Who do you write for?

[OctoblocksAssemble]

I've always primarily written for me, but recently wrote a story for my 7 year old. She loved it, which was rather nice, but she was quite sad when it was finished and I said I needed a break before writing the next one, lol.
It's not the sort of thing I most enjoy writing, and there is zero hope of publication (the main characters are her branded fairy dolls) but I'll admit it is very nice to have an audience.
No real point to this thread, just musing and wondering about others experiances

[Bella43]

I write what I like to read but can't find in the bookshops. I also like to write what's in my heart and what I'm experiencing at that time. I guess you could say I write for my target audience which is ladies over 40 or people who just want a feel-good read.

[OctoblocksAssemble]

Hi @Bella43 , thanks for your reply. Writing what you can't find in the shops definitely resonates.

[istara]

@Bella43

I write what I like to read but can't find in the bookshops. I also like to write what's in my heart and what I'm experiencing at that time. I guess you could say I write for my target audience which is ladies over 40 or people who just want a feel-good read.

Same here! The main audience (and thus money) for the main genre I write in, Romance, is younger American women - at least for eBooks. And I just can't really relate to them, or Americans in general. My most successful books have been when I tried to write for that audience but they're not books I enjoy reading.

So now I mostly write for myself. Romance with UK heroines, traditional clichéd tall/dark/handsome men, mostly channelling Darcy, and a bit of forbidden/edge, like age-gap or priest. Or with Regency, arranged marriage can be a good theme, even if it's not much more plausible in that era than it is now.

[Bella43]

@istara The books you're writing sound right up my street. Can't go wrong with a touch of Darcy! I've been doing some writing over the holidays in preparation for the competitions. Some have recently opened up and close in May so plenty of time to polish them too 🤞