WHEN YOUR FRIENDS WON’T READ YOUR WRITING (The Writer’s Process, part 6)
Using AI to Understand Your Audience and Write for Impact
*Previously in this series: We've explored how AI can be your “second brain,” building a research stack, and how to hire AI as a writing partner. Today, we're tackling something even more fundamental: understanding who will actually read your work. And I share 8 steps you can take today to understand the audience for your work. (I confess… there’s a LOT in this one. Hang in there.)
MY SO-CALLED “FRIENDS”
I thought I knew exactly who my audience was. Then I asked them. Turns out, they don’t even want to read what I’m writing.
I was sure this story I was working on -- Autonomous -- was a novel. I sent a survey to my friends—smart, curious, AI-literate people—and braced for validation. Instead, I got back…
Want to guess how many said they'd read it as a novel?
One. Person.
Out of 20 "friends" who were kind enough to fill out my survey, 19 said they'd rather watch this story as a movie or YouTube series.
Next part of the process: Interviews. I followed up with three of them, one-on-one, over breakfasts. I described what I was working on and the results of my survey.
I could see it in their eyes. That polite nod. That slight delay before answering. That oh-god-I’ve-trapped-myself-in-a-breakfast-interview smile.
And then. “OH! Well I’d read THAT!”
Liars.
I GET NEW FRIENDS
So, I figured... maybe I’m talking to the wrong people. Maybe f I could pay 150 strangers to validate my audience assumptions.
I went on Survey Monkey and hired 150 people, using the same criteria, asking the same questions.
You know how many people wanted to read an entertaining, informative novel about a future with AI?
Out of 150? Eleven. The rest wanted a movie, a streaming series, or a YouTube series.
It’s not that they didn’t find the subject matter interesting. All of them read blogs, the news, non-fiction books. They all know that AI is going to be part of their future, and they all have deep uncertainty about what that means.
They just don’t want to read a novel about it.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE
Why am I going to all of this trouble? I want my writing to have an impact. That doesn’t necessarily mean reaching a large audience. (Although a “large enough” audience is nice.)
Writing that has impact changes lives. How? Well, in the world of Product Design, there’s an exercise called “Theory of Change.” The Theory of Change reads something like:
The user currently accomplishes (X goal) by doing (Y). Y has pain points and problems that could be improved. I’ll develop a product that will accomplish X... but BETTER. Fewer pain points and problems. Better life.
For example:
Music lovers stay up to date on new music today by reading online sites, listening to playlists and combing through new music blogs. It’s time consuming, and there’s no guarantee they’re going to find new music that they like. I’ll develop a product that introduces them to new music based on their tastes, appetite for “new,” and how they “use” music in their daily life. It will deliver one new song per day that they are guaranteed to like. Guaranteed. No more scroilling and searching. We got you.
Now, does this product exist? NO! But I know what I’m trying to build. And that’s the point. It’s a THEORY.
Here’s my theory of change for “Autonomous.”
The audience for “Autonomous” is really concerned about how AI is going to change the world, especially how it’s going to affect their lives. They currently explore their concerns in a haphazard way, with no clear framework for processing the flood of information. “Autonomous” tells a story that deals with their concerns by presenting characters and settings about the worst you can imagine, with humor and insight. The audience will now have a smarter, funnier way of understanding the future of AI. And maybe you can dance to it, we’ll see.
Yeah, I know... I’d never thought of writing that way, either. But there it is: A theory about how we want to change lives with writing.
I’M DOING THIS FOR SURVIVAL
Understanding and “owning” your audience is essential to survival as a writer today. AI can help you:
Understand the potential audience for your work
Find where they consume media
Help you write in a way that will have the greatest impact, while preserving your voice and intent
I have decades of experience in the old way of doing things. I’m thrilled that there’s a new way to do it.
Back in the day (and by “back in the day, I’m thinking of about 10-15 years ago), if you were writing to reach a wide audience, you would have to sell your work to publishers, networks, studios and film companies that “owned” their relationship with the audience. Those platforms put down a bet that your work would satisfy their audience.
When it worked, it was good. Most of the time, it didn’t work. You’d get notes on what “our audience” wants. You’d have to adjust your work to their understanding of the audience... forget what you knew about them.
Wave goodbye, kids. That world doesn’t exist anymore. The audience is all over the place. No one owns them, and fewer than nobody (is that even an expression?) can help YOU understand who your real audience is.
All good!
THE JOB TO BE DONE
For writing to have an impact, it has to do a “Job” for the audience. Take Black Mirror. Charlie Brooker isn’t just writing cool dystopias—he’s addressing a real audience need: “How do I process my fears about technology”’ That’s a Job to Be Done. AI can help uncover those deeper needs in our own work.
I think that most writing seeks to capture what it is to come to a knowledge about something that is not yet known.
Okay, that sounds really abstract... but ask yourself: “What is my audience seeking to know? How can I do the job of sharing knowledge in my work?”
What are their concerns and issues?
What kind of characters can embody these issues?
What events could happen to these characters that could bring light to these issues?
Are there genres that embody these types of issues, characters and events?
Where is my audience consuming those stories now?
What can MY story do for them that they aren’t getting now? How can I innovate?
It’s important to note here: You have NOT YET decided the medium you’re going to work in. The type of story your audience wants might NOT be what you think they want.
YOUR AI RESEARCH TOOLKIT
Phase 1: Discovery & Research
1. Start with your story summary [(as described in part 3)](https://aiwritersroom.substack.com/p/the-essential-ai-research-stack-the)
2. Ask AI to identify potential audiences who will relate to your story
3. Map where these audiences currently consume similar content
Phase 2: Understanding & Analysis
4. Create detailed audience personas using AI
- Demographics and interests
- Content consumption habits
- Key concerns and needs
5. Define your audience's "Job To Be Done"
- What problem are you solving?
- What need are you filling?
- How will their lives improve?
Phase 3: Strategy & Testing
6. Analyze media consumption trends
- Use AI to identify popular platforms
- Study successful content in your niche
- Track emerging formats
7. Test your assumptions
- Run small experiments
- Gather feedback
- Adjust your approach
Phase 4: Implementation & Iteration
8. Develop your "Theory of Change"
- Map current state → desired outcome
- Identify obstacles and solutions
- Create measurable goals
Remember: This isn't a linear process. You'll likely move back and forth between phases as you learn more about your audience and refine your approach.
MY “GUINEA PIG” MOMENT
For me, this meant coming to terms with the fact that I needed to stop working on a novel, and find a new platform and format that would better serve my audience. I’m still writing the same STORY. I realized that the audience for what I was writing didn't want to "consume" it as a novel, so I had to rethink my approach. By using AI to understand the "job to be done" for my audience, I could see where I was going wrong, and discover a better path forward. This adaptability is a crucial skill for writers today.
THE NEW B2C WORLD
In the past, writers sold their services to media companies (B2B), but we now have the opportunity to connect directly with our audiences (B2C). In this new B2C world, we need to treat our writing as a product. This means understanding our audience, what they need, and how our work can meet those needs. By doing this, we can build a direct relationship with our audience, and bypass the traditional gatekeepers.
YOUR TURN
What's your process for understanding your audience? Share your approach - especially if you're using AI tools.
(And if you want more behind-the-scenes experiments, hit subscribe.)
And if you know someone who would enjoy this, please share the Ai Writers’ Room.
Perhaps as part of this experiment, go check out Prescene AI. Your friends might not want to read your work, but Prescene will. Does a surprisingly good job at analyzing strengths, weaknesses, etc.