Series -- Reader's Hat and Writer's Hat
Reader's Hat: I read a lot, and a lot of series. And I know that not every book in a series will be as interesting as my favorite. One or two may hit a hot button. I accept that and continue with the series. Writer's Hat: Please don't trash an author's complete work because you dislike one book.
I've been thinking about the above a couple of days before I posted, hoping I wasn't too harsh. Sometimes I do give up on series, sometimes an author has repetitious plots/characters and I still buy and read the series. Every author I know does the very best s/he can at writing stories we love and want to share. Think about how you would feel if someone trashed your work in public.
No, I haven't been reading bad reviews again. This came up because I was disappointed in the latest of one of my series...and probably the Oscars.
May you enjoy your work.
Robin
I've been thinking about the above a couple of days before I posted, hoping I wasn't too harsh. Sometimes I do give up on series, sometimes an author has repetitious plots/characters and I still buy and read the series. Every author I know does the very best s/he can at writing stories we love and want to share. Think about how you would feel if someone trashed your work in public.
No, I haven't been reading bad reviews again. This came up because I was disappointed in the latest of one of my series...and probably the Oscars.
May you enjoy your work.
Robin
posted by FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens | 8:24 AM
4 Comments:
Well, I wanted more for Catrag too, but.... I still enjoyed it.
Many a time it's that we all relate to different things at different stages in our lives; myself am too old fashioned to appreciate modern stories where booty calls,casual sex and sacking up are considered, not only "de rigueur" but romantic. All power and good luck to party girls, but I am not interested in reading or buying their stories. How the writers of "Historicals" incorporate these ways into their novels is rather amusing at times! Difficult for the writer to keep up with the changing atittudes!
I assure you that Cratag is happy with what he got! And you'll be seeing a bit more of him in Heart Journey.
Robin
To borrow a horrible analogy, baseball considers players great if they have a batting average of .300 or better over their careers. That's not even 1 out of three pitches that are hit. Even fewer are home runs.
We can't always hit when we swing, and I think most readers understand that.
That said, sometimes a writer misses so often or fouls out so egregiously, that all a reader can do is give up on them. I've given up on my share of series over the years, and sometimes even on the author behind the series -- but it was never an easy decision to make, and I always hung in there longer than, in retrospect, I probably should have.
All the author can do, it seems to me, is stay true to the stories she wants to tell, and hope that the readers agree.
(Only 147 days left until I can get my next Celta fix! Looking forward to it!)
I addressed this in another post. *I* know Cratag is happy, but that doesn't diminish your need for something more than that from me. So I understand your comments, and wish I'd made Signet a character you felt was more deserving for him.
Robin
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