From our ducktastic friend, Lynne Connolly
Tolkien always claimed that there was nothing about his experiences in World War One in The Lord Of The Rings. But who hasn’t read the passage about the Dead Marshes and not been reminded of the terrible experiences in the trenches? Influences we don’t even see emerge, attitudes we aren’t aware of surface in books we write and equally, attitudes and influences affect how we read as well. Readers may be more distanced and be able to spot things the writer hasn’t been aware of. Now, forty years after the death of Georgette Heyer, we can see influences of her own time in her work, manners and opinions that are more reminiscent of the 1920’s than the 1820’s. In the film of “Gone With The Wind” Scarlett looks very ‘40’s with her make-up and pillar-box red lipstick. But at the time, because the experience was largely shared, people didn’t notice.
I find this relationship fascinating. In the past, comments readers have made about my books have made me think again about what I was trying to achieve with the book. Their comments weren’t what I meant at all, but they’re just as valid. And occasionally it’s sent me off in a new direction, given me new ideas.
Once a book is “out there” it becomes the property of more than one person (not legally!) and the author who demands that their book is only read one way is – well, pretty tedious if you ask me.
There is no slavish adherence to markets, and most writers who try to do that end up with empty, boring books about themes they think the readers want. If an author adds her special brand, she’ll find readers, but if the writer doesn’t deliver, the readers will move on. And that includes me.
Readers may be more distanced and be able to spot things the writer hasn’t been aware of.
I think this might be true many times. I think an author can write stuff that represents a part of themselves that they might not be aware of. It’s sort of like when everyone can see all kinds of things about you and how you are acting, but you are too close to yourself to see those things. This is where I think that readers come up with interpretations that the author might not even be aware putting out there.
I also agree that as a reader, I bring my own baggage and perspectives into a book and might totally miss read what an author was trying to convey.
Even as a reader, I find it interesting to read other readers’ reviews and find myself sometimes wondering if we read the same book! LOL
I’m constantly surprised and pleased by the small things readers pick up on. Reviewers can stun me with the way they view my work.
I had no idea my characters were “warmhearted” until it got pointed out several times. I understand that better now, and now, when I’m actually writing I can see it as well. I no longer stifle that part of myself, because I realize that warmth is appreciated and maybe not all that common.
As writers all we can control are the words *we* use. We cannot possibly control how those words are read by others.
Some folks may see the warmth I’m talking about as melodramatic, for instance. But, I can’t worry about that…b/c I can’t control what experience a reader brings. Reading is so individual an experience and that to me, is what makes writing so wonderful. (well, one of the things)
I feel as if I’m going in circles, so I’ll sign off.
But, it’s a fascinating post and thanks for making me think, Lynn.
Bonnie Edwards
Reminds me of this quote:
“No two persons ever read the same book.” ~Edmund Wilson
So true! I would add that sometimes readers don’t read the book the author wrote!
Everyone brings their own experiences to the book and it effects how they view it.
This is actually a fascinating subject!
very valid observations (as seen from a reader’s perspective; don’t know yet what it feels like from the other side). thoughtful post. i do agree reader bagggage is very influential. for me, it sometimes begins with the character names and what positive or negative associations i have with them.
An interesting discussion, Lynne!
It seems to be a difficult and painful thing for some writers to accept that once a book is “out there”, they have no control over how it is read. That’s understandable, it’s such a personal thing, we put so much of ourselves into our stories. But is soooo unrealistic for writers to believe they can dictate to readers how the story should be read and interpreted!
The book is an object, the story is not. The book is nothing but sheets of paper with black marks on it, meaningless without a reader to turn it into story, by reading it and creating her own meanings and interpretations from those black marks. Story is an experience, not an object, it becomes “real” only through being read, only through each reader’s individual response to it. A writer can write in a way that she hopes will produce the responses she wants from the reader, but she can never control what the reader brings to the story- her history, her beliefs and values, her own sets of associations and meanings, her own ways of filling in the blanks.
This can produce something wonderful, when readers see even more in the story than the writer thought she put in there. It can also be painful for the writer, when a reader interprets what she wrote in a way she didn’t intend.