(How to) Talk to Your Readers

 "You can make anything by writing." -  C.S. Lewis

Lewis, author ofChronicles of Narnia, was an advocateof using parentheses to “speak” to his readers.    I remember one of my South Dakota State University English professorssaying to the class that Lewis provided “a pathway” for the readers to join inthe story through his use of parentheses. 
[image error] Image from the 1950book cover
I think I was perhapsthe only person in the class who hadn’t read The Chronicles – which were published in the early 1950s and, ofcourse, still continue to excite readers of all ages.  But, as I listened to that professor expressher great admiration for Lewis and this method of drawing his readers closer tohis words, I was quickly enticed to not only read them but to grow to admire histechnique myself.
For writers, parenthesesdo let you just talk to readers -- sort-of like an aside in theater -- and grant themthe power to become participants.   But like any writing technique, use it wisely (as Lewis did) so yourreaders will not abandon you for being too gimmicky.     “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing," said Lewis.  "It also depends on what sort of person you are.”