Write for Your Readers

Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of writing content that caters to the interests and desires of readers, suggesting that focusing on trending topics and reader-specific themes can lead to increased readership.

Abstract

The article "Write for Your Readers" discusses a common mistake among writers: not prioritizing the audience's preferences when creating content. In a digital age where video, audio, and other media are competing with written text, the author argues that writers must adapt to retain and grow their readership. The piece highlights that despite the competition, there is still a significant audience for written content, as evidenced by Medium's user engagement. The author makes two key observations: firstly, that articles offering writing tips tend to receive more engagement, indicating reader interest in certain topics; and secondly, that writing about trending issues, such as racism in the wake of the George Floyd incident or the coronavirus pandemic, can increase reach and recognition. The article concludes by reiterating the central message to writers: tailor your content to your audience's interests while staying true to your message.

Opinions

The author believes that writers often fail to consider their audience's preferences, which can lead to lower engagement with their content.
There is a perception that the best writers build an audience by focusing on their writing rather than the audience, but the author suggests this approach may not be effective in the current media landscape.
Reading is seen as time-consuming and potentially difficult for irregular readers, which is why writers need to make their content more appealing to this demographic.
The author observes that Medium's platform demonstrates there is no shortage of readers, but writers must adapt to what readers want to ensure their work is read.
Writers are encouraged to find ways to incorporate their stories into topics that are proven to be popular among readers, thus feeding the audience's desires while still conveying the writers' intended messages.
The article suggests that capitalizing on trending topics can be a strategic move to gain visibility and readership, though it also acknowledges that some writers may exploit trends without genuine engagement with the subject matter.

If you can do this, you’ll get reads

One mistake that I always did and many still do is not focusing on the readers while writing. Some of you may disagree with this. Some may say the best writers build an audience with their writings and not the other way round.

But in a world where more and more people are consuming videos, podcasts, and audiobooks on a daily basis, there is a lack of enthusiasm. It’s simply because reading is time-consuming and might be hard for “not-so-regular” readers.

It doesn’t mean there is a scarcity of readers though. Medium is proving that. Millions of individuals are coming to this platform every single month. That signifies we as writers still have the audience.

Observation One

One thing you will notice if you read Medium articles, there are numerous writers who consistently suggest they are getting more readers on certain topics. Some of them are primarily based on “writing tips”.

You can check it for yourself. Articles on writing have received hundreds of claps if not in thousands.

So, it is clear readers are more biased towards particular topics. We writers have to adapt to this and find a way to incorporate our stories in a way that the readers would like to read.

We have to feed them what they desire, and yet say what we want to say.

We have to be reader specific.

Observation Two

The second observation is on the “trending” topics. Since the sad George Floyd case, articles on racism and the black community are being read more.

Some writers have genuinely expressed their grief and their viewpoints while others just pumped out content to get more eyeballs. I’m using this just as an example so that we can all relate.

Before, the coronavirus topics were getting loads of reads to an extent that Medium even created a separate category.

So, you can see, writing on trending topics may also help you get the reach and the recognition.

But the moral of this article remains the same — write for your readers.

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Write for Your Readers

If you can do this, you’ll get reads

Observation One

Observation Two

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