One of the interesting things about being a published writer is that people actually read my work now. As a writer, having your work read is a new and sometimes disturbing experience. I don’t know about other writers, but I don’t really think about the reader when I’m creating a story. I write at the most basic level for myself. The hero I create is one that appeals to me, the heroine is someone I can empathize with, the romance is one that interests me. Writing is by its very nature an essentially intimate and solitary activity. Then almost overnight other people are reading the story and experiencing it for themselves. The hardest thing for me to get used to is that the reader may not experience the story the same way the writer does.
The first time this happened to me it was with my editor. We were discussing my second book, The Leopard Prince, and she said something about the heroine, Lady Georgina, reminding her of Legally Blond. I was floored and opened my mouth to object. I don’t see Lady Georgina as being ditsy at all. She thinks about odd things at inappropriate times, but then, so do I, and I’m one of the least ditsy people I know. So I opened my mouth to object…and then wisely closed it again. Because I realized something: once the writer has written the book it isn’t hers anymore. The book belongs to the reader. And however the reader sees the character—even if that isn’t how the writer intended it—is correct. Letting another person read one’s work is essentially an act of letting go for a writer. Because however much I might argue about how I intended the character to turn out, in the end, reading a book is an intimate and solitary act, too. I can’t—and shouldn’t—stand behind the reader and whisper in her ear about what the character meant to me. That no longer matters. Now it’s all about what the character means to the reader. This is one of the later lessons I’ve learned as an author: that once I’ve written the character—and the book itself—it’s no longer mine alone.
I’m giving away an autographed copy of The Raven Prince this month to one commenter below, so give me your thoughts about character, reading vs. writing, and books that stayed with you.
Cheers!
Elizabeth
-
Obviously readers think differently than writers and readers think differently amongst each other, which is why we don’t like the same books. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, however at the same time, I worry that the experience would take me out of enjoying a book instead of picking it apart. Is that a concern for you Elizabeth?
Characters that stay with me are the tortured ones, the ones that start out almost unredeemable yet manage to capture your heart in the end - Zarek from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s “Dance with the Devil” or Zsadist from JR Ward’s “Awakened”. The closest female character that I can think of is Eve Dallas. She’s not unredeemable, but she is tortured, unsecure, vulnerable. She has faults and fears yet forges bravely on.
Books that stay with me are the ones where bad things happen, even to good characters, such as Brockmann’s Team 16 series. One of the characters, who ends up with her own HEA in a later book, is brutally raped. People die. Lives are devastated. As much as I enjoy reading for enjoyment, the books that I remember strongest are the ones that wring an emotional response out of me, and I love them for it.
by Stacy ~
on March 6th, 2007 at 6:56 am
-
I just wrote a big long post and dont see it. Hope it appears later. Woe is me. 
by Pat L
on March 6th, 2007 at 7:27 am
-
I agree with Stacy– the tortured characters stick with me the longest. And not always in a good way. If a character can work through their problems in an honorable way, I love it. If the emotional stress just seems to be thrown into the story for shock effect, I tend to dismiss those characters.
That’s an interesting point you make about the book belonging to the reader once it’s completed–I never thought of it that way.
-
The books that stay with me the most are those most revelant to my life at a particular time. If the character is someone I can identify with and the storyline is something I’ve experienced, these books stay with me. Maybe this is why I enjoy stories about family dynamics, relationships, and people struggling to find their way in the world. I love a strong heroine who can hold her own. Gives me hope and encouragment.
by Sandra M.
on March 6th, 2007 at 10:26 am
-
Wow! I never thought of it that way but you are absolutely right. Essentially it is a solitary activity and experience. The characters that stay with me are charcters with painful pasts who have overcome or will overcome it during the story. I like characters who realize their character flaws and try to go beyond them, such as Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice. Those are characters that stray with you.
by Cherie Japp
on March 6th, 2007 at 10:34 am
-
The characters that stay with me are the ones who said what might count. The whole thing is about words. That what touches me, how a character would frame what he wants in a saying or a sentence that I would remember after closing the book. I read lots of books and when I see them afterwards I might not even recognize the title. But the kind of books I’m talking about once you’d see the cover, it’d takes you back to words, sentences, characters and story.
The books that stay with me are the ones that convinced me and made me believe the characters even if they were evil or bad. Made me understand them, their motives which based upon they took the actions in the book. Made me think I’m not reading but watching, even watching what might goes inside the characters’ minds. Perhaps that’s too much to ask from a book.. but these books do exists. I enjoyed everything I read but those which would survive in the memory.
by Mona
on March 6th, 2007 at 11:07 am
-
The books that stay with me the most are the gut wrenching stories or funny stories.
Sarah’s Child - Linda Howard, A Rose for Maggie by Kathleen Korbel and Three Wishes by Barbara Delinsky are 3 reall pull at your heart books that I will never forget as well as SEP’s Kiss an Angel.
SEP’s Aint She Sweet, Match Me if You Can and V. L. Thompson’s The Nerd who loved me made me laugh so much - the diallogue was great and little Dex in the Nerd book as well as the older couple had me in stitches.
by Pat L
on March 6th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
-
I love characters that I can relate to on some basic level. Sometimes it will be the strong minded herione, or the shy woman who doesn’t know what to say. It all depends on my moods.
I have to agree with Pat L. about books written by SEP. I love all of her books, but for different reasons. Nobodys Baby But Mine is one of my all time favorite books. I also love a lot of Nora Roberts old work. Lori Foster, Diane Castell, Erin McCarthy, Joann Ross and so many others have created characters that I love.
My best friend and I like the same books so we compare our views often. The craziest part is they can be so different. We can both take one scene and come off with different views, neither one is wrong, just different. I think this is why romance is so popular, there is something for everyone.
by Patty L.
on March 6th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
-
I’m unpubbed, but since I’ve been writing I’ve found its a lot harder to enjoy a book. The littlest thing can jar me out of a story where before I would have read a book straight through to the end. Now there’s usually one or two a month I can’t get through.
by Lis
on March 6th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
-
Good question, Stacey (and Lis hit on the same point, too) re: writing taking away from the experience of reading. I was worried about this when I first started writing, but I’ve found that if the book is a good one, I can still get lost in it. (Thank goodness, since reading is my favorite activity!) But if the book doesn’t engaged….well, then I do find myself analysing it, trying to figure out where the writer went wrong.
It’s interesting that so many people cite gutwrenching stories and characters as being the ones that linger on.
I’ll give the nightowls a chance and pick a winner in the morning. Night all!
by Elizabeth Hoyt
on March 6th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
-
I am a reader and definitely not a writer. Julie Garwood’s earlier books really stayed with me. Honor’s Splendour was one. The heroine takes Wolf’s feet and puts then on her bare stomach to warm them. Wolf decides then that she would be his. That he admired that simple act of courage has always stayed with me.
by Joyce
on March 6th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
-
I never thought of it that way before about the writer letting go of the characters and they become whatever the reader sees. Wow!!
Characters that stay with me are ones who overcome adversity and who plunge on in times of adversity; ones who take the bad and incorporate it into their lives and make good out of it.
by RobynL
on March 7th, 2007 at 1:20 am
-
I read your post with great interest. Opinions sometimes differ and not everyone may see the characters quite as the author had.
One of the books that really stayed in my mind long after I had read it was Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm. The flawed character, emotionally tormented does linger.
by Little Lamb Lost
on March 7th, 2007 at 1:32 am
-
For some reason many of Elizabeth Lowell’s books stay with me. A lot of her books have the men(usually emotionally damaged) mistreating? (I’m not sure if that’s the right word to use here) or unappreciating the woman… BUT…eventually the women perservere and the men adjust their attitudes and their relaionships adapt and are much stronger! I always get tears in my eyes when I read her stories. One of my favorites is a”A Woman Without Lies”. I also thought that Nora Roberts’ “Born In” trilogy was quite good and moving especially “Born in Shame”.
I’m not a writer but I know that you must get emotionally attached to all of your characters. It’s not bad for readers to take a different perspective. In fact some days I start reading a book and if I don’t especially like it, I’ll set it aside and read it a week later. Many times my mood changes and I’ll be surprised that I want to read that day!!
by Laurie G
on March 7th, 2007 at 6:17 am
-
Elizabeth Lowell - Fever and Sweet Wind Wild Wind - Tender, but hot stories. I remember the heroine in one of them thinking the hero was poor made a shirt by hand for him - he was actually wealthy and was not too happy when she found out she was decieved.
Catherine Anderson’s books are so great - they have female characters that have problems that always find the love of a good, caring man.
Erin McCarthy’s books always give me a good laugh.
I too am a reader and hate to put a book down if I am not enjoying it. Will sometimes just forget it and other times pick it up later.
by Karen T
on March 7th, 2007 at 7:47 am
-
Thank you all for the great responses! My trusty helper has drawn MONA from the hat to win THE RAVEN PRINCE. Mona, please contact me via my website with your snail mail and I’ll send the book to you!
by Elizabeth Hoyt
on March 7th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
