Writing with Specific Readers in Mind

I have realized that writing with  specific readers in mind makes  it easy for us to write. I have learnt this the hard way.  The first book I wrote about a small boy and his trip to a modern day fairyland met with a roadblock the moment  an editor at a publishing house saw  it.

Though she loved the book she turned  it down. As a bit of friendship had developed between us she explained to me that there was a major disconnect between the theme (fairyland) and  my writing style. Though I had chosen a topic that would interest younger readers, I had chosen to  write in a style that was more suitable for older readers. This juxtaposition did not help the book at all.

 Actually at that point  ( nearly eight years back) I was clueless about which age group I wanted to write for. I just wrote and wrote and hoped that my work would fit somewhere. Unfortunately it didnt.

 That incident made me a little wiser. I realized that before starting any WIP, I had to get a few things sorted.

1.      The first decision  I take is the Writing Market I am catering to. Which age bracket/ market does my story suit ( Picture Book, Early Readers, Chapter Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult). Every story  has a specific age group who will find  the story interesting.

2.      Which genre does the story I  am writing belong to (Fantasy Fiction, SciFi, Mystery, Horror, Humor, Suspense, Historical, Paranormal ).

3.      Once the age group and genre are sorted, then it becomes easier to add elements to the story that will appeal to children in those age groups.  Every age group has its set of problems that  children face. Sibling rivalry, learning disabilities, jealousy, fierce competitiveness, parental pressure, peer pressure, lack of interest in studies, rebellious behaviour, bullying, body image issues, Insecurities and complexes, adjusting with parental separation,  and  relationship/dating issues.

4.      When elements from these issues are added to the story via small sub-plots, then the characters facing these issues become a kind of role model for children of that age group who are facing those problems.

5.      There is a strong sense of identity between the readers and the protagonist. When the protagonist  is   facing the problem  the  readers  tackle everyday a connection is forged between them.

6.      The language and style of writing can be tweaked to suit that particular age group.

7.      Once everything slides into place (age group, genre, style, problems faced and tackled) it becomes easier  for us to write keeping that specific age group and their dreams, hopes, desires, problems and  aspirations in mind.

8.      Every story needs a different treatment, but once  we decide which age group we are specifically targeting, it becomes easier to add elements  of life that will  specially appeal to that  particular age group and adopt a style of writing and language to suit that age group.

What do you all think?  What kind of elements should we add  to make our stories appealing to that age group? Is there anything particular  we should do  so that our work  suits  a specific market and there are less chances of it being rejected due to unsuitability?

Why Do We Read?

Sometime back I was asked a question “ As a writer you must be reading a lot?” My answer was “Yes,” but, before I could say anything more, the guy smiled and said “ I guessed so, writers read to get ideas from other writers.” Initially I  decided not to dignify his comment by reacting to it. But his smirk was irritating. I was disgusted with his view that we read to get ideas, or, copy other writers.  “ If that was the case, anyone who reads books  can  start writing,” I replied. If only it was that easy!

Reading and writing are often clubbed together. We writers love reading as much as we love writing. Perhaps it goes with the territory.

Reading like my writing friend Elizabeth Varadan says is homework for us writers. Homework that we love doing everyday and look forward to when its not there.  Reading other writers is like learning from a teacher/text book.  We not only hone our craft when we read extensively, we also learn from other writers’ success and failures. The more we read the more critical we become. I love to read: every genre;  both fiction as well as non- fiction.  When I am writing the first draft  I am scared to read Middle Grade Fantasy Fiction, as I  worry about subtle sub- conscious  influences creeping in and I may  be accused of copying or getting influenced by other writers. But I make up for it after my first drafts are written. Then I devour those books like a Book Monster.

One piece of advice  writers often get,  I have  been told  by my publisher several times  that  to write well,  we  must read a LOT. Not just the genres we write, but other genres too. “For every word  we  write, we must  read atleast a  thousand and more,” she tells me. Then and only then will our words make a difference. I agree.

I have noticed that all great writers are voracious readers. No, they are not sizing up the competition, but expanding their literary horizons and improving their literary flexibility. The more we read, the more familiar we get with words and plots and story arcs. Reading  grooms us into better writers. It adds to our vocabulary, enhances our skills and ofcourse not just educates  us, but  entertains us as well.

We read not to lift ideas, or to get  creatively inspired by  other writers. We read books because we  crave new experiences, because we want  to soak in new cultures, learn about different people. We read because we love stories. We love to get involved in a fictional character’s life and worry about them.

 We  enjoy reading  like  we would enjoy a seven course  meal. We savour each  course ( like  we savour each chapter) each course/book brings new flavours, tantalizes  our taste buds, creates images in our minds, triggers memories. Some tastes/characters linger longer  than others. Reading for us is a sensory experience.

For me a day is incomplete without reading atleast a few pages of a book. I can even be accused of grumpiness if I haven’t read a book for  few days.  Even If  I hadn’t chosen the writing path, I would still be a pilgrim on the  Reading Road.  I just cannot imagine a life without  my daily dose of reading. For me reading is a form of entertainment and  education that I have chosen over other forms.

What about you all?  Why do you all read books? Do you believe that it is important for us writers to read?

          

The Two Sins of a Writer

Few days back  a  friend sent me a children’s  book requesting me to review it for  a leading English newspaper. It had been self-published by my friend’s friend. The book was small, I finished reading it in one sitting. After I closed the book I was left with a strong sense of being cheated. Yes, it was as though the writer had made it her personal business to cheat me: the reader.

The topic was wonderful: supernatural elements and previous births have always fascinated us ( Indians.) The writer could have gone the whole hog and written  a thriller or  a racy whodunit, but all  that the reader got  was a flat main character, clueless  about  what he had to do with his talent (of  being able to see his previous lives in visions).

Though the book was written in a simple and easy to read style for a ten year old, and may not  bore a kid, but neither could it be called entertaining. It was a book that I would say had no impact whatsoever on me. It made me think.

Do writers sin? I mean they spend all their time scribbling furiously,  having  conversations with their characters, wondering how to get their main characters  out of troubled waters and tight spots, where actually is the time to do indulge in a bit of crime and sin?

Yes, we writers are liable to sin and I mean sin in a literary world. The two sins we are prone and susceptible to commit are the Sins of Boredom and Cheating. We can be accused of boring our readers and cheating them of  an amazing experience. To be honest, the writer had committed those two sins.  When I  opened the first page I expected a joyride of paranormal experiences that would hurtle the ten year old protagonist and me over a roller coaster ride of different births. But I was in  for  a major disappointment. All that the writer showed were dull glimpses of just this one birth and nothing else. The ten year old  was trapped in a dull life which the writer had not bothered to spice up.

I expected the writer to introduce us to atleast  a few different births the protagonist  had undergone. But she didn’t think it necessary to show even  a single one. I wonder why she had chosen an amazing topic and  been indifferent to it. 

The sins of Boredom and Cheating   make me shudder. I would hate to commit them. We can bore our readers to death by  dull and flat descriptions. We can cheat them by not matching our book to their expectations and disappointing them. 

When readers buy our books they are literally buying a ticket  for a joy ride. They will expect  certain thrills and spills and  few tumbles. After all it’s a ride. So, if all they experience is a flat  monochromatic journey at just one speed, they are going to be  disappointed. They may never ride again with us.

Have you ever been left with a feeling of boredom and  of having been cheated after reading a book? Have you ever picked up a book expecting certain experiences and been sorely  disappointed?