Posted by: Genene ValleauCurrent Project: editing a novella, CHASING RAINBOWS
Status: Making good progress!
Have you ever envisioned your readers? I mean really thought about who they are and what they do with their lives and why they are reading your book?
Why did they pick up your book? Are they a friend? A family member? Someone you've never met?
What did they expect when they picked out your book? Did they want the emotion of falling in love? Or the experience of living in the West when cowboys rode the rugged ranges? Did they want to imagine what the world would be like if electricity had never been invented or if our cars were powered by solar batteries instead of fossil fuels?
Would they recommend your book to someone else? Why or why not?
I have to confess that this is not an exercise I've done before. Sure, I want to sell books--the more the better! But I've not actually dropped inside my readers' heads and imagined what they are feeling when they read the words I've written.
My younger son says when he reads my books he can see the story play out like a movie in his head. My older son sheepishly admits he never thought he would get so involved in a romance book. I take both of these comments as high praise. If they didn't like the stories, their silence would be very telling.
Friends who are not writers have generously complimented me about how well-written the stories are. I think some of this is still the shock of realizing they have known me for years and never imagined this entire other world I live in much of the time.
Then there are people I have never met before who gush over the stories and reviewers who write glowing -- or not-so-glowing -- reviews of my books. And what about the potential readers who read those stories and didn't care for them, so kept silent? Or those who decided not to even give them a try? Why? What part of the stories resonated with them or jarred them out of my story world?
Were these readers distracted by other pieces of their lives? Did troubles in their lives disappear for a few hours while they lived in my story worlds? Did they laugh and cry and get turned on and sigh with satisfaction when they reached the happy ending? If their budget only allowed them to buy another one of my books or a movie or a CD of music, which would they choose?
Some writers may say these are the kind of questions that could paralyze you to never write another book for fear of not pleasing any potential reader. However, I've found taking this imaginary trip makes me want to dig deeper into each character's emotions and double-check descriptions to be sure they fit the tone of the story yet engage the emotions in a fresh and unique way. OK--to write the very best story I can. These questions have also given me ideas about promotion and how to reach potential readers.
So how about you? Do you look at your stories through a reader's eyes? If so, what insight has that given you?
Status: Making good progress!
Have you ever envisioned your readers? I mean really thought about who they are and what they do with their lives and why they are reading your book?
Why did they pick up your book? Are they a friend? A family member? Someone you've never met?
What did they expect when they picked out your book? Did they want the emotion of falling in love? Or the experience of living in the West when cowboys rode the rugged ranges? Did they want to imagine what the world would be like if electricity had never been invented or if our cars were powered by solar batteries instead of fossil fuels?
Would they recommend your book to someone else? Why or why not?
I have to confess that this is not an exercise I've done before. Sure, I want to sell books--the more the better! But I've not actually dropped inside my readers' heads and imagined what they are feeling when they read the words I've written.
My younger son says when he reads my books he can see the story play out like a movie in his head. My older son sheepishly admits he never thought he would get so involved in a romance book. I take both of these comments as high praise. If they didn't like the stories, their silence would be very telling.
Friends who are not writers have generously complimented me about how well-written the stories are. I think some of this is still the shock of realizing they have known me for years and never imagined this entire other world I live in much of the time.
Then there are people I have never met before who gush over the stories and reviewers who write glowing -- or not-so-glowing -- reviews of my books. And what about the potential readers who read those stories and didn't care for them, so kept silent? Or those who decided not to even give them a try? Why? What part of the stories resonated with them or jarred them out of my story world?
Were these readers distracted by other pieces of their lives? Did troubles in their lives disappear for a few hours while they lived in my story worlds? Did they laugh and cry and get turned on and sigh with satisfaction when they reached the happy ending? If their budget only allowed them to buy another one of my books or a movie or a CD of music, which would they choose?
Some writers may say these are the kind of questions that could paralyze you to never write another book for fear of not pleasing any potential reader. However, I've found taking this imaginary trip makes me want to dig deeper into each character's emotions and double-check descriptions to be sure they fit the tone of the story yet engage the emotions in a fresh and unique way. OK--to write the very best story I can. These questions have also given me ideas about promotion and how to reach potential readers.
So how about you? Do you look at your stories through a reader's eyes? If so, what insight has that given you?
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7 comments:
Interesting post, Genene!
I think if I stopped and analyzed why people read my books, I wouldn't be able to write. I know some men who've read a couple and commented they were hot, and not what they expected. While women liked the heroes, and others liked the subtle humor, and yet others liked the multi-faceted characters. Everyone has a different reason for liking a book and if I tried to figure out all the reasons and tried to write a book to make everyone happy-- I'd be the one not happy. I don't think about what others are going to think when I write, I think about the story and the characters and what makes the story work.
Yes, it stings when there's a bad review, but you know that's one person's opinion on a given day. I just have to keep in mind the people wanting to know when the next book comes out.
Thought provoking.
This is interesting Genene.
I got a letter from a lady once who told me she had read one of my books, staying up all night to finish, sobbing here and laughing there and that somehow it was a catharsis to her divorce and how much it meant to her. I think that was my most poignant communication with a reader.
My goal is to provide a few hours escape. That's all I think about, writing the story I've thought up in such a way that someone else can enjoy it the way I have enjoyed countless other writers. Some stories touch me and them more than others but the thing to keep in mind is there is no way of knowing which story will touch which reader. So, I do my best each time with the conscious effort only to be true to the story and to myself. That's what I expect as a reader from an author.
Because look at it this way... do you expect your favorite writers to anticipate your desires as a reader or do do you expect them to tell their story and leave it to you to climb aboard for the ride or get off the bus (gracefully, please) if the destination is not their thing?
When I received a fan letter from a man in a prison in California and a Japanese teenager in Tokyo on the same book, I realized not only that my readers are diverse but for at least that one time my story struck a universal chord. I guess that's my goal every time.
Good morning, Paty!
I've heard the advice about just writing the story. And, as I mentioned on a previous blog, I recently went through the self-doubt triggered by a not-so-great review.
So it was interesting last night when I was thinking about readers (which includes reviewers) that I moved into using a readers' perspective as a tool to use when I edit to double check any areas of my stories that might need strengthened.
I like that you get comments about specific elements of your stories, such as the hot heroes or the subtle humor or the multi-faceted characters. That lets you know what you're doing exceptionally well. Very cool!
"...leave it to you to climb aboard for the ride or get off the bus (gracefully, please)..."
I love this, Alice!
I think last night when I was thinking about readers was a switch from just "knowing" I want to write the best book I can to "feeling" that motivation. Don't know if that makes sense. I think I'm just catching up with the rest of you!
Awesome that you get mail from such diverse readers. Those are treasures!
Stella,
Thank you for stopping by to clarify and to comment. I do remember you making a comment at a conference (please don't ask me to remember which one!) about getting wonderful reviews and ones that weren't so great.
I think you and Paty Jager will be at the same conference in eastern Washington this weekend. It was one that tempted me, but I have a tough time getting anyone to spoil my herd of doggies if I travel. :)
Take care!
Lisa, but you are working on finishing that book, right?
With your marketing and promotion background, thinking about your audience is probably second nature for you, so you've already gone through this learning curve that I'm experiencing. :)
Yes, I'm headed to the Spokane conference. Hope to visit with you Stella!
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