Recently, I
was told by my editor…
That
when a person buys a book…
There’s
an expectation…
And it's up to the author…
To meet the readers expectation.
And
of course the reader has an expectation
Because doesn’t
everything we buy…
Come with an expectation?
Say
for instance Jello…
If
I buy Jello and make it…
I expect it to, well, gel. Or is it Jel?
If
I buy eggs…
I
expect when I crack the shells…
To find eggs inside.
So
why hadn’t I thought about expectations…
When
I was writing my manuscript?
But
in my defense…
It
wasn’t like I was trying…
To short circuit the author's expectations…
To short circuit the author's expectations…
I enjoyed every word I wrote in the story…
Ah, and there’s the rub…
“I”
was enjoying writing the story.
And
what’s wrong with you that, you might ask?
Nothing,
if I was the only one going to read my book.
My
editor also pointed out that the reader…
When reading my book…
Might have a dialog in their head…
That goes something like this…
“Why
doesn’t she leave her putz of a husband?
Will
she ever kiss the hero?
Why
is there all this backstory? I’m not dumb!
Why
is this chapter even in the book?
Or,
huh?
I thought I was reading a romance…
And
now it's switched to contemporary? C’mon!”
And
I’m not saying that the reader…
Would have a bitch session with other readers…
But
in the reader’s mind these objections…
Might
make them put my book down…
And
use it as a coaster for their coffee cup.
Or worse - never buy from me again1
So?
My
question to you, dear writer is this…
Do
you picture your reader when you write?
How
do you do it?
And
do you have someone in particular?
Always,
Em-Musing
P.S.
Coming soon—with soon being a relative concept—I will be providing details on
my upcoming Writer’s Retreat.
