Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of focusing on creating unique and boundary-pushing art without being overly concerned about immediate mass appeal.

Abstract

The article discusses the common struggle writers face in trying to appeal to a broad audience, suggesting that the primary goal should be to create distinctive and innovative work. It argues that not every piece of art needs to be universally liked and that a dedicated audience can be built over time through word of mouth. The author encourages artists to take pride in their work and strive for uniqueness rather than popularity, highlighting that the most impactful art often resonates with a smaller initial audience before gaining wider recognition. The piece also touches on the idea that continuous improvement and a strong foundation are key to long-term success, and that satisfaction comes from building something lasting, not from immediate accolades.

Opinions

Writers should aim to create art that stands out and pushes boundaries rather than trying to appeal to everyone.
It's unrealistic and unnecessary for a writer's work to be enjoyed by the majority; art is subjective and appeals to different people.
The appeal of art can grow organically from a small, dedicated audience through word of mouth.
Artists should focus on producing work they are proud of, as this authenticity is what ultimately resonates with people.
Obsessing over current success can limit future potential; it's important to always look forward and strive for improvement.
Building a solid foundation and consistently working on one's craft is more valuable than seeking immediate perfection.
True satisfaction comes from creating work that will be appreciated in the future and stands the test of time.
The pursuit of betterment should be driven by the desire to create something special, not just to outdo oneself.

You’re Not Alone in Your Struggle with Your Audience

Why You Shouldn’t Be As Frustrated By Your Audience As You Might Think

Every writer that has ever gone through the process of overwriting a thousand words to get a character’s inflection correct knows the feeling of frustration

The word “appeal” has a couple of different meanings. One is that your work will have the ability to be enjoyed by a majority of people and the other is that your work will be appealing on the most basic level, to those who are unfamiliar with art within your field.

Many writers make the mistake of thinking that their work will appeal to everyone. In fact, they think that they should be able to do so — that isn’t a question you should even have to ask yourself. It’s a fair assumption, but one that is not attainable or required.

When you make art, your goal should be to push boundaries and make your work stand out above everything else in the same genre. You want your work to be so special that people will want to talk about it and tell others more about you. From there, their enjoyment of your work will naturally build.

That being said, you shouldn’t worry too much about the exact audience for your art. There is no small group of people whom you should consider yourself “art for” in order to make it as a writer.

You are making something that is unique and different from anything else out there because that’s what makes something appealing. If you start worrying about who your work should appeal to, then you will limit it to those people — someone who can tell that something is special simply cannot be convinced by people who are not so attentive. Art at its most appealing is an art that will appeal to a small group of people and then build on the rest of us through word of mouth.

Your goal shouldn’t be to make something that appeals to everyone; it should be to make work that you’re proud of and find special.

I recently read an article that mentioned the content creator to have a constant awareness that “you can’t please everyone.” In fact, the author stated this with a kind of thematic resonance;

“You can’t please everyone.”

This is what I would call a good way to put it because while it’s true that you might not be able to make your work appeal to everyone all at once, you can build an audience over time. This is why you shouldn’t be too concerned with making something that appeals to people right away — just make it, and move on.

Years ago, I heard a story about a TV writer who got really pumped up because his show was the number one sitcom in America. He went on his television awards show and gave a speech to share with the audience how everything he worked on had led up to this moment — how his career started with this specific program and that he had been planning for it from the beginning.

He proudly exclaimed his excitement and then finished with a short speech about how he didn’t think anything could ever top this moment.

I’m sure the audience loved it, and while the writer was happy with his show’s success, I couldn’t help but feel his statement was a little relatively brief. I mean, if you imagine what it would be like to be a writer on the number one show in America, everything you do from here on out will work to make your show even better — you are bound for success. You are going to improve and make something really special — but it won’t come from thinking about how great your current success is. It will come from trying new things and pushing yourself as an artist, just as he did to reach this point in his career.

If you’re going to try and make something perfect in life, then you should be working on what will be truly appreciated in the future–not a series of projects meant for today. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t improve every project as it comes, because that would obviously take away from your ability to move forward.

The point is that you should be building upon a solid foundation and making progress at all times — even during the process of your first project. You shouldn’t be so caught up with the current state of your work that you are hindered by it.

I think this may be a tough lesson to learn for some people because it is easier to obsess over everything you’re doing and how it will affect future projects than it is to simply concentrate on what you’re currently doing. It’s a lot easier to say yes to yourself when there are all sorts of opportunities out there and a lot less clear when what you’re working on isn’t really creating anything special.

We often gravitate toward activities that we know will give us a sense of satisfaction and confidence. We all push ourselves to be better writers and artists because it is in our unconscious desire to build something that will stand above us. You can push yourself with your writing as much as you would like and feel satisfied in doing so, but you’ll never truly be satisfied until you build something that you can be proud of. It’s about making something that stands out now — it’s about making something that will stand the test of time.

The best work comes from people who make a solid foundation, build upon it every day, and never stop working at their craft. If you want to be a writer or artist who truly inspires people through your work, then you should be willing to do the same.

If you found this article interesting, please take a look at my article: How to Write More Uniquely. It includes detailed explanations of how your mind works when writing creative prose and offers advice on how to improve your mental processes so that writing becomes a more natural part of your everyday life.

If you found this article informative and helpful, feel free to support me and other writers you read by becoming a Medium member. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to post them below in the comments section!

J.D Rehbein-Wrightstein founder of The Savytech articles is a writer who loves to help people discover their hidden potential as well as their true purpose in life. He inspires and educates people on living an awesome life with inspiring articles. Connect with him on Twitter for more!