Whilst checking through my emails this morning, I came across an advertisement for a writing course. Apparently, this course can transform you into a bestselling author within weeks, with no writing experience needed. Intrigued by these bold claims, I began to read through the article. Funnily enough, it was not the huge promises that made me groan, but the entire way the article was written. I could not make out what sort of personality the course leader possessed; the article told me nothing. In fact, it could have been written by a robot. The sentences didn't flow and they lacked any motivation to spark my interest to enquire about this amazing course. The lack of personality from this course leader, who was claiming to make its recipients the next JK Rowling, was extraordinary. So, while you can guarantee, I will not be attending this course, it did make me wonder how exactly you can inject a huge amount of personality into your writing. Although this list can help almost any genre, it is mainly for writers of non-fiction.  

Write your book with one specific person in mind. I know this seems a crazy idea, as you are narrowing your audience down a great deal. But using this format actually works as the broader your target reader is, the less chance you will have to make your personality shine. Imagine you are attending a conference with the intention of building your network contacts. You will get a much more positive response if you speak to a person on a one to one basis. It is almost impossible to cater to everyone's needs. But if you focus your attention on one person, you can speak to them specifically. It is much better to have a smaller, interested audience than no audience at all. 

Write how you speak. I know there will be a lot of people who will disagree with me on this point, but when you write as you speak, the flow of your sentences and the passion for your subject will engage your reader and build a connection with them. Do not be afraid to show you are a human and not a robot. This is the fastest way to interest a reader and make them believe you know them and have their best interests at heart.

Be totally honest with your reader. This will build trust with your reader and they will appreciate you for it. Another great way to increase reader engagement is to be your authentic self. Writing is a great way to discover who you really are, as most people have no clue. They simply follow the crowd and lose their identity in the process. If you are going to build your audience then they must see your strengths as well as weaknesses. They will feel they can relate to you and believe in the content of your book, blog or website. Remember, no one likes to read content from a slick salesperson who claims they have never made a mistake in their life.  

Be confident in your writing ability. When you hit that publish button, every writer feels a little nervous, that is only natural. But by following the techniques above, your personality will start to filter through. Your audience will feel they can connect with you and therefore want to share your content on social media, purchase your products or simply engage with you on your blog or website.