By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I’ve always been interested in what readers thought and allowed it to influence my writing. That’s because my goal was to be as commercially successful as I could be within my genre constraints. Before I even started writing a couple of my series, I read the reader reviews on Amazon for similar series to get a feel what readers liked and didn’t like in the hopes that I could deliver it.
My Myrtle Clover series was slow to adapt to this method because I started it first and then kept on the track it had already started down. I wrote it as I wanted and luckily readers responded well to it.
Reading reader reviews and tweaking storylines. At some point, however, I was aware that my readers had a much greater role in the production of my Myrtle series. I started carefully considering their criticism (probably five books ago…series will have its 10th release next year). They’ve mentioned concerns regarding characters, things they disliked specific to the series, omissions that I made regarding recurring characters, etc. I’ve noted them and incorporated changes based on their feedback.
For another thing, as I mentioned in a recent post, I started paying attention to series-specific tropes (or ‘rituals’, as Camille LaGuire called them). Readers were upset when I left out elements of stories that they’d come to enjoy (people, situations, even objects). I made a list to remind myself what they saw as important things to include.
I’m also trying to think what they would specifically enjoy on upcoming books. Since this series is now approaching ten books, I’m recalling what I like as a reader in series I’ve followed for a while. I definitely enjoy trickled-in extra information on recurring characters to be able to see them in a new light or to be able to understand them better. I’ve made a list of things that I haven’t explained about my main characters or extra detail about recurring settings and plan on dribbling this information into future stories.
Considering readers in the outlining phase: I’ve also been a bit nervous about the next project in the series, where I take my characters on the road (or, technically, on the sea. It’s a cruise ship mystery). I’m remembering that my editor at Penguin had many reservations about this type of story…although I ended up writing one for her (Quilt Trip), and it did really well. My editor advised me to load as many of my recurring characters as possible into the story because they’d be missed by readers otherwise. Since this is set on a cruise, it would create a ridiculous suspension of disbelief for readers if I took all my characters along. Quilt Trip was different from this story in another way—it was another subgenre…a manor house mystery or English country house mystery (except mine was set in the American South). I’ve always wanted to write one. The cruise book won’t be following the tenets of the manor house mystery as a guideline.
I’m currently creating the outline for this cruise book, although I won’t write it until May. I’ve gotten in the habit of outlining the next book in a series immediately after writing a book in the same series and before leaping over to a different series. It’s best if my head is still in the series world when I outline.
I started trying to think like a reader. What can this change of setting add to my story? Instead of just a change of scenery, what will help make it a great story? For the readers?
I looked up the Road Trip trope on TV Tropes (this site should come with a warning label that it can become an addictive time suck). It stated that the main purpose of this trope was to teach the characters something about themselves. But this is decidedly what I don’t like about those types of stories.
I decided that, for me as a viewer/reader, when I saw a special episode of my favorite show or read a book where my favorite characters went on a road trip, what made it especially interesting is when the characters maintained their own particular quirks and traits even in the new location. Or, even better, when the new location created conflict because of their own particular/peculiar traits. And I don’t like it when the setting overpowers the plot and characters.
Writing this, it seems as if it should have been a no-brainer for me, but deliberately planning a novel based on what I think my readers will find most interesting is somewhat new for me. I feel like usually I wrote things that I enjoyed and hoped everyone would come along for the ride. Sometimes this worked well for me and sometimes it didn’t.
Using reader ideas. I know that sometimes writers have said this is an area that can get tricky, but I’m also willing in doing a certain amount of crowdsourcing for story ideas. I don’t solicit them, but I’m lucky to be at the point where some readers are invested enough in the series and characters to ping me on social media and via email with suggestions. Most recently, a reader suggested that Myrtle help recurring character (and destitute psychic) Wanda find a job. It worked well with a story I was writing and so I worked it into the storyline.
This is completely different from the way books used to be written. Writers in the garret, removed from the world, crafting their stories. And I’m not saying I’m 100% a proponent of this semi-collaborative approach, but as I’m reporting what I’m doing, it certainly seems as if I’m coming a lot closer to a crowdsourcing method. It makes me wonder…what if I did a project…a just-for-fun project…on Wattpad? I’d write it serially (which I just told someone in an interview I’d never do because I don’t like to edit as I go and this would force me to edit as the story progressed) and write to purposefully solicit and incorporate reader feedback as I went…would it be a crazy story? Like a weird, senseless round-robin thing? Or would I be able to corral it into something that made sense? Part of me thinks that would be a cool creative challenge and part of me thinks that perhaps I’ve suffered a mild stroke. At any rate, I don’t have time for it right now, but it’s an intriguing future possibility.
How closely do you work with your readers? Where do you see reading and writing heading in the future? Concerns about collaborative writing?
Reader influence in our stories: Share on XImage: MorgueFile: xololounge
Hi Elizabeth – that makes perfect sense … especially as you keep your characters ticking along happily. Adding in the ideas of your readers would seem to help bring the next book to life. Back when I read loads of mysteries … I probably changed because they became predictable … and in some ways I don’t like going back to them, because of that sentiment.
You’re certainly organised in your approach to your writing – keeping tabs on all things. Clever to start an outline when you’re in the series mode, before switching your brain onto a different story.
The wattpad idea – does sound interesting … as you say when you have time … cheers Hilary
Hilary–That’s what I worry about too…I’ve seen too many series that seem to fall into a paint-by-number trap. That the writers are stuck within their own story conventions and can’t seem to find their way out of it. Reader input could help provide guidance or some fresh air.
Have a great week!
I think it’s a smart way to write because it gives the readers what they want. As long as we’re going in a direction we also enjoy, of course.
I’ve used reviews and reader response influence what I wrote next and what elements I included.
Alex–Good caveat–“as long as we’re going in a direction we also enjoy.” Right now, at this point, this approach works for me. Not sure how far down this path I want to head.
I’ll stay away from the TV Tropes site for now. I have too much to do this week.
I’d planned on Heather being the final book in my series, but once I got there, I hesitated. She was such an annoying character. But it was her story my dedicated readers really wanted to read. I think it ultimately made for a far more interesting story even though the character fought me at every turn.
Diane–Sounds like it was full of conflict! Exactly what readers like.
Yeah, TV Tropes is like a rabbit hole! Best to keep away unless you have time to kill.
Thanks, Elizabeth, for sharing the way you use what readers tell you. I think that creates a really important bond between reader and author. In fact, I was just reading an article the other day that made the point that today’s readers and authors have closer contact than ever, mostly because of social media. Readers can contact the author more directly, and authors can read reader opinions quickly (through Amazon reviews and so on). For authors who make their email addresses available, there’s even a closer bond. So there are a lot of ways in which to keep in contact with what readers want.
Margot–Exactly. And we can always choose to ignore what readers want. For instance, I’ve heard for years that readers want my sleuth and my sidekick to be romantically involved, but it’s just not going to happen. :)
I think getting reader input is a great idea – the audience generally has great ideas. But, as always, it comes down to the author and the ability to make it work genuinely – otherwise it’ll never come out well :)
Jemi–Good point. Maybe this inclusion of crowdsourcing is something that requires practice to make the input seamless. :)
Elizabeth, I agree about a setting overpowering a character. I try to be aware of this and not allow my characters to change what makes them “them” as the characters in the breakthrough series traverse the globe and are exposed to may cultures and customs.
Stephen Tremp
http://www.stephentremp.com
Stephen–Interesting point! I can see with sf/f series, it would be especially important to maintain character traits and outlook when visiting different worlds.
I don’t think I’ve gotten enough feedback to use it quite this much, but I CAN see myself bringing back a side character if people seemed to really like them. I don’t think I could attend to that stuff with plot, but it might be fun to face a character flaw head on–have the MC quit a habit (unsuccessfully for a while) or require anger management classes or some such thing. Turns something that annoyed readers into a humor point.
Hart–Great ideas! Especially making a reader annoyance into something funny…love that idea.
It’s evident to me that you consider the thoughts and suggestions of your readers. That’s smart since sometimes readers have great ideas and points to make. On taking your story on a cruise. I think that is a great idea and sounds fun. This is TV, but when Murder She Wrote took the mysteries (for extended times) to other places, I didn’t like it. I wanted to be back in Cavett Cove.
Teresa–I felt *exactly* the same way about the “Murder, She Wrote” road trips. I didn’t want Jessica in Atlanta. And those episodes were never quite as good.
With your level of experience, you’d write a valid story in your Wattpad experiment. And if you kept your artist hat on while validating reader suggestions, it’d be a good story, too.
Road trips: only reason Best Beloved and I travel is because when we’re somewhere new, we become someone new. Stagnation is death, and when I eventually write a road trip into one of my series, it’ll be so all my characters can be someone completely new.
It’s probably more a reflection of what we value in life than of what makes for a good book, eh?
Joel–Keeping the artist hat on is key, I think!
And good point about allowing the characters to grow or change for a road trip experience.