In the writing world, the idea of an “ideal reader” is a well-known phrase. Many people have suggested creating a picture in your head of one person you want to read your work, and write for him or her.
I’ve always thought these ideal readers are just that, though—ideal. There’s no way my perfect reader actually exists in the world, as a single person. My ideal reader is anyone who will take the time to read my work. Ideally, it could be anyone. So, this week, I decided to take the time and visualize my ideal reader for The Book.
IDEAL READER RULE #1: FIND
Okay, so I’m writing a middle grade fantasy novel. A quick Google search tells me that my age range is 8-12 years old.
It might be worth it for me to find some kids to read my book when I’ve got a full draft done. I used beta readers for my previous YA novel, and I found their feedback really helpful.
But let’s stick to the hypothetical for now.
IDEAL READER RULE #2: VISUALIZE
I happen to have encountered a decent number of 8-12-year-olds at the job I’ve held for a few years. So, I imagine any of them picking up my book. Will it hold their interest? Is any of it too intense? Too babyish?
When I write a scene, I mentally run it by a handful of kids I know. What would an eight-year-old boy think of this conversation between the girls? What would a ten-year-old girl think of this explanation of the portal? Would a sixth-grade teacher feel comfortable reading this scene to a class?
In my creative free time, I’ve been trying to think of every possible scenario. It helps me keep the story within the confines of the genre as I write, but it also gives me an idea about how exactly to tell the story. I think about my audience instead of me.
IDEAL READER RULE #3: IT’S ME
Okay, maybe that last sentence was a lie. I have been thinking quite a bit about my younger self when I’m writing.
I was an incredibly bookish child, and I’m lucky enough to still have many of the books I read as a kid. I remember the content that interested me most, and so that’s what I’m trying to write—a book that I would have wanted on my bookshelf about ten years ago.
But I also have to remember the sort of sentence and paragraph structure that kept my interest. I couldn’t stand long paragraphs of description. I preferred a lot of white space, which meant dialogue galore.
It’s funny, because this translates to my own writing abilities. I’ve been told I’m great at writing dialogue, but lacking in description. I have to remind myself to add at least a little description—the readers can’t see the character or setting I have in my mind unless I write it.
That’s my own personal experience. What about you? Is your ideal reader a younger version of yourself, or someone entirely different? Let me know in the comments below.
Need some creative writing activities for kids, students, or yourself during quarantine? Check out the Writing Rules Mini Project I put together a few weeks back!
Don’t forget, I’ve got stickers, notebooks, and more on Redbubble! Here’s my latest Writing Rules Project logo sticker.