Hey! It’s the Monthly Blog Hop for the Insecure Writers Support Group founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh.
The awesome co-hosts for the August 2 posting of the IWSG are Kate Larkinsdale, Diane Burton, Janet Alcorn, and Shannon Lawrence!
August 2 question: Have you ever written something that afterwards you felt conflicted about? If so, did you let it stay how it was, take it out, or rewrite it?
My book, Azael's Lot has some scenes I debated about keeping...
Though conflicted, I kept them.
The story is about fallen angels, demons, and witches.
Too often movies and TV shows...
Make the dark side is seem not so dark...
Cozy witches cooking potpourri and making candles...
And cute love potions and spells.
Not my witches...
They’re evil and I wanted people to detest them.
That’s what the darkness is.
Years ago...
Harriet, my 76-year-old neighbor in Ohio...
Asked to read the manuscript...
So I gave her the whole enchilada.
A few days later Harriet came to my door...
And shoved the manuscript at me and and said:
“Oh, Leigh! I couldn’t finish reading your manuscript…
All the blood! The filthy rituals! What those witches did
to that boy! I just didn’t want those visions in my head.
I was afraid of getting nightmares. I’m sorry. I thought
the story was about angels…not witches and demons.”
“But there is a redeeming factor in the end, Harriet.”
“Sorry dear, I just can’t read anymore.”
So?
That fact that my story scared the bejeebers out of Harriet…
Was that a good thing?
Always.
Em-Musing
6 comments:
Some people love blood and gore. Some people love to be afraid. Others, not so much. You probably want to find a reader who is used to reading your style of writing.
She wasn't your target reader. However, there are people who dig that type of story. That's who you are writing to.
Maybe she shouldn't have agreed to read it? Nope, definitely not your type of reader.
I understand your neighbor's reluctance. I wouldn't want to read it either, for the same reasons. Evil is real, but I don't want to watch it.
I've read/watched the beginning of a book/movie that gave me the same reaction as your neighbor--I would have nightmares. I'm definitely not your targeted audience, either. That's okay. We can't appeal to all readers.
No story is for everyone. Some people like darker stories more than others. It's good that you kept yours the way you felt it should be written.
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