I’m blogging in the midst of a roadtrip with my family. It’s amazing how many ideas I’ve come up with just listening to the conversations around me. My family consists of people with, how do I say it nicely, very strong personalities. The latest debate consisted of various opinions about who is a better superhero: Superman or Batman. The debate lasted way longer then I thought it would have (or should have). As I listened (and tried to tune it out) it made me think about personal preferences. Of course I related it to writing.
What floats your boat?
It was very hard to let anybody read my manuscript as it was being written. I chose to only let a small number of people read it because I knew that when they started to give me their feedback, I would feel the pull to listen.
As expected, I got varying opinions about certain components of the book. There were discussions about names, how the characters looked and acted and whether dialogue was working. I appreciated the feedback and took everything that was offered into consideration. The most controversial (for lack of a better word) component of the book was the sex scenes. One reader said that there was too much sex, one said the amount was just right, and one thought it could be turned up a notch. It was like Goldilocks and the three bears with the porridge.
To add another element to the mix, I asked for my husband’s opinion on what I was writing. Again, as expected, his opinions were a little different than the women’s opinions. In reference to the sexual nature of the book, there were many discussions about what terminology to use, what lines I shouldn’t cross and what was too much or not enough. It was an exhausting process, but because I chose to write a book in this genre, I felt the need to listen to the opinions of those who would be representative of the people I want to read the book.
So which matters more, your opinion (the reader) or mine (the author)?
That’s a loaded question, right? When it comes to writing books, I’m not sure I have the right answer. As an author, I had a plan. I wanted to write a certain type of book that would appeal to people who read certain types of books. It was strategic. I listened to other’s opinions and I did make changes based on feedback. However, if I am being completely honest, I made my final writing decisions based on what I actually prefer as a reader. I knew that what I wrote might not be what everyone likes to read and I made the decision to be okay with that. Yes, I do know that there was no way I was going to be able to please everyone, but I still wanted to. In the end, I just trusted my gut instinct and wrote what I felt was true to the characters and the story. People will either like it, or they won’t.
In regards to my other personal preferences, I choose mustard and sunsets. As far as the superhero debate goes, the minute they cast Henry Cavill, was the minute the debate was over for me. Superman it is.
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