From the first draft to the finished product, you labored over your book or article with devotion. During your writing breaks, you imagined the accolades that would be poured on you from friends and family when they read your masterpiece. You even practiced the modest reactions you would have to their endless praise. You feel that the people in your life motivated you. In reality, they stifled you.
What went wrong? In short, you cared about what the people in your life would think about your published work, thereby putting your true message in second place. You held back so as not to offend anyone you know or gave false praise in an attempt to please them. Authors often do this without realizing it. Even if you know you're doing it, you might think that others will not catch on or that it does not hurt your writing. It does.
Whether it's one-dimensional parents in a memoir or a not-so-steamy love scene in a romance novel, a good editor knows when you've pulled your punches. Doing so doesn't make you a bad writer, but it doesn't make your writing good. Twisting and muffling your message results in lackluster writing and hours of your life squandered. You will never become a great author until you become an autonomous author.
Considering how critical people in our lives can be, it's no surprise that we take their opinions into account—consciously or not—every time we attempt to express ourselves. To make matters worse, women are criticized more often than men, especially in roles of leadership and authority. Even as I type this article, each keystroke brings up concern over what others might say to me about what I wrote or forgot to write.
Am I really saying you shouldn't care about the opinions of those in your life? When it comes to your writing, yes.
After nearly two decades of working with authors, I know that what I'm asking of you is easier said than done. So, I'm going to share a harsh truth about your writing that I would like you to keep in mind as you write. This applies to any type of writer and any piece of writing, from full-length novels right down to your shortest tweets.

No One You Know Is Going to Read Your Work

Everyone has told you that you should write. You shared snippets of your manuscript with your friends, family, and dog walker, and they have all told you that the story is so good it should be a movie! They can't wait to read it, and they are but a small and unbiased sample of the world's population.
Then you publish. Days, weeks, and years go by, and no one you know has read it. What gives? Are they all too busy encouraging other writers? Sure, let's go with that excuse.
Aside from that one borderline-stalker frenemy, your work will pass unnoticed and might even be dismissed by those you love.

Attempts Will Be Made, Which Is Worse

The people in your life love you. Even though they are not publishing professionals, their encouragement and support is genuine. Some will attempt to read your finished work. Four things might happen then:
(1) The Guilt Read. These people skim your work out of guilt. It's not really their thing, but what if you ask them about it? You dedicated the book to them, after all. They're living in your home and eating your food, and you gave them a free copy. There's no escaping the guilt read for them. They crack the spine knowing that no matter what you've written, they're going to say they loved it. YouTube plays in the background as they read.
(2) The Overanalytical Read. These people will put their own slant on your work because they know you, so when they get to the brooding neighbor with the sultry eyes in the second chapter, they think it's about them. They always knew you had a crush on them. Rather than accept the work for what it is, they misinterpret your message and might even argue with you about it. They'll also tell you what you should have written instead. Doesn't that sound fun?
(3) The Rejection Read. These people read it and don't just reject the story; they reject you for writing the story. Why are these people even in your life?
(4) The Love Read.These wonderful and smart people read your work in its entirety. They get it. They love it. They love you more for writing it. I'm only including this one to make you feel better. Consider it an awkward one-arm side hug from me to you.
It doesn't matter why everyone you know does or doesn't read your masterpiece. What matters is that if you wrote it for them, or with their possible opinions in mind, you cheated your actual audience and weakened your writing.
So, what can you do to prevent this mistake from happening and improve as a writer?

Write for Yourself

You write because you have something to say, and writing is the way you choose to say it. The message hums in your head, and the humming gets louder and louder until you absolutely must write it down.
Whether you're aspiring to be a novelist, journalist, thought leader, or any other type of writer, you're putting in the hard work first and foremost for yourself. You write because you must—then comes your audience.

Write for Your Ideal Reader

The other reason you write is that you know your message is of value to someone else. Rather than caring about the opinions of those in your life, you should be caring about getting your message across to your intended audience. No piece of work is for everyone, though some aspiring writers want to believe otherwise.
"Know your audience" is common writing advice that is often interpreted to mean knowing the genre in which you're writing. While that is part of it, it's not all that helpful as you're writing. What is helpful is knowing for whom you are writing.
Create a composite ideal reader in your mind. Who is this person, and how will your message improve their life? Keeping this person in your mind as you write will help you write a clear and impactful piece of work that will have maximum benefit to you, your writing career, and your true audience. Trust me, your mom is not your ideal reader.