Saturday, January 4, 2014

Author Spotlight - Bryan Cohen

How to Create Value for Your Readers
by Bryan Cohen

What's the point of writing a book? I'm sure most writers could come up with dozens of reasons. These reasons might have to do with their destiny or their need for a creative outlet. Many answers, however, would have to do with providing value to their readers. Value can come in the form of eliciting emotions, teaching lessons and simply providing entertainment.

While my 2014 writing resolution has to do more with entertainment, most of my 2010-2013 writing provided a different sort of value. My books of creative writing prompts were focused on giving other writers inspiration so they could write their own stories, blog posts, scripts, etc. To make it a fishing metaphor, I wasn't giving my readers fish, but I was teaching them how to fish for themselves. In fact, I hope my readers learn how to fish so well that they can feed themselves creatively for a lifetime.

I'm an idea guy. I've been fortunate enough to get over 5,000 ideas to put on paper in the last few years. I love giving these ideas away and seeing what other writers will do with them. With all those ideas on paper and off in the world, I'll be spending the next year creating a fiction series of my very own. Until I've finished those books, I'm happy to know that thousands of people have my ideas on their physical or digital shelves. My stories may become a success on their own, but if they don't, I know I'll have had a hand in creating value for writers that I've never even met.

What value can you create for your readers going forward? Keep value in mind when you create your next book. It may help take your writing and your readers to a higher level.


About the Author:

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4 comments:

bryandavidcohen said...

Thanks, Anna, for having me on the blog!

Anna L. Walls said...

It is my pleasure, and it has been fun. :D

William Kendall said...

Good tips, Bryan!

bryandavidcohen said...

Thanks, William!