Poetry People - Conversation on Poets

I think the crux of the problem with writing is, you can’t please everyone and it’s futile to try.  That’s why writing with a specific reader/audience in mind is a useful tool. 

Some pieces will strike a chord with a general audience and some pieces are geared for a specific audience.   It’s the writer’s job to determine the difference and know who they are trying to reach.  If you don’t know who you’re trying to reach, it’s the same thing as spinning your wheels.

I don’t think writing with an audience in mind makes you a hack or a jerk-off.  It shows that you’ve done your homework and you know you can’t please everyone.