Have you ever read a book that felt like listening to a college lecture? Or your blowhard cousin who tells everyone what to do? Or a guru who thinks the circumstances of your life don’t matter? A long pitch from a smarmy salesperson? A conversation with a party guest who goes on and on about themselves and never asks you anything about yourself? Or

Your reader wants your book to be the one.

Download your own copy of the Reader Profile from the Must-Read website (writeamustread.com/tools).

“Reader First.” Write it down. Post it on your computer. Type it at the top of your blank document before you sit down to write.

Those who focused on their reader—their desires, their questions, their concerns—had legions of followers. Those who focused on themselves—their message, their ideas, their stories—did not.

Joseph Campbell’s breakdown of the Hero’s Journey had me buzzing in my seat,

have the same problem: somewhere along the way, the author forgot about their reader.

A book is not about something. A book is for someone. This is the foundation of everything I write, everything I edit, and everything I teach. Making this simple shift will automatically help you write a better book. Even if you stop reading this book right now, you can up your game by keeping that philosophy firmly in mind.

Think about your Ideal Reader in the context of years, not months. Who do you want to think about for the next six months to a year while you write and edit this book? Who do you want to serve long after the book comes out?