Should authors write selfishly for themselves or thoughtfully for their readers?

Here are responses, with permission, from the authors:

Author 1

Should authors write selfishly for themselves or thoughtfully for their readers?

I must confess when I read your email, I was somewhat taken aback -- just one sentence and a loaded question at that. 'Selfishly' is a bad thing, and 'thoughtfully' is a good thing, so it didn't leave much doubt in mind how I should answer if I was looking to be the 'good' author. Nevertheless, I slept on your question, and this morning I decided to check out your website before replying. I'm glad I did.

I enjoyed the website and, as a former teacher, I'm betting students, parents, and administration appreciate it as well. (I liked the car best in red, and I did pretty well with the mosquito swatting until the little blood-suckers started coming at me in swarms!) At any rate, the website provided me (I think) with a better idea of why you've asked your question, as well as the confidence to answer it honestly.

Having been a writer since I first learned how in elementary school, I can tell you that writing is part of who I am. I write for the same reason that a skier skies, that a pianist plays, or that an artist paints. I must! Even if I had never been published, I would still write. It allows me to sort my thoughts and problem-solve; it is a vent for my emotions; it is a vehicle for my imagination. So in that respect, I suppose you could say it is a 'selfish' pastime.

However, when I create stories, other factors come into play as well. If I want my readers to connect with what I've written, I have to tap into universal experiences and emotions. I must choose subjects many people can relate to, and I must express them in a way that hits the reader right between the eyes. I believe times change, but people don't. Therefore, problems and feelings I experienced as a child can still resonate with today's young people; the setting and dialogue just need tweaking.

When I visit classrooms, I tell kids there are three skills necessary if they are going to enjoy reading: firstly, they must be able to get the words off the paper. Reading is no fun if you struggle with the words, because the story never gets a chance to get rolling. It would be like trying to watch a movie where the action stopped every ten seconds -- a very frustrating experience. Secondly, they must be able to make pictures in their minds. They must see the story as if it were a movie. Finally, they must be able to suspend their disbelief. By that, I mean they must allow themselves -- for the duration of the story -- to believe that what they are reading is real. We all know the world of Harry Potter is fictitious, but while we're reading the books, we believe in it.

Another thing I tell students about the nature of books is that the story is a shared thing between the writer and the reader, and that there are three sides to every tale. To start, there is the story that the writer has created from his/her imagination. Then there is the back story (for want of a better description) that the writer draws on from his/her own life experiences. This is what helps the fictional story feel real. In order to realistically portray the 'sadness' a character is feeling, the author digs through his/her own repertoire of sad memories and lends them to the character in the story. Then the reader comes along with his/her own set of experiences, and the story takes on a slightly different meaning again. You could have every student in your classroom read the same story, and it would mean something slightly different for each of them because of their different life experiences.

What I attempt to do when I write is to touch my readers. I don't want to preach to them, but I do want them to think. I may put some unpleasant things in my stories, and the endings may not always be totally happy, but I always try to include hope.

So ... should authors write selfishly for themselves? YES.

Should they write thoughtfully for their readers? YES.

Happy reading.

Kristin

Kristin Butcher
www.kristinbutcher.com

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Author 2

I'm totally on the side of writing for readers. I usually have this pretend kid from Spuzzum or Mississauga in mind as I write (maybe for the next book he'll be from Port McNeil). I notice when his eyes glaze over, and he tells me when I talk too much. We joke, we share cool information... and I hope we connect. Kids don't have to be reading my books - there are plenty of other things they could be doing with their time. So I work hard to make it worth their while.    

To me, writing is very much like teaching (which I once did). If you can't keep your audience's attention, and gain their respect, it really doesn't matter what you say.

I'm speaking as a non-fiction writer, but I suspect fiction is not that different.

There are some very good aspects of writing 'selfishly' for yourself. Journal writing is a great way to explore your ideas, or work things out in your mind. You understand how you feel about things better once you've written it down. But if you want to get published, you'd better care more for your readers.

Great class website, by the way.

Regards,

Vivien Bowers

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Author 3

My feeling is both, but neither is the first priority.  The first writing priority is to the story.  The author must be the servant of the story.  Stephen King summed it up very well - he likened the story to a fossil and the writer to an archaeologist.  The 'fossil' is complete and buried deep; the writer's job is to extract it undamaged.  At times you use a jackhammer, at other times you use a toothbrush.  Ultimately, you use all of your tools, your skills and your knowledge to bring it to light in its best shape and form.  If you manage to do that, you'll most likely please yourself and your readers.

Cheers

Darren
www.darrengroth.com

ps Great website!  Maybe Mr M should be added to the Port McNeill sign..

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