Ask Jerry
Target readers
Asked by Liezl Anderson on July 25, 2020
Hi Jerry.
I am writing a non-fiction book on grief based on my story of child loss and complex fertility. In part, I want my book to be of help to those who are grieving a child, but I also want it to be for those on the outside looking in- helping them to know how it really is, and how to better support those grieving. Do you think this will complicate things for me in terms of target reader e.g: when I imagine who I’m talking to as I write? And can you give any advise to do this effectively?
Thank you
Jerry's Answer
That's going to be an advantage for you with publishers, Liezl, because they want a broader readership, not a narrower one.
Whatever title/approach you choose, it should be some variation of Helping Your Friend Grieving a Loss. Of course that's a little cumbersome, but writing to that reader will also draw in those who are the victims. They'll sense you're writing this because you've been where they are, and they're hoping for commiseration and comfort too.