Why it's important to know who loves (and hates) your fiction
Understanding your book means understanding your reader. Profile them and you won't have to read a review ever again.
I quite often start these posts by trying to figure out how my methods are similar or different to other authors. I think this comes from a sense of curiosity more than harsh comparison. When I wrote my first novel, I didn’t know which genre I was writing in, which is a common issue from what I’ve heard. To be honest, it took my two or three books before I could confidently tell someone what my ‘brand’ of writing is (fish-out-of-water comedies with a big heart and sardonic humour). But how do you do this in a way that isn’t just useful, but protects you from purely seeking validation from the opinions of others?
Thus, I reached the subject of today’s ponderance. There are some authors who actively seek their reviews. I am not one of them. I am an author who profiles her readers instead.
The author/reader dynamic is one that absolutely fascinates and terrifies me. If you haven’t read it before, Yellowface does an incredibly good job at exploring this (and how the author’s mind cracks afterwards like an over-ripe melon). The line between reviews and social media has blurred over the years and it’s easier than ever to stumble across someone else’s thoughts on your work; the good, bad, and indifferent (sometimes indifference is the harshest review of all). Yes, this may be a problem that mostly occurs after a book has been published, but here’s the thing about reviews: they sting because—quite often—they pinpoint the exact fears we have about our own work.
I don’t mean to say that the published landscape is like an endless game of ‘The Floor is Lava.’ Yes, everything that falls under the banner of ‘feedback’ has the potential to scorch, but only if we choose to take every critique and opinion at face value, without considering context. Knowing who might like your book and who might DNF it helps you stand firm in what you love about your work, which is super important because—let’s face it—author’s skin is about as thick as a single-celled amoeba.
Here’s why profiling readers that may love (and hate) your writing will protect you in the long-run:
You understand your writing style more deeply
You know who your ideal reader might be
You recognise that a negative review or feedback might not truly be negative at all
Think about your favourite book. Hold it in your head. Think about three reasons why you love it dearly. Got them? Okay, I can almost guarantee you that those same three reasons will be why another reader hates it.
(I wrote a post about contradictory reviews here, with some excellent examples from Goodreads).
If you didn’t know, my schedule on Not A Write Off works on a four week rotation and looks a little something like this.
The full post is for my paid audience, but I hope you enjoy it, even if you’re reading the abridged version. Upgrading to a paid subscription starts from £2.50 a month and benefits include full access to my archive of practical writing craft and career posts as well as Q&A threads where I answer your writing questions. If this isn’t of interest, an upgrade means that I am able to keep writing, which is no small thing.
To demonstrate with a few examples, I’m going to profile readers of my own books. I haven’t thought about how this will go, so I’m going to go ahead and hope for the best. You might read this and think ‘that sounds right up my street’ or ‘that doesn’t vibe with me at all’ and you know what? That’s all good! That’s the point!
Also, just to add, I’m not being judgemental AT ALL by detailing why someone might hate a book of mine. All the ‘loves’ and ‘hates’ below are valid and totally fine, because every reader is different and brings their own life experiences to the books they read.
The Lonely Fajita
Readers who love this book:
Have had a moment in their twenties where they think ‘wtf am I actually doing?’
Relate to a protagonist who lacks confidence and isn’t used to standing up to authority
Likes odd workplace contexts
Enjoys inter-generational storylines where the older characters are three-dimensional and funny
Likes their ‘com’ more than their ‘rom’
Might also enjoy: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Esio Trot, and Animals.
Readers who hate this book:
Find protagonists who lack self-esteem ‘annoying’
Don’t like sarcasm in humour
Find contemporary settings a turn-off
Not big fans of extended dialogue (spoiler alert, this one comes up a lot)