An-ti-ci-PA-tion
Ever read the back cover copy or an ad for a book and wait MONTHS to read the book, and all the while, you thought how interesting it would be and spun stories in your head, and, of course, it wasn’t like you thought it would be at all?
Of course it wasn’t. What you were telling yourself was the story YOU would make from the same premise, which, unless your world-idea matches the author’s closely, didn’t happen.
Sometimes the story can be better, surprising you, delighting you.
Or maybe you read a premise and you think, well, this will be like another author’s book I like. (I read a light vampire book last week that was fun but didn’t grab me – AND WE WRITERS ALWAYS HATE THAT PHRASE “DIDN’T GRAB ME,” “DIDN’T **LOVE** IT” I shouldn’t say it, but I am mentioning no names, so the author won’t writhe should she happen to see this blog, which she probably won’t). Anyway this book fell flat, and I decided that the author’s voice just wasn’t developed enough to be unique. Have we talked about voice?
Anyway I believe the above instances are two of the reasons for poor reviews/ratings on amazon.com and other readers’ sites. This is one of my rationalizations. The book didn’t live up to expectations.
So that’s something you have to deal with – other’s expectations of your work – always.
And like children, books should not be judged solely on the readers’ expectations. (I hope I don’t ignite a web-firestorm here, but I don’t think this blog is big enough to do that). I KNOW MY READERS, KNOW MANY OF THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND WILL NEVER VIOLATE SOME OF THE UNBROKEN RULES – KILLING A FAM ANIMAL COMPANION AT ANY POINT (though that would have made writing Heart Quest easier and more suspenseful had I done it off stage in the backstory). I WILL NEVER BETRAY MY ROMANCE READERS WITH AN UNHAPPILY EVER AFTER STORY.
But I hope to grow, and hope to change – some. I’ll always be a romantic, so happily ever after comes easy for me. In most cases.
So let yourself grow, experiment – in other genres if need be – to keep yourself and your muse happy.
May you have an excellent twist in your story today.
Robin
Of course it wasn’t. What you were telling yourself was the story YOU would make from the same premise, which, unless your world-idea matches the author’s closely, didn’t happen.
Sometimes the story can be better, surprising you, delighting you.
Or maybe you read a premise and you think, well, this will be like another author’s book I like. (I read a light vampire book last week that was fun but didn’t grab me – AND WE WRITERS ALWAYS HATE THAT PHRASE “DIDN’T GRAB ME,” “DIDN’T **LOVE** IT” I shouldn’t say it, but I am mentioning no names, so the author won’t writhe should she happen to see this blog, which she probably won’t). Anyway this book fell flat, and I decided that the author’s voice just wasn’t developed enough to be unique. Have we talked about voice?
Anyway I believe the above instances are two of the reasons for poor reviews/ratings on amazon.com and other readers’ sites. This is one of my rationalizations. The book didn’t live up to expectations.
So that’s something you have to deal with – other’s expectations of your work – always.
And like children, books should not be judged solely on the readers’ expectations. (I hope I don’t ignite a web-firestorm here, but I don’t think this blog is big enough to do that). I KNOW MY READERS, KNOW MANY OF THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND WILL NEVER VIOLATE SOME OF THE UNBROKEN RULES – KILLING A FAM ANIMAL COMPANION AT ANY POINT (though that would have made writing Heart Quest easier and more suspenseful had I done it off stage in the backstory). I WILL NEVER BETRAY MY ROMANCE READERS WITH AN UNHAPPILY EVER AFTER STORY.
But I hope to grow, and hope to change – some. I’ll always be a romantic, so happily ever after comes easy for me. In most cases.
So let yourself grow, experiment – in other genres if need be – to keep yourself and your muse happy.
May you have an excellent twist in your story today.
Robin
posted by FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens | 10:18 AM
2 Comments:
Thank You for the reassurances that Xanth, et al are safe!! Now if someone could get that opinion through to Rowling, the world could breath easier :)
Thanks Anon and Jacki, messages like this are excellent for a writer struggling through the next work.
Robin
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