Writing for your readers: raindrops on roses

As much as writers write for themselves, for the sheer joy and (in some cases) catharsis, they must always bear in mind that IF they want anyone to actually PUBLISH and/or BUY their book, they must write for the reader as much as (if not more) themselves.

In short, if you just want to use your book as a vehicle to spread your own opinion and satisfy your exhibitionist tendencies, you might be better served by writing a blog. In blogs, you can say: anything you wish, in the manner you'd like–without a cardie-wearing editor with a grammar book permanently attached to their nose telling you what to do–about anyone you want (within reason; you may want to make sure they don’t know where you live), but that doesn’t mean people will want to READ it.

That is not to say that you’re not allowed to write for the elemental joy of creating something from nothing. In fact, you MUST enjoy what you're writing as 'writing for dollars' usually shows.

Yes, to be a successful writer, you have to be a master of contrasts, creative, and aware of the commercial imperatives. Closely linked to 'being aware of the commercial imperatives' is thinking about who you’re trying to connect and communicate with. After all, writing without trying to communicate is like trying to tie a knot around a raindrop: time-consuming and ineffective.

While it's probably not de rigueur to provide a link to take you away from my own musings, this article (or what I've read of it since I'm under deadline!) is so hilarious that I had to share: http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2006/11/how_long_does_it_take_to_produ.html.

My favourite quote (so far) follows:

Now, the publishing industry ha[r]bours a dirty little secret: even in this age of high-throughput low-overhead efficiency cultism, some editors like to edit. They will kick the tyres and piss on the fender and get back to the author and say 'change this around, and get rid of the happy singing dinosaur in chapter 14'. And the author will therefore have to do a whole bunch more work on the book before it's acceptable ... (edited slightly; hey, I can't help it!)

As one of those 'editors [who] like[s] to edit', I'm pleased to tell you that 'the happy singing dinosaur in chapter 14 can stay'; however, his cousin Rex (allusion to my children's story which will be completed some day) DEFINITELY has to go!