I've just posted an entry about this on my blog, but thought it would make a good discussion topic. I posed the question how do writers see themselves but maybe I should ask how do crime writers see themselves? Here are my views taken from my blog.
I consider that I write for the man (or woman) on the Clapham omnibus i.e. the person in the street. I write for people who want a good entertaining read; something they could become engrossed in on a wet afternoon, while waiting at a hospital appointment, curled up in bed after a long and hard day’s work, on the beach, in the garden or while travelling on tube, train or plane. I write for both men and women of all ages from early twenties to nineties. For readers who want to escape into a world of action, betrayal, revenge, who enjoy complicated plots, complex characters, motivations and dark secrets. Readers who want to be thrilled and entertained.
I adore the act of creating characters and making up and telling stories. I love the power of words, both as a speaker and a writer. I am fascinated by how words can create worlds and destroy them. How they can evoke passion, pain, joy, fear and excitement. For me writing is an act of creating something and producing a tangible product (a book, play, television series or a film) which can be enjoyed by people. That is what gives me great pleasure and motivation. And that is how I see myself not as a writer but as an entertainer.
What are your views, if any?