08-05-2012, 08:09 AM | #16 |
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Link to thread with Will Self Interview:
Will Self: 'I don't write for readers' https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=187088 |
08-06-2012, 05:26 PM | #17 |
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I think this is the fundimental question of writing.
I like writing what I like. And I am sure that in the 6 billiion people on Earth some them will like it. However, I am in a continous fight with the people in the writing group I was part of because they want books and story with the Standard Narative of a Novel. That is not what I want. I want to push in those places that society needs a push. Yes, that means a character may not be sympythetic but may be doing the right thing. That may mean that the law is not right or that money is not the hightest ideal. But going against the grain aint so easy, especially today. Have fun, Jan Last edited by bigjantailor; 08-07-2012 at 12:13 AM. |
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08-07-2012, 09:13 AM | #18 | |
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08-10-2012, 08:04 AM | #19 | |
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In "On Writing", Stephen King talks of the first draft being written with the door closed (in private, no one else sees it). For me (and this is only my take on it), this is creating what works for me. Stephen King talks of writing for your Ideal Reader (in his case his wife), this is not something I really consider on my first draft, first of all I want to know if my story works for me. Stephen King suggests that the second draft should be written with the door open (in public, others can see it). For me this is reviewing the story as an outsider might see it. Will they understand the story? Does it tell the story in a way that works for someone that can't see inside my head? At this point I can probably not argue that I am doing it only "for myself". But I only get to this point if I think what I created for myself is worthy of being shared (even if only in a limited circle). So yes, I fully agree that - at some point - an external reader needs to be considered. My OP was really about how much you let a particular "target audience" effect what you write (as opposed just to anyone that can read the text). How much do you actively target a specific audience? I can understand doing this if you specifically write for very young or teenage audiences, but for most others I am not so certain. You may write to the tone of the genre (romance, horror, etc.) or effect (fairy-tale, historical, etc), but to a particular audience? Last edited by gmw; 08-10-2012 at 08:18 AM. Reason: Minor edits. |
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08-10-2012, 10:39 AM | #20 |
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I rethought this subject.
I write for myself, but exactly who is that? I believe that my own tastes are acquired from reading material I like and then evolving constructively both with new material and internally in my own mind. Now how does that relate to the "readers out there." Or maybe we should say "our customers." The readers share our universe. They read the same kind of material and they recognize what they like. If we have chosen good authors to emulate and our interpretations have grown properly, then we will probably be able to relate to the available audience and find a customer base. Or put another way, our tastes will be their tastes. We will have all been assimilated. |
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08-10-2012, 11:04 AM | #21 | |
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08-10-2012, 12:59 PM | #22 |
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That's a valid method of writing as well. Generally speaking, readers who favor a particular genre are also familiar with the tropes of that genre, and expect it in the writing... they become a genre audience. If you're not sure about the audience, therefore, you can target the genre and achieve roughly the same results.
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08-10-2012, 08:50 PM | #23 |
cacoethes scribendi
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I am happy writing, but I do not always like what I produce. Once I recognise that something I'm writing is not working (for me) the enjoyment fades and I move on to something else. So yes, I'm happiest writing what I enjoy reading, but it is also apparent that some things a person writes only have much meaning to the author (sort of like a person's holiday photos are only interesting to the person that took the holiday).
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08-10-2012, 08:55 PM | #24 | |
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08-11-2012, 01:54 AM | #25 |
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For a long time I thought I new what Hermen Hesses Steppenwolf was about, that human need humor even it only be gallows humor. But I came to a new realization today. At the end of the book when Bach or who ever is laughing at his distorted music over the radio the ture difference between the Steppenwolf and the great artist is shown. The Steppenwolf sees the flaws in the radio transmited music. The great artist has the ablity to transend the pops and crackles making the music imperfect but sees the glore of it transmited and the humilty to laugh at the distortion. The great artist love art.
The art I create is created for me. I have no contorl over who love or hates it. I will love it warts and all - that was Frankistien's problem he never loved his creation. I've alway been a believer that things done for no reason are only things that a turly good -untainted by reason. Today I'm so happy to reallize art is better off made for the artist and not for the critic. Today I realized having shame for my art's flaws is to fined shame in myself. Have fun, Jan Last edited by bigjantailor; 08-11-2012 at 09:51 PM. |
08-13-2012, 11:04 PM | #26 |
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Write for yourself? Write for your reader?
Both are correct, and neither. If you're writing something you don't enjoy writing just because you think it will sell, you're doing something wrong. Generally if you don't enjoy writing it, your readers won't enjoy reading it. On the other hand, too often "I write for myself" is just an excuse to not put effort into it because you're trying to console yourself ahead of time that if it's not well received, it's just because the readers don't "get it." I've fallen into both traps at times, but fortunately it's not to difficult to keep the correct frame of mind. My rule of thumb is this: Write a book that you'll want to read. That will help you focus the style of the book into something that your readers can enjoy, while at the same time giving you the pleasure of writing and the motivation to make it the best you can. |
09-08-2012, 11:29 PM | #27 |
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A lot of interesting opinions. I'd have to say, when it comes to writing longer pieces, I always go with writing that interests/inspires me the most. After it's done, I sit down and ask myself: well, who is going to read this? And another: who is going to enjoy it?
On the flip side: I've set aside writing exercises in the form of short stories--these with a definite agenda in mind--a different genre, a different setting that requires research, a different narrative point of view, writing about characters that normally I wouldn't put in a story, to try to challenge myself and broaden my scope as a writer. These are harder to put together, but definitely worthwhile. |
09-11-2012, 07:00 AM | #28 |
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I still say that the writer and the reader can't really be separated. I doubt any writer writes a book and then remarks "who are these people who read my work? I don't know them."
Last edited by frahse; 09-11-2012 at 07:03 AM. |
09-11-2012, 07:04 AM | #29 |
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Or better still.
"He might not like them!" Last edited by frahse; 09-12-2012 at 12:01 AM. |
09-11-2012, 09:54 AM | #30 | |
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That being said... I almost never hear form my readers. I have no idea what demographic I am hitting. Women? Men? Young Adults? Dogs who are closet cat lovers? How the heck would you know? How do you see behind the next tick up on your sales count to know who it represents? So far I have gotten a few emails, one form a college kid, and one from a 50 something woman. One a 20 something female, and another form a 50 something man. You get the idea, a wide scattering. Less then 10 readers have contacted me, and they only thing they have in common is that they read my book and have an email account. |
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