Sunday, February 21, 2010

Respect The Reader!

There's an interesting discussion going on over at agent Nathan Bransford's blog on TWILIGHT, which I have never read.  I have read hundreds of comments by people who either love or hate it while researching the Young Adult genre.  Only a handful of commenters, like me, are indifferent.  As I stated over there, it baffles me how any author, aspiring or published, can expect to write a book readers will love to BUY if they have NO RESPECT for the reader.
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http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2010/02/this-week-in-publishing_19.html
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So, here's what I've learned on the subject and stated in the comments:
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As a book reviewer, I'm sometimes caught between readers and authors.
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Readers will rant about how terrible a book is.
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Authors will wail about how readers are dissing their books.
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I say, let the readers be.
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Authors, disregard the insults and namecalling and everything else. Focus on TWO things only.
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1) These readers BOUGHT your book.
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2) These readers are MAKING NOISE about your book.
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So, not only are you getting paid, you're also getting FREE publicity!
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In my observation, it doesn't matter if a reader loves or hates your book. The only thing that matters is
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PASSION.
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Because the opposite of Love is not Hate.
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It is indifference.*
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*Thanks to Jacqueline Lichtenberg for that Pearl of Wisdom.
http://www.simegen.com/jl/
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Readers are smart and sensitive INDIVIDUALS with individual emotional needs and tastes.  Doubt that to your own peril.  Insult them at your own risk.
;)

3 comments:

Gossip Cowgirl said...

Preach it, sista!

Kimber Li said...

Weeeell, it's one of my pet peeves. (((sigh)))

And there's two sides to the Haters, you know.

There's the Regular Readers and I say let 'em have at it, 'cause that's Passion and Passion sells.

But, then, there are the aspiring authors, especially, but a few published ones get through too.

Like I said at the other board, having no respect for your potential reader is like a father yelling at his daughter and then wondering why she won't listen to him.

If you don't respect your reader, you won't shut-up and listen. If you won't shut-up and listen, you won't understand. If you won't understand, you can't fill the emotional need of the reader. If you can't fill the emotional need, she won't read your book. If she won't read your book, she won't BUY your book.

Kimber Li said...

P.S. Agents and Editors only facilitate the publication of books which they believe, based on enormous experience, readers will BUY.