What turns us on or off in reading...that question plagues me, especially after I read a post this morning about someone who said if they read about a certain thing they would absolutely not finish the book....as a reader and writer I was astonished...
I know everyone has preferences...some don't like romance...others don't like sci-fi...others shudder at the sight of non-fiction....and that is what makes us diverse...
That is not what I mean....what I am talking about is this...
If you pick up a book in a genre you already love and are enjoying it and discover that one of the characters, particularly the main character is doing something you don't approve of...
say having an affair....dating someone from out of space and you can't stand aliens...
Then no matter how enjoyable the book is, you will close it and not read it....WOW....
I was under the impression that true readers were quite open minded...
But I am learning that is just not so..
For me as a reader I am looking to be so caught up in a story that I want to know what occurs...
good, bad or indifferent....
Not only that....but I absolutley LOVE, LOVE, LOVE...to know the whys and the wheretofores...
That makes for a splendid read for me...
As a writer, I have discovered that people make books relative to their own lives....
If you have a cheating character....you can almost see the distaste on the face of a reader who has been cheated on...
If there is an interracial love situation....folks who don't believe in that kind of thing...will look as though they had lemonade without any sugar....
If you mention spirituality, agnostics shudder at that, rolling their eyes....
My goodness....what is a writer to do...
When a story is just burning in their hearts and souls and won't let them go?
Do they listen to what a handful say about what is palatable to them....
Hell to the No....
I almost got caught up in that when writing Cinnamon's Universe....
I wrote the current book...
Then I let a few voices infiltrate my head for a minute and I actually wrote a completely different book...yes ya'll there are two versions...
But Cinnamon got in my face in all her glory saying, "You will not dilute me in order to make me easier to swallow for some people. You will rep me just as I am, with all my imperfections, damn it...and those who can will, and those who can't won't. Now acVernon Menchan, handle your business..."
Ya'll know she said it....and I said...
Yes Ma'am...the muse has spoken...
angelia
5 comments:
Reading is such a subjective thing, especially when it comes to readers tastes and habits. I've found that most die-hard genre readers, be it romance, sci-fi, mystery, what-have-you, are very particular about thier genres and what they will and will-not have in a book they are reading. And romance readers are the most stringent in this regard. I'm like you... I love a good story and a writer who breaks the rules won't make me stop reading if the story is good and pulls me in. And with romance the only thing that will really burn me up is if they don't live happily-ever-after in the end. But by then I would have finished the entire book. LOL.
Great post.
Gwyneth
If I like an author, like the genre, like the storyline, I won't put a book down because something doesn't fit into my little square box. However, I generally give a book 50 pages to grab me...if it hasn't happened by then then I put the book asided to give to someone else. I agree with Gywneth...reading is such a subjective thing...and readers come in all taste and habits. I've learned not to allow anyone else's opinions to dictate my taste...oh wait I've always been a rebel so others don't usually sway me...and as far as writing...I'm glad you listened to Cinnamon. Now while I question some of ole gurls actions...I didn't stop reading because she chose to do things differently from me. Besides it was a fictional tale...wasn't it...hehe.
xoxo
Subjective indeed...
Gwyneth,
I do to love a happy ending in my romance, otherwise what is the point...
Yas...
that is exactly what I want readers to do, read the whole thing if it is good to them, whether they agree or not...is that not growth...
Love and Blessings
angelia
I cannot fathom putting down a book because a character does something I don't like....
I am currently reading a book that I do not like but I am forcing myself to read it. Why? Because I hope to come out understanding what it is the author is doing wrong.
I was tempted to pass the book on but I'm coming to see that if I take the good, I have to take the bad as well. I expect some type of growth to occur when I shut it permanently.
This is a great post!
Thanks Genesis...
mother does her best....it is all about growth...imho
Love and Blessings...
angelia
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