Why Many New Writers Struggle to Get Readers (and How to Overcome It)

It is believed that approximately 90% of new writers struggle to build a readership. This figure comes from observations in the online writing community, including mine. While the exact number is difficult to ascertain, this number illustrates the high failure rate that is often discussed on platforms like Quora and Reddit. There, aspiring writers often share their struggles in developing a readership.

What Does It Mean to “Build an Audience”

Building an audience means building a loyal group of readers who regularly read our content. This can be measured by the number of followers on social media, email newsletter subscribers, book sales, and engagement (likes, comments, shares).

For readers in the US, this could mean building a following on platforms like Instagram or Substack. For example, Georgiana Ilie managed to build 24,000 subscribers on Substack from scratch. Many writers try different methods. These include posting regularly, engaging on social media, collaborating with celebrities, and creating video content. However, many still fail, indicating a more fundamental problem.

Strategies for Building Readership

To build a successful readership, writers need to know some specific strategies for each method used. In addition, they must analyze the level of success according to the data. Here are the recommended strategies and their explanations:

1. Post Regularly

Posting content regularly helps you stay top of mind with your readers and attract new readers. When you have a consistent posting schedule and stick to it, readers know when to expect new content from you.

This builds a habit for them to return to your platform. Plus, the algorithms on many platforms often favor accounts that are active and consistent.

To see if your regular posting strategy is working, look at these metrics:

1. Page views. Shows how many people viewed your content.
2. Time spent on page. Shows how engaged your readers are with your content. A longer time means your content is engaging.
3. How many people immediately left. A low bounce rate means readers found what they were looking for and may explore more of your content.
4. Comments. Shows how much your readers engaged with your content.
5. Shares on social media. Shows that readers found your content valuable and wanted to share it with others.

You can use Google Analytics to track your website traffic and gain insight into visitor behavior.

Example:

If you see an increase in page views and comments after you start posting regularly, that means your strategy is working to attract and engage more readers. A blog post with 1,000 views and 50 comments shows high engagement. That means the topic is interesting to your existing readers and may attract new readers because it’s being shared.

2. Social Media Engagement

Engaging with your audience on social media is essential to building a strong community and relationships. Responding to comments, answering questions, and engaging in conversations shows that you care about your readers.

This builds loyalty and makes them feel more connected. Good engagement can also increase the visibility of your content, as algorithms often prioritize posts with high engagement levels.

To see how effective your social media engagement is, look at the following metrics:

1. Number of likes, comments, shares per post. The higher the engagement rate, the more people are engaging with your content.
2. Number of unique users who viewed your post. Shows how many people viewed your content, including non-followers.
3. Follower growth. An increase in your follower count shows that you’re successfully attracting new audiences through your content and engagement.

You can use platform analytics, such as Instagram Insights, to track your engagement metrics.

Example:

A post with a 10% engagement rate (100 likes out of 1,000 followers) shows that your audience is highly engaged and has a strong connection with your content. A high engagement rate can also help your posts get seen by more people.

3. Email Marketing

Building a subscriber email list and sending emails regularly is a very effective way to connect directly with your audience. Email allows you to share exclusive content, breaking news, promotions, or simply greet your readers in a more personal way.

This builds deeper relationships and loyalty. An email list is also a marketing asset that must be fully owned. Unlike followers on social media platforms, which can change at any time.

To measure the effectiveness of your email marketing strategy, consider the following metrics:

1. Percentage of recipients who opened the email. Shows how interesting the subject line is and how interested your subscribers are in seeing the content.
2. Percentage who clicked on links. Shows how useful and interesting the content of the email was that subscribers wanted to click on the links you included.
3. Actions taken, such as purchases. If the goal of the email is to encourage a specific action. For example, buying a product or registering for an event. Note that the conversion rate measures how successful the email was in achieving that goal.
4. Subscriber growth and retention. Growth shows how successful you are in attracting new subscribers. While subscriber retention (how many stay subscribed) shows that the content is still important to them.

Email marketing software such as Mailchimp or ConvertKit, which provides detailed reports on these metrics.

Example:

An email with a 20% open rate and a 5% click-through rate shows that your email content is effective in capturing subscribers’ attention and encouraging them to engage further.

Also read: Guide to Making Money as an Email Marketing Writer.

4. Collaboration with Other Writers

While this article focuses on connecting with readers, collaborating with other writers is a complementary strategy. Benefits include:

1. Cross-Promotion: Sharing each other’s work on social media, such as a fiction writer promoting a book of poetry, can expand reach.
2. Collaboration: Joint projects, such as co-authored blogs, can combine audiences, increasing visibility.
3. Learning and Support: Exchanging tips in writing groups, such as r/writing on Reddit, provides insight and emotional support. It’s indirect, but it can improve the quality of your content.

This approach is often underutilized, but it can also foster community building. It also ensures that writers aren’t working alone, and it fosters readership growth through shared networks.ma.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

The following table summarizes common mistakes that writers often make and how to avoid them, based on various sources:

Example:

For example, a writer who fails to define their target audience might post general parenting tips. This would be less likely to appeal to new moms, even though this is a highly searched topic in America. In contrast, writers like Skylar have found success on TikTok by creating short-form video content that fits visual trends.

Writing Trends Influence 2025

The writing world of 2025 emphasizes personalized content, visual storytelling, and short formats. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools are expected to grow the market to over $826 billion by 2025 and enable personalization.

However, there are ethical concerns about transparency. Writers who ignore these trends, such as continuing to write long texts in a video-dominated world, risk losing relevance, especially to American readers accustomed to platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

AI for Personalization

Personalization powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way content is created. AI offers writers new tools to tailor content to readers’ preferences.

Real-world examples include:

1. Recommender Systems: AI analyzes reader data to suggest topics, such as identifying popular themes from comments, helping writers decide what to post next.
2. Style Adjustment: Tools like the AI ​​in Grammarly suggest changes in tone based on reader feedback, ensuring content aligns with readers’ expectations.
3. Content Generation: AI, like ChatGPT, can create drafts or outlines based on trending keywords, saving time and tailoring to readers’ interests.
4. Personalized Social Media Sharing: AI platforms like Anyword offer A/B testing. It can predict which email subject lines or social media posts will perform better, increasing engagement.

New writers can take advantage of free trials of these tools. Start with basic features like content suggestions, and gradually move on to more advanced personalization. As they grow, this makes AI more accessible even on a budget..

Balancing Trends and Authenticity

Following trends is important in 2025, but maintaining authenticity is just as important to building trust with readers. Writers can balance the two by:

1. Integrating Relevant Trends: Choose trends that align with their personal interests. For example, using short-form videos on TikTok if you’re comfortable, making sure the content feels natural.
2. Adding a Personal Touch: For example, if list articles are trending, add unique insights or personal stories to maintain authenticity.
3. Experimenting with Caution: Try different formats, but don’t abandon your core values. For example, writers who are known for in-depth analysis shouldn’t jump into shallow trends just for the sake of popularity.

Keep in mind, there’s a risk of losing your identity if writers focus too much on trends. This can potentially alienate loyal readers who value authenticity.

Market Research

Market research is important, but it can be done effectively with limited resources. Practical steps include:

1. Identify Target Readers: Determine their demographics, interests, and pain points, such as targeting new moms for a parenting blog.
2. Conduct Surveys or Interviews: Use social media polls or ask friends for feedback to keep costs down.
3. Competitor Analysis: Study successful writers’ content, pay attention to engagement rates, use free tools like BuzzSumo.
4. Use Social Media Listening: Monitor discussions on X or Reddit related to your topic and identify reader needs.
5. Google Trends and Keyword Research: Use free tools like Google Trends to see popular topics, guiding your content creation.
6. Join Online Communities: Participate in forums like r/writing on Reddit, gain insight into audience preferences at no cost.

These steps are easy to do with minimal resources, ensuring new writers can understand their market, aligning content with reader demand effectively.ektif.

Genre-Specific Strategies

While this article is general, strategies vary by genre, reflecting reader preferences:

1. Fiction Writers: Focus on book launches, literacy events, and engaging book clubs to build excitement around a release.
2. Non-Fiction Writers: Leverage thought leadership, speaking events, and providing actionable insights that appeal to a professional audience.
3. Poets: Connect through poetry readings, literary magazines, and social media like Instagram, sharing emotional content for engagement.
4. Bloggers: Emphasize consistent posting, SEO optimization, and social media promotion to drive traffic through search and sharing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, new writers must treat writing as a serious business, deeply understanding their market and audience. They must be willing to learn and adapt. And, continually improve themselves to escape the 95% failure rate and join the minority that succeeds. This approach is key to succeeding in the competitive writing world of 2025.

What do you think?