Jan

9

Capturing Your Reader

Filed Under Art of Writing 
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One of the blogs I subscribe to is Write To Done. Twice a week, they publish articles about writing, and I’ve enjoyed them all. On the 5th, the topic was The Secret to Connecting with Readers, written by Peter Normandia of YinvsYang.

The article itself is geared towards writing for the web – and blog posts and articles in particular – but the ideas it covers can be applied to fiction as well. Here’s part that I found really important:

By adding in a little personal human experience, you provide a connection for others who may have experienced something similar. It draws the reader into your world, and gives them a break from their own. It’s what defines a ?stumble worthy? post in my humble opinion I always identify much better with a blog post that makes me say, ?…I had an experience just like that?, than one where I say, ?…that?s a great point?. Add in a little human experience to your writing. Make it vivid, and don?t be afraid what someone may think. Simply tell it exactly like it is. After all, you are trying to reach the world, and nothing travels faster than a great story.

Okay, it’s rather obvious this is talking about writing blog posts, but there’s an important lesson in there. “By adding in a little personal human experience, you provide a connection for others who may have experienced something similar. It draws the reader into your world, and gives them a break from their own.” That’s what we as fiction writers need to do. Sure, your reader may not be a vampire, or doesn’t live in the far-off kingdom of Valereus, but the conflicts your characters face and experience are the same ones your reader does. They want their families to be safe. They want to see the hero defeat the villain. They’ve experienced the uncertainty of love, and the fear of the unknown, and so they can identify with your character.

You have to make your character more than just a name on the page. You have to make them human. And don’t make them perfect. Perfect is boring. Everyone has their little foibles and failings. It’s what makes us all interesting, and can be the source of all kinds of plot complications. Say your hero (or heroine) likes to gamble. What if they go a little bit too far and end up losing more than they can afford? What if someone buys that IOU. What will they do with it – blackmail your character?

The point is, you need to capture your reader. Draw them in to the world inside your book. You want to hear reviews saying “I stayed up all night to finish the book because I couldn’t put it down.” The only way you can do that is to make your reader care about your characters. They don’t have to love the hero, but they have to want to know if he gets the girl, or if he gets his comeuppance.

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