Into the Fire

There are so many things being done in marketing that simply don’t work. Some innovative in design. Some not so much. The problem with all of them is they take so long to measure.

One of the major requirements in a book proposal is supplying your ideas for marketing your book(s). Identify your audience. Reveal why you’re the one to tell this story—as opposed to your soccer-mom or your ultimate-fighter neighbors. Supply multiple impressive ideas for selling this novel. Okaaayyyy. Right.

Sometimes it’s easier to describe which people or people groups are not your audience. I find myself getting put in that position when my mind struggles to identify who would appreciate/enjoy/like/love my novels. Certainly not the devoted “bonnet book” or “prairie romance” readers. Not those ladies who read the “Love Inspired” line of romance novels because you will find the occasional “breast” word or the once in awhile “hell” word. And probably more sexual situations than these readers care to “experience”. Before this creates any controversy, I’m not mocking those who prefer extremely chaste writing. Everyone should have the opportunity to read the books of their choice. Period. But, as a writer and a reader, those books are not me. They’re not the readers for whom God gives me stories to write. And they should not fault me or any other author who doesn’t join them in their preferences.

I created the tagline Relationship Romance Redemption to describe my romance novels, and now I’m thinking of expanding it to Raw Redemptive Romance or Real Redemptive Romance. No question I write for adults of all ages, and most of my books are written for women. The Famous One is not exclusive, having garnered its share of male “fans”.

Readers who are like me read across the board. Maybe I should start writing romantic suspense since I so rarely read straight romance novels anymore. They got too formulaic, too safe and predictable, and it’s a rare romance now that captures my attention and my heart.  

I guess I’m an unusual romantic. Low maintenance in real life. True romance that causes sizzle and sweat between male and female characters elicits all kinds of challenges for the defining of lust or love. This is the conundrum for people in our day. Which is it? Christians are not excluded from this quandary. I guess I write to them. And to those who’ve been through that journey and managed to come out on the other side—one way or the other. It’s a perilous trek for a Christian and often a thrilling but empty roller coaster ride for an unbeliever.

Who’s your audience? Who do you want your audience to be?

Father, you’re our audience for everything we write. May we always honor you with our efforts. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.