Start with Your Ideal Audience: Insights from Janyre Tromp

Episode 283 | Release Date: September 24, 2025

Quick Summary

In this episode, Ann Kroeker is joined by award-winning author and editor Janyre Tromp for a deep dive into identifying your ideal audience as a writer. Janyre draws on 20+ years of publishing, editing, and marketing experience to explain why targeting the right readers—and understanding their true needs—will transform every stage of your writing process, from drafting to editing to pitching and platform-building. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, essays, or poetry, this conversation will equip you with actionable strategies, creative encouragement, and permission to be yourself as you connect with real people through your words.

In This Episode You'll Discover:

• The difference between demographics and psychographics (and why felt needs matter most)
• How to use “real people” as your audience guide—beyond generic market profiles
• Why writing purely from your own perspective may miss your target audience (and what to do about it)
• Practical strategies for exploring and validating your audience—before you write the whole book
• The value and methods of “testing” your message on social media, in articles, or through speaking
• Smart ways to use outlines, chapter summaries, and comparative titles to clarify your audience
• Why platform-building is about genuine connection, not perfection or performance
• How to balance platform work with writing—plus batching, repurposing, and self-care tips from Janyre’s own practice
• Encouragement for embracing your unique voice and message, even when life or creativity feels overwhelming

Key Moments

• Janyre’s multi-role background: Traditional/indie publishing, editing, and marketing
• Defining your ideal audience: From broad demographics to nuanced psychographics
• How emotion—not just facts—sells books and builds connection
• The role of social media as a “testing lab” for ideas and audience resonance
• Outlining, annotating, and revising to realign with your audience
• Using comparative titles and community spaces to get to know your readers
• Overcoming perfectionism and performance pressure as you build your platform
• Grace for the process—nobody does it all, and real people connect with real people

Memorable Quotes

“Emotion sells a book. Facts do not sell books… That’s why you see a commercial, they’re appealing to an emotion, not a fact.”

“If you want to publish a book and help people, then you have to approach your book writing from that person’s perspective and write the book that they need, not the book that you want to write.”

“Social media is this lovely little lab where you can write about stuff and get immediate gratification of whether it works or not.”

“Go find your audience wherever they are and hang out with them… If you have a conversation with them that resonates, they’ll come hang out with you elsewhere too.”

“You have a message that only you can give. Don’t be afraid to step out into that and make those connections.”

Resources Mentioned

• Join Janyre’s upcoming YPM training: Your Platform Matters (YPM)
• Learn more about Janyre Tromp: janyretromp.com and Editing Insiders
• Free Facebook group for editing questions: Editing Insiders on Facebook

Connect & Continue the Conversation

• Email Ann: annkroeker.com/contact
• Explore free & paid offerings: annkroeker.com/everything
• Get free coaching in your inbox: annkroeker.com/connect
• Follow Janyre Tromp: @janyretromp on Instagram, LinkedIn, and (newbie!) TikTok

Ready to go deeper?Join YPM for Janyre’s “X Marks the Spot” training on finding your true audience—live and on replay.

I'm cheering you on as a writing coach in your ear. Thanks for listening!