Writing Without Knowing Your Audience is Like a Surgeon Guessing an Artery—Yikes!
Writing Without Knowing Your Audience is Like a Surgeon Guessing an Artery—Yikes!
Why Knowing Your Audience’s Pain Points is Non-Negotiable for Writers
My dad has had the misfortune of needing arterial bypasses in his left leg three different times over the last six years.
It’s been an adventure.
During his most recent procedure, I noticed something fascinating—every single time a new doctor or specialist entered his room, they asked him the same types of questions. They wanted details about his medical history, medications, pain levels, previous recoveries, and more.
While this frustrated my dad to no end (since they had his chart right in front of them), I actually found it reassuring.
Why? Because it showed me these professionals weren’t just relying on notes—they were taking the time to listen, assess, and get a firsthand account of his condition before making decisions.
What If Doctors Didn’t Assess First?
Now, imagine what would happen if these doctors ignored the assessment phase and treated every patient the same way. What if a vascular surgeon walked into the operating room and just picked an artery to operate on at random?
Total disaster, right?
Without properly evaluating each patient, there’s no way these specialists could provide the right treatment.
Writers, We Have the Same Responsibility
I’ve had multiple conversations with writers this week where I asked a simple yet crucial question:
What are your readers’ biggest struggles?
The most common response?
Deer-in-the-headlights looks. Silence.
Writerly friends, how can we possibly create content that resonates with and helps our readers if we haven’t taken the time to identify their pain points?
If we’re writing without understanding our audience’s struggles, we’re just like those hypothetical surgeons who operate on whatever they feel like that day.
Identifying Reader Pain Points: A Non-Negotiable Step
Yes, I realize I’m using a bit of hyperbole here. I’m a writer. It’s what I do.
But seriously—if you want your writing to connect, you must understand your audience’s struggles.
If the term “pain points” confuses you, think of it this way: What specific challenges does your audience face?
For example, I write for survivors of church hurt, spiritual abuse, and religious trauma.
My readers’ pain points include:
Gold-star Christianity
Performance-based faith
Perfectionism
Identity struggles
Guilt and shame
Skewed gender beliefs
Mistrust of self
Reconstructing faith
Once I know these pain points, I can ensure my writing addresses and offers solutions for these struggles.
If It’s Not for Your Audience, Save It for Later
If what I want to write doesn’t connect with my audience’s pain points, I know it’s not the right time to publish that piece. Maybe it’ll work in the future with a shift in purpose, but if it’s not serving my readers now, it’s not the right content for now.
Need Help Identifying Your Readers’ Struggles? Try This.
If you’re unsure what your audience’s pain points are, we have an incredible free resource at our fingertips—ChatGPT.
Ask ChatGPT: What are the biggest struggles for [your target audience]? You might be surprised by the insights it provides.
Even if you think you know your audience’s struggles, I still encourage you to ask ChatGPT. It might reveal pain points you haven’t even considered.
Take the Challenge: Start Writing for Your Audience Today
Writerly buddies, let this be the week your content starts truly serving your readers.
Are you up for the challenge? Let me know!
If you’re still struggling to define your niche or pinpoint your audience’s pain points, I’d love to help. Let’s jump on a call and figure it out together.
