Who I Won’t Create For
Defining an Audience Through Values, Not Validation
If you’re building something meaningful — a story, a business, a life — one question can define your success: Who is it for?
Recently, I’ve researched marketing to expand my creative hobbies into a sustainable business.
As I delve deeper into the topic, I can’t answer a key question of branding: “Who is your audience?”
However, I can start by understanding who I don’t want as an audience.
Those Seeking Distraction Over Depth
I’m not a believer in blindly doing whatever the customer requests. The customer can be wrong. Thus, a creator should pursue a greater purpose than the customer or audience’s immediate wants, even if those same people are the ones who pay your bills.
For example, if I wanted to grow my audience quickly, I could create pornographic art. Porn is a billion-dollar industry, and I’m talented enough as an artist to make a name for myself. Why not make story-driven porn that is as titillating as it is compelling?
However, I don’t want to build my audience from people looking for cheap thrills and excitement. Excessive violence or sex doesn’t create great works; only meaningless distractions. I don’t want to make such “art.”
Those Who Want Echo Chambers, Not Growth
When viewing the YouTube scene, I’ve noticed that many commentators are quick to say what the audience wants to hear: “this is woke” and “this is racist,” and so on.
These limited terms are utilized to help the audience find “my guy”: the commentator, critic, or creator who already agrees with me and will say what I wish to hear. These creators are comfort food; they are never meant to challenge their respective consumers.
More Than “Woke” or “Anti-Woke”
For example, I consider my philosophical views fairly radical, but my political views are a milquetoast brand of libertarian conservatism. My views would align comfortably with many “anti-woke” YouTubers and streamers. I could easily play into that crowd, promising works that aren’t woke and harken back to the 90s.
Never mind that I see many errors in storytelling from the 90s, find many “woke” stories to be engaging and well-made, and find the passive reassurance of the “anti-woke” audience that “woke is finally dead” to be both cringeworthy and exploitative.
“Grifting” for such audiences comes easy. However, I want to, as much as possible, avoid such manipulations.
Those Who Prefer “Realism” To Idealism
Lastly, I don’t count the cynical as my audience.
Most people love to consume works that are “subversive” and “realistic.” These consumers prefer fiction that is nihilistic and portrays people at their worst.
I don‘t find cynical stories engaging. Cynicism is seductive, but it rarely leads to growth because your hopelessness justifies a lack of effort. Why try to improve if everything will fail anyway?
I’m a believer in hope. Life can improve, and we can make it better. Wallowing in hopelessness seems pointless to me. Most of your life, around 70% of it, is entirely within your control. With such power and influence, it’s more productive to remain optimistic about the future you can change.
Who I Am Writing For
“Who is my audience?” My audience is everyone and anyone who wishes to become a better individual.
I write about heroes because I want to be one. I reflect on virtue because I desire to be virtuous.
My readers are people who believe that stories can shape character and who want to become better people through the stories they consume. They might disagree with me often, but they value truth more than comfort.
However, I know I cannot readily place my audience in a box. And in many instances, they contradict one another. My religious convictions will displease the Objectivists. But my rabid individualism will always bother the religious. My obsession with personal freedom will annoy the conservatives. But my social conservatism will anger liberals.
I am an individualist. My beliefs do not easily translate into a marketable force. But my goal is to do my best to tell great stories within the capacity of my growing skills.
Become An Individual
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