Eldon Farrell's Blog: The Writer's Craft - Posts Tagged "reading"
What is a reader owed?
One of the books that I’m currently reading is The Bestseller Code by Jodie Archer and Matthew L. Jockers.
In it, the authors explicitly state that when a reader purchases a book they do so with certain expectations. They expect to be entertained regardless of the genre, but with genre specific books they have more specific expectations.
For example, a romance reader expects to read a story that details the ups and downs of love and relationships and preferably ends happily. A thriller reader expects to read about dead bodies in one capacity or another along with edge of your seat action. In this way it’s posited that an author enters into an informal contract with their readers; with expectations on both sides.
This got me to thinking about just what the reader is owed? Is there an unwritten contract between an author and their readers?
As an author, when I put out a new book it's fair to say that I expect people to read and enjoy it. Not many of us publish works that we expect people to hate reading right? Going further, it could be said that we also expect them to rate or review our book and thereby share their experience with more potential readers. This point is hazy of course as by no means are readers required to do this, but as authors we do tend to hope.
So that forms our side of the "contract". What about the reader? Certainly when someone spends their hard earned dollars on a book they do so with the expectation of enjoying it. No surprises there.
But to say all they expect is to enjoy it is too vague for me. How will they enjoy it? What would cause them not to enjoy it...thus breaking the contract. I think every author can agree that unpolished work published for reader consumption is a bad idea. Certainly if you purchase a book and feel as if every page requires grammar and editing work, you're going to be disappointed. In that case, the contract has been broken.
But again, that's simple and obvious. Of course readers expect professional results from us; as well they should! If we delve deeper though, what are some other ways that readers may be disappointed with our work? Let's say for instance that you're Stephen King. You're known and loved the world over for your thrilling horror novels. Readers buy your work with the expectation of being scared. Now what if you decide your next book will be a romance novel?
It will assuredly be professional in terms of grammar and editing. The story (assuming you can write romance, and let's say you can) will be entertaining. On the surface there is nothing wrong with the book. But have you broken your contract to your loyal readers? Remember, they expect to be scared not read about love. As authors do we owe it to the reader to write the genre they want us to write? Is it okay for us to experiment?
You see it's not as simple as it might've first appeared to be.
What about endings? Is the reader owed a specific type of ending based upon the genre you write? If your ending is unhappy or a cliff-hanger have you broken that contract with the reader who expected everything to end neat and tidy?
The problem as I see it is that it's virtually impossible to please everyone. If you end it happy, some readers will love it and some will hate it. If your manuscript is drenched in violence some will say it's too much but if it's not there some will bemoan its absence.
This is why the concept of a contract doesn't hold for me. Not that I don't owe the reader something because I do. If you buy my books I owe you a story; the one you hold in your hands. I hope you enjoy it. I hope it makes you feel something. And I hope you share that feeling with others.
Would I call that a contract? No. I look at it more as a shared experience.
How about you?
In it, the authors explicitly state that when a reader purchases a book they do so with certain expectations. They expect to be entertained regardless of the genre, but with genre specific books they have more specific expectations.
For example, a romance reader expects to read a story that details the ups and downs of love and relationships and preferably ends happily. A thriller reader expects to read about dead bodies in one capacity or another along with edge of your seat action. In this way it’s posited that an author enters into an informal contract with their readers; with expectations on both sides.
This got me to thinking about just what the reader is owed? Is there an unwritten contract between an author and their readers?
As an author, when I put out a new book it's fair to say that I expect people to read and enjoy it. Not many of us publish works that we expect people to hate reading right? Going further, it could be said that we also expect them to rate or review our book and thereby share their experience with more potential readers. This point is hazy of course as by no means are readers required to do this, but as authors we do tend to hope.
So that forms our side of the "contract". What about the reader? Certainly when someone spends their hard earned dollars on a book they do so with the expectation of enjoying it. No surprises there.
But to say all they expect is to enjoy it is too vague for me. How will they enjoy it? What would cause them not to enjoy it...thus breaking the contract. I think every author can agree that unpolished work published for reader consumption is a bad idea. Certainly if you purchase a book and feel as if every page requires grammar and editing work, you're going to be disappointed. In that case, the contract has been broken.
But again, that's simple and obvious. Of course readers expect professional results from us; as well they should! If we delve deeper though, what are some other ways that readers may be disappointed with our work? Let's say for instance that you're Stephen King. You're known and loved the world over for your thrilling horror novels. Readers buy your work with the expectation of being scared. Now what if you decide your next book will be a romance novel?
It will assuredly be professional in terms of grammar and editing. The story (assuming you can write romance, and let's say you can) will be entertaining. On the surface there is nothing wrong with the book. But have you broken your contract to your loyal readers? Remember, they expect to be scared not read about love. As authors do we owe it to the reader to write the genre they want us to write? Is it okay for us to experiment?
You see it's not as simple as it might've first appeared to be.
What about endings? Is the reader owed a specific type of ending based upon the genre you write? If your ending is unhappy or a cliff-hanger have you broken that contract with the reader who expected everything to end neat and tidy?
The problem as I see it is that it's virtually impossible to please everyone. If you end it happy, some readers will love it and some will hate it. If your manuscript is drenched in violence some will say it's too much but if it's not there some will bemoan its absence.
This is why the concept of a contract doesn't hold for me. Not that I don't owe the reader something because I do. If you buy my books I owe you a story; the one you hold in your hands. I hope you enjoy it. I hope it makes you feel something. And I hope you share that feeling with others.
Would I call that a contract? No. I look at it more as a shared experience.
How about you?
Book Talk - What do you prefer?
This week I thought I'd take a stab at sparking a discussion here on The Writer's Craft.
We all read books (or else you wouldn't be here right?) but the question is what type of narratives do you prefer in your fiction reading? Do you love reading the ultra-detailed, incredibly accurate story or do you prefer a little more imagination in your reading?
Obviously your answer will depend somewhat upon the genre of book you read but no matter the genre, every story can either be described as realistic or unrealistic. Even with sci-fi and fantasy, stories are either grounded in scientific theory or plainly the territory of the author's wild imagination.
As a thriller fan I personally prefer stories that have enough realism to be believable but are not full of technical jargon and procedures that may be factual but add little to the overall story. For example, it's enough for me to be shown the CSI working a crime scene...I don't need to know each step they take in processing the scene.
The book I'm currently reading falls into this category. Shari Lapena does a masterful job writing her lead detective in The Couple Next Door.
Reading the scenes involving Detective Rasbach you're left feeling as if Lapena were an insider; owning a complete understanding of police procedure. This may or may not be the case but either way the minutia of police procedure never fully takes center stage in this book; the details never get in the way of the narrative. You're provided with enough detail to believe in the realism of the story but not so much that it overwhelms you. It's a novel after all...not a procedural handbook.
In the end I guess I'm just a big believer in the old adage; never let the truth get in the way of a good story :) If an idea works for the story that is being told I don't think it should be tossed out simply because it doesn't accurately reflect the real world. If I'm reading fiction, I give the author a little creative licence.
But that's just me and my opinion; I'm far more interested in your opinions. So I put it to you my followers...details or imagination - you decide!
We all read books (or else you wouldn't be here right?) but the question is what type of narratives do you prefer in your fiction reading? Do you love reading the ultra-detailed, incredibly accurate story or do you prefer a little more imagination in your reading?
Obviously your answer will depend somewhat upon the genre of book you read but no matter the genre, every story can either be described as realistic or unrealistic. Even with sci-fi and fantasy, stories are either grounded in scientific theory or plainly the territory of the author's wild imagination.
As a thriller fan I personally prefer stories that have enough realism to be believable but are not full of technical jargon and procedures that may be factual but add little to the overall story. For example, it's enough for me to be shown the CSI working a crime scene...I don't need to know each step they take in processing the scene.
The book I'm currently reading falls into this category. Shari Lapena does a masterful job writing her lead detective in The Couple Next Door.
Reading the scenes involving Detective Rasbach you're left feeling as if Lapena were an insider; owning a complete understanding of police procedure. This may or may not be the case but either way the minutia of police procedure never fully takes center stage in this book; the details never get in the way of the narrative. You're provided with enough detail to believe in the realism of the story but not so much that it overwhelms you. It's a novel after all...not a procedural handbook.
In the end I guess I'm just a big believer in the old adage; never let the truth get in the way of a good story :) If an idea works for the story that is being told I don't think it should be tossed out simply because it doesn't accurately reflect the real world. If I'm reading fiction, I give the author a little creative licence.
But that's just me and my opinion; I'm far more interested in your opinions. So I put it to you my followers...details or imagination - you decide!
Genre Challenge
Here at the start of another new year, as we all set goals we’d like to accomplish in 2019, I’d like to suggest something a little different. Throughout this year I will be participating in a genre challenge. What is that, you ask?
All too often, I find, readers settle into what they like to read—what’s comfortable for them. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, it does leave so much untouched. As a thriller writer, I read, not surprisingly, thrillers. But in order to grow as a writer, and as a reader, this year I’m challenging myself to get out of my comfort zone.
This year I will attempt to read four books outside of the genres I normally read. I will be reading one per quarter and I challenge any other writer or reader who views this post to do the same. Expand your horizons beyond the familiar and who knows what you might find? What you might learn? Or what you might love?
To start things off, here in the soon-to-be season of Valentine’s Day, I’m reading a romance book. This is far afield from my normal reads, but I look forward to seeing how a romance writer maintains a reader’s interest when the “happily ever after” is never in doubt. And without a doubt, given the size of the market, many readers interest is maintained.
Check out my genre challenge shelf here on Goodreads to keep up to date with the books and genres I choose. And by all means, join me on this journey. If you can’t commit to four books, commit to one. Comment below if you’ll join me on this reading odyssey, and if you do, I look forward to hearing what you thought of the books you chose outside your own comfort zones!!
All too often, I find, readers settle into what they like to read—what’s comfortable for them. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, it does leave so much untouched. As a thriller writer, I read, not surprisingly, thrillers. But in order to grow as a writer, and as a reader, this year I’m challenging myself to get out of my comfort zone.
This year I will attempt to read four books outside of the genres I normally read. I will be reading one per quarter and I challenge any other writer or reader who views this post to do the same. Expand your horizons beyond the familiar and who knows what you might find? What you might learn? Or what you might love?
To start things off, here in the soon-to-be season of Valentine’s Day, I’m reading a romance book. This is far afield from my normal reads, but I look forward to seeing how a romance writer maintains a reader’s interest when the “happily ever after” is never in doubt. And without a doubt, given the size of the market, many readers interest is maintained.
Check out my genre challenge shelf here on Goodreads to keep up to date with the books and genres I choose. And by all means, join me on this journey. If you can’t commit to four books, commit to one. Comment below if you’ll join me on this reading odyssey, and if you do, I look forward to hearing what you thought of the books you chose outside your own comfort zones!!
