Knowing your audience before you sit down to write your book is absolutely imperative. Think about who would be most interested in what you have to say. Who can you help? What do you know about them? Write down all of this information so you can make sure that you’re writing for that audience.

Why is this so important? Have you ever picked up a book, gotten halfway through it, and thought, “Wow, this doesn’t resonate with me at all”? I read a book recently that seemed all wrong. The way that they forced results and wanted people to be super assertive wasn’t the worst of it. They gave advice on how to get yourself in alignment with diet, exercise, and other health tips that sounded horrific. My favorite tip was the part where they recommended working out like 9 hours a week and cutting back sleep to only 5 hours a night. 5 hours? I’m barely functioning on 7-8 hours a night, and I’m not quite 40 yet.

Before I posted a rant on Facebook and threw the book in the recycling bin (which I still might do), though, I stepped back and reminded myself that I might not be the right audience for this book. I’m a woman with two small kids. I have a small business. I work from home. I only have childcare for my kids 10-12 hours per week. Though exercise is a priority, I’m lucky to get in 3 hours per week of cardio and weights. Sleep is absolutely necessary to get through my hectic life (especially because, as a woman, I need more sleep anyway because I have to care for everyone and do a lot of their thinking for them). I network, do play dates, plan most of our meals, edit a magazine, and maintain some semblance of my sanity by doing crafts to rest my brain. This book is too hard-core and masculine for me. I’m not this guy’s audience.

So who is your audience? Do you REALLY know them?

Here’s a hint: it’s not just anyone. Narrow it down to a specific type of person. Think about their needs and their lifestyle. Then, write to that.

How? Think of someone you know who fits that description. The easiest way to write to your audience is to talk to that person as you’re writing (in your head, of course).

As you work on your book, look at the info about your audience that you wrote down at the beginning to keep it in your head. The worst thing you can do is get halfway—or all the way—through your book and realize that it’s written for the wrong audience. That means you’ll have to go through and either adjust the parts that are written for the wrong audience or rewrite the whole thing, which NO ONE wants to do.

When you are writing in alignment with your audience, you’ll hit the mark and be able to truly help the people you want to help.