What's the point ? - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T13:35:04Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:141895?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A171804&feed=yes&xn_auth=no"But our audience is not homo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-15:537324:Comment:1722342008-12-15T17:15:16.721ZPate Grantwellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PateGrantwell
"But our audience is not homogeneous. Different readers look for different things and are impressed by different things. And knowing your audience may not be a simple thing. My fans have surprised me as much as people who I thought would like my books have disappointed me with their lack of interest."<br />
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True indeed. Reminds me of the times I told jokes I was so sure were the funniest things ever uttered by a human being, and not a soul laughed. Then there were times when I made what I thought…
"But our audience is not homogeneous. Different readers look for different things and are impressed by different things. And knowing your audience may not be a simple thing. My fans have surprised me as much as people who I thought would like my books have disappointed me with their lack of interest."<br />
<br />
True indeed. Reminds me of the times I told jokes I was so sure were the funniest things ever uttered by a human being, and not a soul laughed. Then there were times when I made what I thought were mildlly interesting remarks at best, and everyone went into fits of laughter. There is just no accounting for tastes. As long as human beings are wired differently, that will always be the case.<br />
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"In the end, it's just best that I write to the standard that satisfies me and hope for the best."<br />
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Hoping for the best is what I think every creative person does. It's what the people in Hollywood, who make the decisions as to which movies go into production or remain in development limbo, ultimately do. Oh they'd like you to believe that they have a system of course. But the truth of the matter is, they are largely guided by intuition and very subjective formulas. If any of us were given the opportunity, we could probably achieve the same success rate at picking hit movies. But our audience is not homog…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-14:537324:Comment:1720512008-12-14T14:52:59.389ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
But our audience is not homogeneous. Different readers look for different things and are impressed by different things. And knowing your audience may not be a simple thing. My fans have surprised me as much as people who I thought would like my books have disappointed me with their lack of interest.<br />
<br />
In the end, it's just best that I write to the standard that satisfies me and hope for the best.
But our audience is not homogeneous. Different readers look for different things and are impressed by different things. And knowing your audience may not be a simple thing. My fans have surprised me as much as people who I thought would like my books have disappointed me with their lack of interest.<br />
<br />
In the end, it's just best that I write to the standard that satisfies me and hope for the best. Ah, but what does "telling th…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-14:537324:Comment:1720032008-12-14T00:37:30.338ZPate Grantwellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PateGrantwell
Ah, but what does "telling the story and telling it as well as it can be told" do? Well, it brings you attention. When I said I write to impress people, I didn't mean to imply that I am not passionate about my writings, or that they are motivated purely by the hope of gain or adulation. Not at all. I am just as passionate about my stories as the next writer. However, I believe writers should structure their stories and prose in a way that excite their audience. You believe that "Stories, by…
Ah, but what does "telling the story and telling it as well as it can be told" do? Well, it brings you attention. When I said I write to impress people, I didn't mean to imply that I am not passionate about my writings, or that they are motivated purely by the hope of gain or adulation. Not at all. I am just as passionate about my stories as the next writer. However, I believe writers should structure their stories and prose in a way that excite their audience. You believe that "Stories, by definition, must be shared." I am not sure I agree with that completely but I'll go along for the sake of discussion. If a writer tries to share a story in an uninteresting way (i.e. if he or she makes no attempt to impress the audience), the story will likely fail to attract readers. This is why I consciously write to impress, to improve the chances of finding an audience for the drivel that I write. I write the way I do to complement substance, not to compensate for a lack of it. At least that's what I hope. I may be splitting hairs, but…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-12:537324:Comment:1718042008-12-12T14:58:55.809ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
I may be splitting hairs, but I've never written for the attention. I love the attention, true. And I'm frustrated when there isn't enough attention. But I write for the sake of telling the story and telling it as well as it can be told. With every new book, I hope for that moment of complete satisfaction and for the knowledge that it was done well. And with every new book I look for a break-through of some sort.<br />
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Stories are silent when told to oneself. They are mere day dreams. Stories, by…
I may be splitting hairs, but I've never written for the attention. I love the attention, true. And I'm frustrated when there isn't enough attention. But I write for the sake of telling the story and telling it as well as it can be told. With every new book, I hope for that moment of complete satisfaction and for the knowledge that it was done well. And with every new book I look for a break-through of some sort.<br />
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Stories are silent when told to oneself. They are mere day dreams. Stories, by definition, must be shared. I definitely agree with those…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-12:537324:Comment:1717162008-12-12T01:22:05.006ZPate Grantwellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PateGrantwell
I definitely agree with those who believe we write for the attention. I read in another forum about a member who said she wasn't really trying to impress anyone. So why was she publishing her work on the internet, I wondered? Why not just read it to yourself and keep it from the public? I write to impress people. I won't deny it. Nor should any other writer. In the community of creative people, writers still maintain a reputation of restraint and reserve. We do not rip up hotel rooms, we do not…
I definitely agree with those who believe we write for the attention. I read in another forum about a member who said she wasn't really trying to impress anyone. So why was she publishing her work on the internet, I wondered? Why not just read it to yourself and keep it from the public? I write to impress people. I won't deny it. Nor should any other writer. In the community of creative people, writers still maintain a reputation of restraint and reserve. We do not rip up hotel rooms, we do not assault innocent citizens and we do not increase the workload of paramedics by dying of overdose. We do not think the sun rises and sets because we write. We are doing okay. It's not a sin to aspire to profit from your ability. Yeah, I knew them. I went ahe…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-11:537324:Comment:1716372008-12-11T12:08:02.987ZTom Cookehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TomCooke
Yeah, I knew them. I went ahead anyway. It's because we are morons who are obsessed with getting our own message out there. Maybe I'm the worst because I think it's fun to get across ideas and tweak the noses of the people I feel like need tweaking. We all need to take a more active part in the aggressive marketing of our own product though.
Yeah, I knew them. I went ahead anyway. It's because we are morons who are obsessed with getting our own message out there. Maybe I'm the worst because I think it's fun to get across ideas and tweak the noses of the people I feel like need tweaking. We all need to take a more active part in the aggressive marketing of our own product though. Yes, Pate,
That was a stretc…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-11:537324:Comment:1715422008-12-11T01:48:27.684ZDennis Leppanenhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TheWarbler
Yes, Pate,<br />
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That was a stretch. It was intimated that Sherlock was 'doing' something. I haven't read any Holmes in years. It may be time to do so.
Yes, Pate,<br />
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That was a stretch. It was intimated that Sherlock was 'doing' something. I haven't read any Holmes in years. It may be time to do so. I know you're being facetious…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-10:537324:Comment:1714362008-12-10T19:46:38.325ZPate Grantwellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PateGrantwell
I know you're being facetious, but many people won't know how close to the truth your reference is. Sherlock Holmes did not do crack, be he did do cocaine. Now the vintage Bentley in Victorial times? That one I'll have to leave alone.
I know you're being facetious, but many people won't know how close to the truth your reference is. Sherlock Holmes did not do crack, be he did do cocaine. Now the vintage Bentley in Victorial times? That one I'll have to leave alone. I just use; Elmore Leonard, J…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-10:537324:Comment:1713112008-12-10T06:31:51.151ZDennis Leppanenhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TheWarbler
I just use; Elmore Leonard, John Sandford, Jordan Dane,etc as the author. It works for me...<br />
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The only tuff one I had was selling was the latest from A. Conan Doyle, Sherlock was driving a vintage Bentley and doing crack. Ya just can't win 'em all.
I just use; Elmore Leonard, John Sandford, Jordan Dane,etc as the author. It works for me...<br />
<br />
The only tuff one I had was selling was the latest from A. Conan Doyle, Sherlock was driving a vintage Bentley and doing crack. Ya just can't win 'em all. We all need money. That much…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-12-09:537324:Comment:1711322008-12-09T23:09:11.137ZPate Grantwellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PateGrantwell
We all need money. That much is obvious. It might not be discussed openly in many quaters and in many situations, but we all need it to survive. That said, I'd continue writing, even if all prospects of attaining wealth through writing were eliminated. I can't imagine a life without writing. Even when I went on sabbatical from the craft, the longing never really deserted me - just hibernated like a benevolent spirit within me. If you are wondering whether you would continue writing if…
We all need money. That much is obvious. It might not be discussed openly in many quaters and in many situations, but we all need it to survive. That said, I'd continue writing, even if all prospects of attaining wealth through writing were eliminated. I can't imagine a life without writing. Even when I went on sabbatical from the craft, the longing never really deserted me - just hibernated like a benevolent spirit within me. If you are wondering whether you would continue writing if providence were to suddenly favor you with one hundred million dollars, ask yourself these questions:<br />
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Could you really live without writing again? Could you place your creative juices permanently in cold storage?<br />
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I think you would probably answer "no."