Who is the target audience for your book?
Who is the target audience for your book?
It’s funny. I started writing this book and my gut instinct said, the youngest the reader could be would be an eleven year-old (or a ten year-old who was a mature, avid reader). However, I felt the book could be enjoyed by any age beyond that.
The above age range is obviously too expansive for the purposes of marketing. I understood a publisher would choose a range and market accordingly.
I still believe the 11+ range to be accurate - after all, there are older readers who absorb any book as long as the story is good - but, if I have to pinpoint an age range I’d say my book is primarily targeted to 11-13 year olds.
While doing a school visit in 2005, I found that the 6th graders and 8th graders were really into me. The 6th graders acted like I was a celebrity (and the book wasn’t even out) and the 8th graders had great interest in the writing craft. The 7th graders were blah and pretty much bored to tears. I plan to use that experience to temper how I do future visits and focus on the extreme ends of my age range.
View all answers from: Paula Chase, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
My target audience is first and foremost the people who get that wearing black/piercings/ink isn’t a cue that one is “depressed” or trouble. It’s the readers who know that being “alt” often equates to being quite happy—and quite interesting.
As a teen and later as a university teacher, I’ve known so many incredible people who weren’t the least bit interested, impressed, or even aware of the mainstream crowd. I get so furious at the stereotypical portrayals of the alt crowds. I will resist the urge to name names of the offenders, but the bottom line is that the “weird”/creative/alt characters are often seen as targets to be assimilated, freaky wisemen to enlighten the mainstream main character, villains, et al. I wanted to write the people I have known for the readers who get that these others traits ascribed to the alt crowd are assinine, condescending, just wrong.
But that’s just one facet of the readers I want to reach. My text deals with issues of volition, the trouble with living in a world where there are rules to follow that one doesn’t make but cannot escape. That is a reality I expect that many young adults can identity as their own. I want to talk to them. Some of those volition issues are gender issues, sexual assault … I know that topic far too well. I want to speak to the readers who also know that reality. I want to remind them that there are a lot of paths that can follow Bad Things. I want to remind them that Bad Things aren’t always fatal to happy endings—but admit that sometimes we need to redefine what “happy endings” are.
I want to talk to the readers who dig faeries, who believe that the world is more complex than we know, who get that moral relativism is fun to ponder, who like eclectic things, who are jonesing for tattoos, who … I dunno. Mostly, I just want to reach whomever does me the honour of wanting to read my text.
View all answers from: Melissa Marr, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
Greetings, 2k7 organization, blog, and website readers:
Thank you for your interest in Joni Sensel’s book, REALITY LEAK. Our Institute is happy to field this question on behalf of the book’s liar—er, author.
Please be advised that, in the interest of preventing mayhem, flying potatoes, and the complete failure of world order, no target audience is advised for the aforementioned book.
Young people between the ages of 8 and 12 are specifically advised to refrain from perusing its pages. Especially those who like dogs, popcorn, hidden messages, or secrets. Additionally, any citizen finding him or herself bored in a small town over the summer are warned that this book is considered hazardous to teeth and liable to produce hallucinations.
The I.I.I.I.I. will not be held responsible for any blatant disregard of this notice. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Sincerely,
[Name redacted]
Agent, I.I.I.I.I.
View all answers from: Joni Sensel, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
Target audience? That’s a good question. Here are some of the kind of people who might like the book:
*boys and girls who like fantasy;
*boys and girls who don’t like fantasy;
*anyone who likes a fairy tale, once in a while;
*anyone who likes to sing or enjoys music;
*kids who live in cities;
*kids who wonder what living in a city might be like;
*kids who wonder what not living in a city might be like;
*anyone who likes happy endings;
*anyone who likes a bit of history (but not too much);
*kids who like animals—or don’t;
*kids who like to read—or don’t;
*kids who hate school;
*kids who like school;
*kids who worry about bullies;
*anyone who lives in the real world, and has to deal with real life, but thinks it’d be cool if magic really did exist.
View all answers from: A.C.E. Bauer, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
Everyone! Let me elaborate…
Everyone who likes penguins will love THE PENGUINS OF DOOM—and everyone likes penguins, right? Also everyone who likes to laugh will enjoy this book, and it will appeal especially to everyone who enjoys music, hates homework, and wants to develop magical powers.
The book is meant for readers from age 9 up to… Well, I gave a copy to my wife’s grandfather for his 90th birthday and he raved about it, so I’d have to say ages 9 to 90 at least. Or for those who someday plan to be between age 9 and 90 which is, again, everybody.
View all answers from: Greg R. Fishbone, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
My book, ELLIE McDOODLE: HAVE PEN, WILL TRAVEL, is particularly aimed at kids, 8 to 12 years old.
I want everyone in the world to read it, though. :)
View all answers from: Ruth McNally Barshaw, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
I hope to write the kind of books I loved as a teen (and still seek out): drenched in magic, whose heroines find love and adventure and a place in the wide world. If I’ve done my job, SWAN MAID will appeal to readers who’ve already discovered fairy tale retellings and fantasies by Holly Black (VALIANT), Shannon Hale (THE GOOSE GIRL), Patrice Kindl (GOOSE CHASE), Gail Carson Levine (ELLA ENCHANTED; FAIREST), Robin McKinley (BEAUTY; SPINDLE’S END), Donna Jo Napoli (BEAST; THE MAGIC CIRCLE; BOUND), Edith Pattou (EAST), Elizabeth Marie Pope (THE PERILOUS GARD), Jane Yolen (BRIAR ROSE; PAY THE PIPER) and so many others.
Just listing them makes me wish I had finished this round of revisions and could dive into a book!
View all answers from: Heather Tomlinson, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
Tips on Trying to Figure out Target Audience:
1. Do not pull out hair when trying to figure out this question. It will make you look bad at any future book readings/signings/conferences you go to.
2. Try to think of other authors to compare your book to. (This worked for me, sort of, when not feeling awed by the authors I’m comparing it to. ) I would say for my book, “People who enjoy the work of Sarah Dessen, E. Lockhart, Cecil C. and Joan Bauer would like TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (EX) BOYFRIEND).” Then I would cringe and hide.
3. Remember Target Audience means more than just your mother. How cool is that?
4. Rethink your answers. Obsess. Promise yourself that you will stop writing in the second person for tip number 5. Write a real sentence there. Wish your editor wasn’t on vacation so you could call him and ask him to answer this question for you.
5. Go back to the beginning. TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND is suitable for ages 14 and up. It contains realistic language and situations.
View all answers from: Carrie Jones, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
My book is for girly girls. Girls who like tiaras, purses, shoes, and BOYS! Although I would love for boys to read it, I think the title will scare them away. I do have some nephews that I plan on forcing it on though.
When I wrote REVENGE, I thought it would be for the age range of 14 and up. Then I remembered that I used to read Danielle Steele when I was like 12. So I’m rethinking things and I’m hoping to entertain anyone 11 and older with my book.
I just hope that everyone who reads it, be it girl or boy, 11 or 99, laughs very hard because that is what I want people to take away from my book!
View all answers from: Stephanie Hale, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
I wrote HEAD CASE for readers 14 and up.
It contains some rough language and other ban-worthy elements.
View all answers from: Sarah Aronson, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL is being marketed for ages 14 and up. There’s some language in there. And a little drug use. And some abuse. And a little sexual content. I think 14 and up makes sense. Recently a librarian asked me if my book would be appropriate for an adult reader’s group and I said “Hell yeah.” Well, actually, I didn’t say hell. But I said YES. In general, I think adults should read more YA fiction and nonfiction. Those who don’t have no clue what they’re missing.
View all answers from: Jo Knowles, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
SHARK GIRL is targeted for 14 and up. The main character is a fifeen-year old girl who turns sixteen during the course of the story.
Having said that, I think any reader 12 and up would enjoy this story. Especially readers who enjoy the poetry novel.
SHARK GIRL is for anyone who likes stories about uncontrollable, life changing events, and how a person deals with that. It’s about losing something you think you can’t live without, then discovering….maybe you can. It’s also about fitting in and not fitting in, the importance (and non-importance) of looking “normal”, the way kids treat each other in high school, the fallout of a disabling injury in a teen’s life as well as that of her family, and the capacity we all have to love and to overcome and move on.
View all answers from: Kelly Bingham, Audience
Who is the target audience for your book?
KIMCHI AND CALAMARI is for kids eight to fourteen who are struggling with that age-old, “Who am I?” question. Obviously kids who are adopted or mutiracial will relate to Joseph feeling like an ethnic sandwich, but bigger picture, who hasn’t struggled to fit in? I chat with kids who are into sports, animae, you name it, and they’re all trying to sort out the whos and whats of their identity. Or if they do have a solid sense of themselves (and good for them if they do) then they are wrestling with how society/parents/school/the kid next to them in Social Studies is treating them because of it.
So if you’ve got an identity — or you’re looking for one — turn the page, come on in.