Why You Should Write to Yourself

Have you ever designed a persona?

If you’re wondering what I mean by that, let me explain.

A persona is a profile of your ideal customer. If you were writing fiction, it would be like creating a character for your story.

You want to know things like:

• Age
• Sex
• Income
• Job
• Location

Then you’ll want to dive deeper and learn:

• His frustrations
• His challenges
• His victories
• His friends
• His enemies

This will take time. If your ideal reader is in a different profession from yours, you’ll need to do some research.

Let me save you a lot of time, especially if you’re just starting out.

If you’re still deciding who your ideal reader is, choose yourself. Here are three reasons why.

If you’re still deciding who your ideal reader is, choose yourself. Click To Tweet

You know yourself the best.

Ask yourself the same questions you ask about a character in a book. You know the answers. If you don’t like where you are now, answer the questions based on the reality you’d like to live.

If you’re not sure about what that life is like, ask someone you admire.

Done?

Great.

This may seem like a silly exercise, but trust me. If you do it, you’ll have a firm grip on how to write for your reader.

And you’ll only have to do it once.

Above all, be honest. You’ll mine gold that will appeal to people like you.

You have something in common with someone else.

Your friends are your friends because you’ve got something in common.

• You have similar interests, hobbies, and habits.
• You may have gone to the same school or lived in the same neighborhood.
• You like the same music, movies, and recreation.

Focus on some of these things, and you’ll write authentically. Besides, no one likes a fake, do they? When you’re real, people can tell.

Don’t worry about what’s trendy. You’ll never please everyone — so don’t try.

Be yourself and you’ll make the right connections.

Don’t be trendy. Be yourself, and you’ll make the right connections. Click To Tweet

You’ll ask questions you want answered.

Everyone is frustrated with something.

Everyone wishes something in his life would just go away.

Everyone has nagging questions he wants answered.

What have you learned that would help someone like you?

If you don’t know yet, don’t worry. Find the answer to something that is bothering you. You won’t lose heart as you search. And the lesson you learn will touch someone deeply.

When you’re done, share it — no matter how ugly the truth you find may be.

Better still — blog as you work through it.

1. Share a problem, frustration, or struggle.
2. Ask questions about it.
3. Share what you learn.

Those you help will love you for it.

Those who disagree don’t matter.

It’s your job to follow your calling. Don’t let anyone’s criticism knock you off your path. Your calling is your sweet spot.

Be authentic. Be who you are. Use the talents God gave you. After all, isn’t that why He gave them to you?

What can you write about this week that will make someone’s life better?

• Share it on social media or email.
• Leave a comment about how it helped.
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Photo Credit: etzel42 Flickr via Compfight cc

Originally published at www.frankmckinleyauthor.com on March 14, 2017.