Readers Understood
A presenter must always be aware of the type of people in the audience. Each person listens and learns differently. As writers do we ever consider the reader in the same way? What we write must be of interest to the reader or they won’t bother to read it. How many times have you started to read a book only to put down after a few pages? Never to pick the book up again and to disregard the authors other books. I analyzed three books I started but gave up on and found the writers hadn’t taken into considered the type of person I was.
The first type of person we must consider is the ‘what in if for me’. The reader needs to get something out of the book without too much hard work. The writer must give the reader a reason to continue reading. In the mystery writing genre this can be accomplished by holding back a secret only to hint at what it is to the reader. They will continue to turn pages to find out the answer. Remember it has to be something worthwhile rather than a red herring. In the romance novel they are the lover and daydream themselves in the plot endlessly.
The “what” type of reader is looking for information, structure and theories. They like facts and as much as they can get. They need to solve the mystery as it unfolds and this is very important to them. Three quarters the way through the book they are certain they know who did it. In general fiction the “what” type crave the knowledge that they know where the story is heading. In romance novels they want a happy ending with lots of love scenes. The lovers are on the side of the good and over come evil created by the villain.
If the reader is a “how” type of person then the more action, role-playing in the book the better. It’s the mechanics of a story, which interest them. They are the sleuth solving the crime, or the gamekeeper lover of the lady of the manor. Books for the “how” type must show a high level of practical skills on behalf of the protagonist. You cannot have a weak ending to the book, the ‘how ‘ type need closure regardless how you end the book. No setting up the squeal for them.
Finally we have the “what if” type of reader, with very few readers in this group and they are usually very creative in thinking. They get the plot quickly and workout several paths the story can take as they read. Always hoping the writer has found a story they haven’t thought of so they can add to their vast collection stored in their minds. Most “what if” type of reader do not finish the book as they get bored with the plot and or protagonist. They have already decided how the book ends even if they are sometimes wrong.
Writers need make sure they cover all the personality types in their books or they will limit the readership. This has nothing to do with the genre of the writer. I use mystery writing as my main example in this blog because this is my genre.
You can contact me at edward@edwardarno.com
