9.24.2013

How we writers want you to read our books.


Today, I read a question on Quora that had me rolling my eyes.

Don't get me wrong, a lot of people will see the question as relevant, given the fact that the study of literature in English encourage people to think a certain way of stories.

The question:

"How do you read a book the way the author wants their readers to?
REPHRASE: Every author has it's purpose for the book, how to you read the book so the author feels respected/happy/satisfied etc?"



Like I said, valid. At the same time, I'm having trouble writing this because my eyeballs got stuck with my pupils aimed at my skull.


Here's why: I believe that the idea of an author's purpose in the context expounded by literature teachers the world over is a myth. 

Sure, some of us like to explore certain aspects of life in my writing. Like racism, or bullying or... spousal abuse. Name it and someone's probably written a book with it in the story already. 

But never (and I've interacted with and read about so many authors I've lost count) have I heard a published author say: "I've always wanted to write a comment on racism/bullying/insert-hot-topic-for-literary-debate-here." 

No! We all want to write about the bullied kid who stands up to the bullies. Or the battered wife who kills her husband with a leg of mutton, then proceeds to feed murder-weapon-stew to the detectives (Roald Dahl wrote that one, by the way). Or some other absolutely low-brow but completely delicious subject.

We fiction writers are weird weird people. We like writing weird and interesting stories. Things that excite us and draw us in. 

And comments on insert-topic-here are about as dry as King Tut's mummy. 

So here's how we writers want you to read our book, the don't-ever-write-this-in-a-literature-essay-or-you'll-be-failed version: 

1) With a suspension of disbelief.
2) With rapt attention.
3) With a sense that you the reader are living the story along with the characters.
4) With trust that the story will lead you the reader somewhere incredibly rewarding.


On top of that, some authors (those who want their books to be lessons) want their readers to think about what they've read. Things like:

1) Would you be able to follow the main characters' examples?
2) What would you do in the situation you've just read about?

All of us want you to remember our stories and characters. We all want you to think about our stories for years to come, and bring it up in dinner conversations so more people will want to read our books. 

Not because we think our comment on insert-topic-here is valid and deserves to be assimilated into many thinking minds. 

But because we put our hearts and souls into stories. We love them, and we want as many people as possible to love them too. 

Readers: Did this come as a surprise to you? 
Writers: Anyone out there who agrees/disagrees with me?

16 comments:

  1. Leg of mutton...classic!
    I agree. We as writers do infuse our stories with relevant topics near and dear to our hearts but it's almost subliminal, not planned. Or shouldn't be anyway. That way leads to preaching on a subject. Instead, the story's main strength should be entertainment - a satisfying world for the reader to get lost in, to love, to want to dive back into.

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  2. Yes, I hope that my readers feel connected to the main character. My main goal as an author is to entertain my readers, and take them on one rip-roaring ride.

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  3. Now I want to read that story by Roald Dahl!

    I never understood why English teachers wanted us to find symbolism, meaning, theme, etc. in stories. I want to read for fun, get drawn into the characters' world. If I get more out of it than that, then that's nice and all, but not necessary. After all, a tree is sometimes just a tree. :)

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  4. I have to agree with you whole-heartedly. I remember nearly failing out of AP English Lit because me and the teacher always butted heads on what I thought I got from reading the story. I read with rapt attention - or boredom, depending on the book lol! - but I always saw something a little different than the "standard" accepted answers. Too funny now that I think back on that. I was a stubborn mule even then. lol!

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  5. I have to agree with you whole-heartedly. I remember nearly failing out of AP English Lit because me and the teacher always butted heads on what I thought I got from reading the story. I read with rapt attention - or boredom, depending on the book lol! - but I always saw something a little different than the "standard" accepted answers. Too funny now that I think back on that. I was a stubborn mule even then. lol!

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  6. You definitely can't be clinical. Write a story that you love and hopefully readers will too. Extra layers of meaning are great, but most of the time the author didn't even intend for them.

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  7. Readers don't want to be preached at or lectured at. I like to be entertaining. Sure, there's more to it, but nothing I would want a reader to dissect while reading. That would suck all the fun out of it, and I want them to enjoy it.

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  8. I couldn't agree more. I want to entertain and tell a good story that people enjoy, that's the biggest thrill for a writer I think. Sometimes when I think back to high school lit classes I feel like the whole point was to make people hate to read!

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  9. Well done! I think you've done a great job. When someone reads my writing I want them to feel like they are there in the story.

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  10. I agree with this alot! Thank you for sharing.

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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  11. I remember that Roald Dahl story! I completely agree with you. I want my readers to love my stories as much as I do. I want to evoke a wide-range of emotions. I just want them to say that was a damn good book!

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  12. Another reason can be that whether the reader gets the ending they desired or not that they understand/believe the story/novel is still worth merit. Authors don't write for some special reason beyond the cosmos. We're not mythical beings, just people with a talent and/or obsession with writing stories that might inspire or frighten you. Yeah, pretty much. Or maybe that's me.

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  13. Great to bring up this idea. It's something we authors do worry about - are the readers reading to pinpoint things they don't like, things they think are wrong and don't work, or with the idea that they are being taken to a different world/life/belief and to enjoy the ride!

    Thanks for the follows. :)Writer’s Mark

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  14. I agree 100%

    I would rather the reader be so captivated by the story than have them search for the meaning and all of that.

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  15. Absolutely agree. I found, though, that as writers we tend to naturally gravitate toward stories that do these things as we're writing. It's why we're so hard on ourselves when we feel the story we're writing isn't quite enthralling enough!

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