Write for that one person
How to write content that speaks directly to your reader
Why Generic Writing Fails
When you write for everyone, you connect with no one.
Your message gets lost. Forgotten.
It fails to reach your right audience,
It fails to resonate with your target readers,
It fails to rekindle their emotions,
Importantly, it fails to turn them from passive readers into engaged ones.
Many write as if they’re speaking to an auditorium full of people. But public writing doesn’t work like public speaking.
Reading is almost always a private act.
It’s one person reading your content.
It’s one individual interacting with your material.
It’s not a mass experience.
The Ideal Solution: Write for That One Person
Have you ever read something and thought, 'This was written just for me'?
It sparks an instant connection, as if you’re having a one-on-one conversation with the writer.
It makes you, the reader, feel seen, heard, and understood.
Maria Popova, Founder of Brain Pickings (now Marginalia) says it beautifully,
"I think the key is to write as if you’re writing for a friend."
Why Writing for One Person Works
When you write for a specific person, your message becomes relatable and personal. Your audience connects with it, remembers it, and trusts you.
Writing for one person makes your content:
Authentic: Shed jargons and fluff, it becomes real.
Conversational: Like chatting with a friend, it builds connection.
Focused: Straight to the point, addressing what matters.
How to Write for One Person
Daniel Pink, the bestselling author, has a clever trick. He imagines speaking to a red chair, symbolizing a single person, sitting across from him, ready to listen. This simple shift helps him keep his writing focused, clear, and deeply personal.
You can do something similar.
Picture your ideal reader sitting right across from you, as if you’re having a casual, face-to-face conversation. Speak to them directly, and your content will naturally become more genuine and engaging.
Chuck Palahniuk puts it perfectly:
"If I’m writing for an audience, I’m writing for one person."
Some writers picture their ideal reader as a close friend. Others, like Pink, visualize something like a red chair to keep their writing grounded. Find what works for you. The key is to write with one person in mind, not a crowd.
Your reader is an individual. Speak to them, and your words will have an impact.
So, Forget the Crowd. Write for One.
"I try to write the way people talk, to make the words on the page sound like a conversation." - Elmore Leonard
When you write like you're having a conversation with one person, your content goes from generic to engaging.
It’s
easier to read,
easier to connect with, and
more likely to inspire action.
So, forget the crowd. Picture that one person. Just one. And write for that one person.
Make your writing conversational, specific, and relatable. Write like you talk, and watch how your connection turns into real engagement.
The key to content marketing success is when your reader says, “This was specifically written for me.”
So, if you want your message to break through the noise,
stop writing for a mass audience and
start writing for that one person who will truly benefit from your message.
When you do, you’ll create content that resonates—and, more importantly, drives action.
Soul Scribe: Write to Heal
Writing can heal.
Write to process your thoughts
Write to untangle your emotions
Write to forgive your regrets and forget your fears!
It’s not too late.
It’s happening today. 9 PM IST.