At this month’s meeting, we’re talking about writing exercises proposed by famous authors.  How about one from the marketing side of things?  Have you ever tried to create your ideal reader?  This come from the idea that if you know who your customer (in this case your reader) is, you will know how to market in a way that connects with them.  But . . . it can also help you when you are writing.

Imagine the one person who will be the most excited to see your book on a shelf (other than you, obviously.)  What will draw this person to your work?  Who are they?  Give your ideal reader a name and some basic demographics.

Then figure out the details of her life.  Is she a busy mom?  A teenager?  A retiree?
Give him some hobbies/interests.  Does he travel? Love on-line shopping?   Paint?

Go into as much detail as you can.  And then when you write the book, think about your reader.  What joke would she like to hear?  What age protagonist would he connect to?  Could her hobby show up in the book?  These considerations can help you add depth, and keep your vision for the book consistent.