Comments on: Knowing the Value of Your Audience http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/ The Fundamentals of Our Publishing are Wrong Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:37:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Paul Riddell http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-1709 Paul Riddell Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:28:36 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/#comment-1709 Sadly, Anon, you'd be amazed. Just as with the wannabes who <i>know</i> that they're exemplary writers without any evidence to back up their delusions, you have innumerable published writers who <i>know</i> they can keep an audience enraptured by reading from their work. A slight variation on this comes from the writers who insist upon appearing in movie adaptations of their work, and they tend to get rather ticked off when audiences ask "so what's with the Romero zombie there in the back? Did he blow the director to get that cameo, or is he the writer?" (Of course, nothing beats the wannabe for this level of hubris: not only have they deluded themselves into believing that they can write, but they've also deluded themselves that all they need to "break through" is a public opportunity to be discovered. It's the literary equivalent of the Los Angeles hair metal bands who bring their gear into the local McDonald's in the hopes of being spotted by a talent scout.) Sadly, Anon, you’d be amazed. Just as with the wannabes who know that they’re exemplary writers without any evidence to back up their delusions, you have innumerable published writers who know they can keep an audience enraptured by reading from their work. A slight variation on this comes from the writers who insist upon appearing in movie adaptations of their work, and they tend to get rather ticked off when audiences ask “so what’s with the Romero zombie there in the back? Did he blow the director to get that cameo, or is he the writer?” (Of course, nothing beats the wannabe for this level of hubris: not only have they deluded themselves into believing that they can write, but they’ve also deluded themselves that all they need to “break through” is a public opportunity to be discovered. It’s the literary equivalent of the Los Angeles hair metal bands who bring their gear into the local McDonald’s in the hopes of being spotted by a talent scout.)

]]> By: Sean Lindsay http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-1704 Sean Lindsay Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:48:44 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/#comment-1704 OK, Anon., mea culpa. Yanno must be a regional thing. He was also a popular pianist, if memory serves. I'd say a substantial proportion, perhaps the majority of writers don't want to do appearances like signings or readings. Very few have any real talent for public speaking -- if they did, they'd be actors or motivational speakers, even politicians. So you're not alone. Fortunately, most writers will never be afforded this opportunity. There are reasons, though, why readers might want to meet an author, get a signed book, listen to them read a favourite passage or something from an upcoming book, answer questions about inspiration and influences. If you can't imagine this, you may want to <b>stop writing</b> now, lest your humbuggery become a real issue. "the writer makes his money from, yanno*, writing" -- This is fundamentally incorrect. The writer makes their money from selling their writing (via a publisher) to readers. It's an important distinction, and it may go some way to explaining why you fail. OK, Anon., mea culpa. Yanno must be a regional thing. He was also a popular pianist, if memory serves.

I’d say a substantial proportion, perhaps the majority of writers don’t want to do appearances like signings or readings. Very few have any real talent for public speaking — if they did, they’d be actors or motivational speakers, even politicians. So you’re not alone. Fortunately, most writers will never be afforded this opportunity.

There are reasons, though, why readers might want to meet an author, get a signed book, listen to them read a favourite passage or something from an upcoming book, answer questions about inspiration and influences. If you can’t imagine this, you may want to stop writing now, lest your humbuggery become a real issue.

“the writer makes his money from, yanno*, writing” –

This is fundamentally incorrect. The writer makes their money from selling their writing (via a publisher) to readers. It’s an important distinction, and it may go some way to explaining why you fail.

]]> By: Anon http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-1701 Anon Fri, 31 Aug 2007 01:26:46 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/#comment-1701 Am I the only writer who doesn't want to do book signings or readings? I've never been to a reading. I mean, why would I want to listen to the writer read from his book? I know how to read; I no longer need someone to do it for me. And the writer makes his money from, yanno*, writing. Unless he's also a professional voice actor, I can't imagine it would be particularly interesting. *No, I'm still not her. Am I the only writer who doesn’t want to do book signings or readings? I’ve never been to a reading. I mean, why would I want to listen to the writer read from his book? I know how to read; I no longer need someone to do it for me. And the writer makes his money from, yanno*, writing. Unless he’s also a professional voice actor, I can’t imagine it would be particularly interesting.

*No, I’m still not her.

]]> By: Paul Riddell http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-1692 Paul Riddell Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:21:42 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/#comment-1692 What got me about that article wasn't just the fact that the subject matter was so dull, but that even by Portland standards, this was typical passive-aggressive behavior. Even if the storekeepers didn't want to shoo off Sleeping Beauty because "he's really big in the local writing community" or some such other twaddle, then why didn't the author stop in mid-reading and ask "Could I please get a microphone so the three people who care can hear me over this jackass?" Better yet, why didn't the author settle for something that even a Portlander can understand, like putting his hand in a bucket of warm water? What got me about that article wasn’t just the fact that the subject matter was so dull, but that even by Portland standards, this was typical passive-aggressive behavior. Even if the storekeepers didn’t want to shoo off Sleeping Beauty because “he’s really big in the local writing community” or some such other twaddle, then why didn’t the author stop in mid-reading and ask “Could I please get a microphone so the three people who care can hear me over this jackass?” Better yet, why didn’t the author settle for something that even a Portlander can understand, like putting his hand in a bucket of warm water?

]]> By: Sean Lindsay http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/comment-page-1/#comment-1691 Sean Lindsay Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:09:31 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/08/30/knowing-the-value-of-your-audience/#comment-1691 Why is it that authors don't interpret this as a qualitative judgement? I've never attended a book reading, partly because my sleep patterns are perpetually non-Circadian and when not presented with engaging stimuli, I lapse into a narcoleptic stupor. So I'd be that guy snoring in the front row, especially listening to a history of jazz in Portland. Why is it that authors don’t interpret this as a qualitative judgement?

I’ve never attended a book reading, partly because my sleep patterns are perpetually non-Circadian and when not presented with engaging stimuli, I lapse into a narcoleptic stupor. So I’d be that guy snoring in the front row, especially listening to a history of jazz in Portland.

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