Allison Symes's Blog - Posts Tagged "drawing-in-the-readers"
Drawing In The Readers
If there was a simple way to guarantee drawing in the readers, then someone somewhere would be a very wealthy person for selling the secret to that!
Speaking with my reader hat on, I am drawn to a book by (a) its cover, (b) its blurb, and (c) if I have already read the author’s work. If it is someone whose work I know and love, then it is pretty much guaranteed I will go for their next one.
Out of the cover and the blurb, I have to say I think the latter is the most important. That has got to get me wanting to read more.
Yes, sometimes, a good book cover will catch my eye and I will want to check it out but if the blurb isn’t up to scratch, I’m not biting!
Once I’ve got the book though I want the characters to keep me reading. I have got to want to find out what happens to them and to care about the outcome.
I think you can only do that with realistically portrayed characters whose goal you can understand.
I also want my characters to be “worthy” of winning through in the end. I don’t want it just to fall into their lap, so to speak. I want them to contribute significantly to their success, even with the help of others.
I think you should also be able to see why the others would help the lead character with their goal rather than just leave them to it.
Speaking with my reader hat on, I am drawn to a book by (a) its cover, (b) its blurb, and (c) if I have already read the author’s work. If it is someone whose work I know and love, then it is pretty much guaranteed I will go for their next one.
Out of the cover and the blurb, I have to say I think the latter is the most important. That has got to get me wanting to read more.
Yes, sometimes, a good book cover will catch my eye and I will want to check it out but if the blurb isn’t up to scratch, I’m not biting!
Once I’ve got the book though I want the characters to keep me reading. I have got to want to find out what happens to them and to care about the outcome.
I think you can only do that with realistically portrayed characters whose goal you can understand.
I also want my characters to be “worthy” of winning through in the end. I don’t want it just to fall into their lap, so to speak. I want them to contribute significantly to their success, even with the help of others.
I think you should also be able to see why the others would help the lead character with their goal rather than just leave them to it.
