Who are my readers? by Lorna Clark

As students on writing courses, we were regularly asked who our audience is and we were not allowed to say, ‘Everyone.’ I usually gave a fairly vague answer, such as ‘Women over forty,’ which satisfies the questioner but which I find inadequate. The reason is they’re asking for a stereotype of the readers. But stereotypes are too general. For example, my brother loves romance, usually thought of as appealing to women. I know older men and women who enjoy chick lit, and the list goes on.

I worked as a florist for many years and my brother showed artistic flair in flower arrangements, unlike the stereotypes of people who would choose that career.

Now I’m retired, I often lead groups in flower arranging and Christmas wreath-making. These are mainly comprised of older people. I demonstrate and then try to lead them through making a basic geometric outline, how to insert flowers and how to make their arrangement flow. But they haven’t been to school for many years and seem to have lost the ability to follow instructions, or perhaps it’s because they are too busy talking (the noise is phenomenal at these events) that they choose to do things their own way. A few people ask for advice but these are in the minority.

I always walk around the group praising them for what they are doing and perhaps making a suggestion. At the end of the session, we inevitably have photographs of all the arrangements and many of the proud makers holding their arrangements. They go home happy with what they’ve made, even though their work is a florist’s nightmare. Should I be surprised? Of course not. At some point in time, someone has decided on rules for design of flower arrangements. If someone else had chosen them, conventional florist’s arrangements would be different.

These people in the groups are really happy with what they’ve achieved, they love their own designs. So who am I to say that they’re wrong?

I also happen to think that the person who said socks and shoes had to be in matching pairs was wrong.

My books aimed at women over forty have been read and commented on by many men, and they’ve bought the next in the series. I get queries from teenagers too.

What I’m saying is, it’s good to know who we’re aiming a book at. Language and sentence structure should suit that group, but we shouldn’t be surprised when people outside that group read and appreciate what we have written.

God has made everyone different so, as authors, let’s celebrate those differences and not be surprised at who is reading our work.

Lorna lives in Norfolk and loves the countryside. She is a licensed Lay Minister in her local church. She has published two cosy crime books and is working on a book of stories relating to each Sunday’s lectionary readings.