Audience Empathy Guide Template¶
Your audience guide defines the real people reading your book. Not demographics -- internal monologues. What are they thinking while they read? When will they close the book? What earns their trust?
The real system used two reader personas and checked every section against both. You might need one, two, or three. More than three and you're writing for nobody.
How to Use: 1. Create 1-3 reader personas with specific profiles 2. Write their internal monologue (the skeptical voice in their head while reading) 3. Define trust builders and trust killers for each 4. Build calibration questions for drafting and review 5. Define callout formats for when advice diverges between audiences
# Audience Empathy Guide
> Know who you're writing for. Every word is a cost to the reader.
## The Core Rule
Both audiences are time-starved. Every word is a cost.
- [READER #1] has [THEIR KEY CONSTRAINT -- e.g., "2,000 employees and a board asking questions"]
- [READER #2] has [THEIR KEY CONSTRAINT -- e.g., "18-month runway where every week counts"]
When you pad your writing, you steal their time. When you get to the point, you respect their intelligence.
**The test:** Would they skim this paragraph? If yes, tighten it or cut it.
---
## Reader #1: [NAME] -- [SHORT DESCRIPTOR]
### Profile
**Role:** [Specific title, not generic -- e.g., "COO of a $500M manufacturing company"]
**Background:**
- [Years of experience, career path]
- [Relevant past experiences with your topic]
- [Current pressures or constraints]
- [Who they report to or are accountable to]
- [Budget, team size, or resource constraints]
### Internal Monologue
What they're thinking while reading your book:
> "[SKEPTICAL THOUGHT -- e.g., 'Here we go again, another book telling me X will change everything...']"
>
> "[CREDIBILITY CHECK -- e.g., 'Does this person understand what it's like to run a real business?']"
>
> "[PRACTICAL CONCERN -- e.g., 'This sounds good in theory, but my team is already overwhelmed...']"
>
> "[COMPARISON -- e.g., 'How is this different from the last trend I ignored?']"
>
> "[IMPATIENCE -- e.g., 'Get to the point or I'm closing this book.']"
### What Builds Trust
| Do This | Example |
|---------|---------|
| **[TRUST BUILDER #1]** | "[Specific example of how to do it in your writing]" |
| **[TRUST BUILDER #2]** | "[Example]" |
| **[TRUST BUILDER #3]** | "[Example]" |
| **[TRUST BUILDER #4]** | "[Example]" |
### What Loses Trust
| Avoid This | Why It Fails |
|------------|--------------|
| [TRUST KILLER #1] | "[What this reader thinks when they see it]" |
| [TRUST KILLER #2] | "[Their reaction]" |
| [TRUST KILLER #3] | "[Their reaction]" |
### Questions They Need Answered
1. [PRACTICAL QUESTION #1]
2. [PRACTICAL QUESTION #2]
3. [PRACTICAL QUESTION #3]
4. [PRACTICAL QUESTION #4]
---
## Reader #2: [NAME] -- [SHORT DESCRIPTOR]
### Profile
**Role:** [Specific title]
**Background:**
- [Experience level]
- [Relevant context]
- [Current pressures]
- [Resources available]
### Internal Monologue
> "[SKEPTICAL THOUGHT]"
>
> "[PRACTICAL CONCERN]"
>
> "[RESOURCE CONSTRAINT -- e.g., 'I can't afford to build this from scratch...']"
>
> "[RELEVANCE CHECK -- e.g., 'Is this just advice for big companies repackaged?']"
>
> "[TIME PRESSURE -- e.g., 'Every paragraph I read is time I'm not shipping.']"
### What Builds Trust
| Do This | Example |
|---------|---------|
| **[TRUST BUILDER #1]** | "[Example]" |
| **[TRUST BUILDER #2]** | "[Example]" |
| **[TRUST BUILDER #3]** | "[Example]" |
### What Loses Trust
| Avoid This | Why It Fails |
|------------|--------------|
| [TRUST KILLER #1] | "[Reaction]" |
| [TRUST KILLER #2] | "[Reaction]" |
| [TRUST KILLER #3] | "[Reaction]" |
### Questions They Need Answered
1. [QUESTION #1]
2. [QUESTION #2]
3. [QUESTION #3]
4. [QUESTION #4]
---
## Writing for Both: Calibration Questions
### For [Reader #1]
- [ ] Would a skeptic in their role take this seriously?
- [ ] Is there enough [WHAT THEY VALUE -- e.g., "operational detail"]?
- [ ] Have I addressed "[THEIR CORE FEAR]"?
- [ ] Is there an example from their world?
### For [Reader #2]
- [ ] Is this actionable with their constraints?
- [ ] Have I given [WHAT THEY NEED -- e.g., "stage-appropriate guidance"]?
- [ ] Is there a "[THEIR PREFERRED APPROACH -- e.g., "ship fast"]" path?
- [ ] Does this help with [THEIR SECONDARY GOAL -- e.g., "investor conversations"]?
### For Both
- [ ] Would both readers finish this chapter?
- [ ] Is there an "I never thought of it that way" moment for each?
- [ ] Can both take action this week?
- [ ] Would either skim any paragraph? If yes, cut it.
---
## Two-Audience Callouts
When advice differs meaningfully between readers, use explicit callouts.
### Format A: Side-by-Side (Major Differences)
> **For [Reader #1 type]:**
> [Specific guidance for their context]
> **For [Reader #2 type]:**
> [Specific guidance for their context]
### Format B: Inline (Minor Differences)
"[General advice] (for [type 1], this means [X]; for [type 2], it's usually [Y])."
### Format C: Footnote Style
"[General advice].*"
*\*[Type 1]: [modifier]. [Type 2]: [different modifier].*
---
## The Empathy Test
For any draft, both readers should think:
**[Reader #1]:** "[THEIR IDEAL REACTION -- e.g., 'Finally, someone who understands what it's actually like.']"
**[Reader #2]:** "[THEIR IDEAL REACTION -- e.g., 'I can use this next week.']"
**Both:** "This respects my time -- no padding, just value."
If you can't say all three confidently, revise.
---
*See also: Voice Guide, Gold Standard Reference*
Adapted from the audience empathy guide used for Blueprint for An AI-First Company. The original defined two reader personas (enterprise executive and startup founder) and was checked against every section across 12 chapters.