Whether reading a proposal or discussing a prospective author’s book idea, there’s a point when my focus turns to primary audience—that is, the customer who will buy the most copies of the author’s book. It is quite common for authors who want their books to reach as many people as possible and undoubtedly to sell as many copies of their book as possible to say everyone is their audience. That is never true and actually paints the author as ignorant to the promotion and sells component of what makes a book successful.

Audience should strike the balance of (1) being large enough to make a book worth a publisher’s time but (2) narrow enough that the publisher knows how to sell it and (3) authors distinguishes themselves in the field. Since most of my career is spent in academic and trade PD publishing, I would urge authors who want to work with me to consider the following when determining their audience.

• Who is the current captive audience? That is, what organizations, firms, schools, or other client are paying the author for keynotes and training—and renewing contracts for additional workshops? Who comprises the author’s social and professional network (i.e., academics, system and school leaders, or someone else)?
• What audience will the author be presenting to in the coming 1–2 years?
• What conferences is the author attending or panels is the author sitting on?

The answer to these questions = the primary audience. Anyone else is ancillary.

If the first book finds success, the author is welcome to focus the next book on this secondary audience.