faced no danger, would those novels been entertaining? For some maybe, but not for many.
To sum it up, a writers story has two sections that must be pleased: The readers and the author. If you write only for yourself it is likely that the audience will abandon you by page 5. If you hate what you are writing, then you will go watch re-runs of Everybody Loves Raymond. A balance must be found between the two. Think of yourself and your audience as a circle. These two circles intersect at some point. You must write for the green area in between.
wr414andmycats 
I totally agree. I think that’s a huge part of becoming a good writer, is recognizing that if you’re going to publish your work in amy form, you have an audience and you need to be mindful of that. It’s especially true for novelists, whose readers are going to have certain expectations. We can’t cater to every little thing they want, but we’re not writing for just ourselves if we’re going to publish it.
This is great advice and way to help out your classmate. Sometimes deciding who you are writing for can be one of the most difficult tasks. Everyone wishes it was as simple as deciding for yourself but it is not. You need to decide on an audience and how you are going to meet those audiences needs through your story. I like your thought process here and the advice you were able to share. Nice post.
Great topic. Writing for an audience of peers can be challenging. I think it can also be helpful to reach down and really think about the story you as the author want to tell. What are the questions you want answered. The audience will be interested if you are able to convey a legitimate meaning of value in what is put forth.The balance that this post focuses is a necessary foundation that then each of us as writers must build upon. Readers must find meaning for themselves while sharing in the author’s experience. What I have found most challenging, is using dialogue effectively to deliver that meaning instead of narrative. I looking forward to refining these skills:)
I think it is great to have an audience in mind, But the though process of limiting yourself to serving that audience is far too limiting for my liking. I prefer to just write for the story. What I mean is that writing to me, fiction anyway, is still an art form. I am not a painter, but I need my words to form a picture for the reader, I feel like some of the greatest works of art were not created for an audience, they had to be created because they existed in the authors head, and were struggling to get out. if that makes any sense. I think If I stay true to the act of creating the creation will touch some audience in some way.