Have you been searching for how to connect with your audience in writing? Writing is a solitary pursuit. You sit in your room, pour your heart out onto the page, or type away in a coffee shop until your fingers are numb. But as a writer, it’s important to reach out to people and connect with them over what you’ve created. After all, if no one reads what you write, then why bother writing?
There are many ways for writers to connect with their audience, but it takes time and effort. The good news is that the more you put into building those relationships, the more rewards come back to you!
Develop your voice
Your voice is the unique way you communicate with your audience, and it’s a big part of what makes your work original. Your writing style should reflect who you are: your experiences and knowledge, as well as the way you speak. If you try to sound like someone else or copy their writing style, it will be difficult for readers to connect with you. They’ll see it as another impersonal article or blog post by an expert on a topic they don’t care about.
Developing your voice means developing a distinctive style of expressing yourself through writing. Whenever possible, use words that come naturally to you. If there’s something about how others speak that appeals to your writing style (e.g., “dude” instead of “man”), feel free to incorporate that into your sentences. But don’t worry about sounding like an expert (unless that’s your goal).
Don’t imitate how other writers present themselves professionally online through grammar rules or business vocabulary terms (which may not fit well anyway). Focus on speaking the way you would. Content and blog writing is more casual than writing an academic paper.
Write about things you know
If you need to know where to start to connect with your audience, write about things you know. Are you knowledgeable about lawn maintenance or crafts?
You can even write about interests you have or things you are learning. I love to share new things I discover and how I’m using that in my life. For example, I just wrote this post on manifestation techniques for beginners because I’m incorporating these things into my life.
Do you feel frustrated or motivated by something? Write about it! These emotions come from your experience, and you can more easily speak to what’s happening.
Write about things that make your heart sing, and the work will flow from there! Your passion will come through in your writing, and you’ll be more likely to finish the piece.
Create a relationship with the audience and allow them to see you
You can connect with your audience by sharing your stories, experiences, struggles, successes, goals and plans. You do this by being relatable and honest—being yourself.
Sharing personal details about yourself allows the reader to put themselves in your shoes.
Why do you think people love memoirs? It’s because they can relate to the author’s story: “I went through something similar…” or “I could imagine myself in that situation….”
Include the audience in your process
How to connect with your audience in writing through the process? Including your audience in writing and publishing can help you connect with them. You can ask for feedback and advice, get to know your audience, find out what they want to read, and discover what they like about your writing or don’t like. Suppose something doesn’t click with them (such as a plot point or character). In that case, this will allow you to revise before publication without losing their trust and respect.
I need to do a better job of including my audience in my blogging process. I do an excellent job on my Medium platform but less on WordPress. I appreciate any comments you have if you are a regular reader here!
The more honest you are, the more likely readers will connect with you
Share your passion for writing with them, and let them know what inspires you to write and how your work has evolved. Dare to be vulnerable by sharing some of the challenges that have come up as a writer. These things won’t always be fun to talk about, but if it helps someone struggling with something similar, it’s worth it!
Here are some examples of ways I’ve been open in my writing:
- I shared my anxiety in several posts and how I use meditation and self-care.
- I include my goals and ambitions here and a transparent account of my successes and challenges.
- As I learn new things, I share how I implement them.
- I include more anecdotal life experiences on my Medium page.
In order to connect with your audience, you have to be willing to allow vulnerability to shine through your writing.
Final thoughts on ways to connect with your audience
Writing for your blog can be a lonely business. There are no editors to tell you when you’re wrong and no agents to help negotiate contracts or deals. The only people who can tell you what works and what doesn’t are the readers—but how do you get those readers in the first place? By connecting with them! Do this by developing your voice and creating a relationship with the audience so they feel they know who wrote this work and why they should care about it.
I’d love to hear more from you!
