As writers, we write to an audience. We have at least some idea of the people our words will reach. Not just the client who will read our words, but the people in the world who are searching for information.
We provide a unique service to our community. We reach out and communicate via ink on paper (or type on a computer screen.) We inform, enlighten, and entertain our readers. After they have read our words, they are changed. They have benefited from our knowledge and experience. They have become a part of our community.
No matter what kind of writing you do, you are forming a bridge to your readers. Your novel, your poem, or your article will draw your reader in to your world, from your perspective. You guide the reader through the thoughts that you have, and show them all that there is to see.
Your readers are no longer strangers to you. Although you may not have met them in person, you are becoming a trusted source in their mind. They relate to you, and trust that you will not lead them astray. In time, they may come to see you as a valued friend, someone who they would not want to lose contact with.
With online writing, you can have immediate feedback for your writing. You can speak with your readers instantly, via email, comments, forums, or social networks. You can form an even stronger bond with your readers, and find out what spoke to them and what did not.
How have you fostered community with your readers? Do you take time to visualize your potential audience before you write? Have online methods provided you with better communication with your readers?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you want to learn more about community building? Pick up a copy of Sincere Online Community Building for more information.
