First-time authors are often plagued by questions about how to build a readership, gain a following, and build a platform from which to launch their books.  We received a question from a Novel Marketing listener about how to connect with a lot of readers: I have no following, no readers, and no platform. I have ten potential readers made up of family and friends who I suspect would buy my book. But how do I go from 10 to 10,000 readers in five years. -Novel Marketing Listener If you’re writing fiction, we have a course that teaches you how to build a readership. You can also listen to our episode about The Guaranteed Way to Become a Bestselling Novelist. But what if you’re writing nonfiction? First, I want to congratulate this listener on getting ten readers! The first ten readers are always the hardest. It’s often hard to get people interested at the beginning. But if you have ten true fans who are willing to read everything you write and share it with their friends, you are off to a great start. Many writers don’t even have ten true fans. Tips for Growing Your Readership  Research the Total Potential Market Size One of the first steps of marketing is to determine how many potential readers exist. You may have found a niche that only a handful of people care about.  Research the Market for Memoir When an author writes about their own life, the target market is typically quite small. The potential audience for a memoir is limited to people who already have questions about the author’s life.  A memoir authored by an average person will generate interest from only a few dozen readers. By contrast, a memoir by an American president or major celebrity will likely interest millions of readers.  Commercial success requires the author to have some celebrity, and you may need to come to grips with that reality.  However, writing for a small audience is perfectly acceptable, though less commercially viable. My grandfathers wrote autobiographies, and several hundred of our family members treasure those books. Research the Market for a Rant It’s also hard to find a market for a ranting book. No one wants to read a stranger’s political, theological, or philosophical rants. In general, people don’t want to read rants. Your nonfiction book must offer solutions to make someone’s life better.  Complaining doesn’t sell.Thomas Umstattd, Jr. Once you’ve discovered a market of people who want and need what you’re writing, you’ll need to resonate with them. Success in Publishing Requires Resonance In physics, resonance is like pushing a child on a swing. If you are in resonance with the frequency of the swing, you are pushing the child as she swings away from you. You are encouraging the swing in the direction it already wants to go. If you misjudge the frequency, you’ll miss your chance to push or push the child off the swing. Writers must aim for resonance based on the spirit of the era in which they write. In other words, writers must be in tune with (or in resonance with) the cultural zeitgeist.