I have some very bad news for you. You had better make sure you are sitting down. Prepare yourself for a shock. Your readers don’t care about your book. And they are even less interested in you. They are just not interested in you and your book. To be frank – they don’t actually give a damn about you.
I appreciate that this may be something of a shock for you. After all you will have spent countless hours writing your book. You are now a published author and your ego may be swelling accordingly.
However, let’s experience a harsh dose of reality for a moment. You have only written your book for selfish reasons. You either want the money, the glory, the kudos, the sense of achievement or something similar. You are primarily acting out of self interest, aren’t you?
So why should it be any different for your reader? Their primary interest is themselves. They are most interested in the things that are important to them.
You see they aren’t really interested in you and your book at all. They couldn’t give a damn.
What they are interested in is what you and your book will do for them. They are interested in what you can do to help them solve their problems and get what they want. Although this may seem rather harsh it is the truth, isn’t it?
So if your readers are only really interested in what you can do to help them get what they want, why do so many authors spend their time talking about themselves and their book?
Far too many authors talk far too much about things they are interested in. The problem is – your readers don’t care. For example:
Author says: “It took me 2 years to write this book.”
Reader thinks: “So what?”
Author says: “My book is a bestseller!”
Reader thinks: “How nice for you – so what?”
The author is talking about what is interesting and important to them. It bores, annoys and irritates readers! Can I put it any more plainly than that?
Let me be blunt – you shouldn’t really talk to your readers about you and your precious book.
When you can tell your readers about how you and your book can help them then they will be very interested!
Spot the difference in the following examples:
Author says: “My book contains several tried, tested and proven methods that you can use to (insert appropriate benefit to reader or reader’s problem you can solve).”
Reader thinks: “Interesting! I do need to find a solution to that problem. This sounds worth reading!”
Author says: “The reason my book is a bestseller is that it is the only book on the market that helps people solve X problem successfully!”
Reader thinks: “I’ve got that problem! And if the book is a bestseller it has to be worth reading!
If you know what is important to your readers then you can show them how you and your book can help them with their specific problems, challenges and objectives.
Then they won’t just be interested in you and your book – they will be very interested in you and your book! Not to put too fine a point on it – they might even end up loving you!
Why Your Readers Don’t Give A Damn
About You & Your Book
By
Simon Hazeldine MSc FInstSMM
I have some very bad news for you. You had better make sure you are sitting down. Prepare yourself for a shock. Your readers don’t care about your book. And they are even less interested in you. They are just not interested in you and your book. To be frank – they don’t actually give a damn about you.
I appreciate that this may be something of a shock for you. After all you will have spent countless hours writing your book. You are now a published author and your ego may be swelling accordingly.
However, let’s experience a harsh dose of reality for a moment. You have only written your book for selfish reasons. You either want the money, the glory, the kudos, the sense of achievement or something similar. You are primarily acting out of self interest, aren’t you?
So why should it be any different for your reader? Their primary interest is themselves. They are most interested in the things that are important to them.
You see they aren’t really interested in you and your book at all. They couldn’t give a damn.
What they are interested in is what you and your book will do for them. They are interested in what you can do to help them solve their problems and get what they want. Although this may seem rather harsh it is the truth, isn’t it?
So if your readers are only really interested in what you can do to help them get what they want, why do so many authors spend their time talking about themselves and their book?
Far too many authors talk far too much about things they are interested in. The problem is – your readers don’t care. For example:
Author says: “It took me 2 years to write this book.”
Reader thinks: “So what?”
Author says: “My book is a bestseller!”
Reader thinks: “How nice for you – so what?”
The author is talking about what is interesting and important to them. It bores, annoys and irritates readers! Can I put it any more plainly than that?
Let me be blunt – you shouldn’t really talk to your readers about you and your precious book.
When you can tell your readers about how you and your book can help them then they will be very interested!
Spot the difference in the following examples:
Author says: “My book contains several tried, tested and proven methods that you can use to (insert appropriate benefit to reader or reader’s problem you can solve).”
Reader thinks: “Interesting! I do need to find a solution to that problem. This sounds worth reading!”
Author says: “The reason my book is a bestseller is that it is the only book on the market that helps people solve X problem successfully!”
Reader thinks: “I’ve got that problem! And if the book is a bestseller it has to be worth reading!”
If you know what is important to your readers then you can show them how you and your book can help them with their specific problems, challenges and objectives.
Then they won’t just be interested in you and your book – they will be very interested in you and your book! Not to put too fine a point on it – they might even end up loving you!
