Letters to Kel: BLEAH, MEH, OR YEAH?

I just finished editing an academic research paper that the author decided he would publish in book form to elucidate and educate and inform and enlighten others who are interested in the same question that he explored.

Got lost in all that convoluted language? Yeah, and I was afraid his readers would be lost in his academic, dry, repetitive, formulaic reporting. There is a vast difference between writing to please the requirements of your doctoral committee and the style and patterns of academia, and writing for ordinary readers. I had to ask the author: who is your audience for this book? More academics, or ordinary readers from many walks of life who just want to know what you found out? More than half the book was spent on discussing the research methods he used, the philosophies behind the development of those methods, and how he went about obtaining his sources. If his audience was strictly academics who care about the HOW just as much as (or even more than) the WHAT, then he would be fine. But if he was aiming at an audience that just wanted to know WHAT he learned, and didn't care HOW, then he was in trouble.

So the point of all this is: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. Who are you writing for? What do they want to read? What are their tastes? What are they expecting when they open up your book? And that means knowing the proper labels to put on your book. Sure, romances sell big, but you can't write vampire-hunters-in-the-Old-West-meet-time-travelers-who-fall-through-to-the-time-of-dinosaurs, label it as a romance (when there is nary a longing look or kiss), and then expect readers to just devour it. The ones who like romances are going to be disgusted, and the ones who want vampires, time travel, and dinosaurs aren't going to be looking for it in the romance aisle.

What reaction are you going for?
Bleah = you didn't give me what I wanted, you didn't follow through on your promise, I'm going to avoid your writing from now on.
Meh = okay, you kinda gave me what you promised, but it wasn't what I was looking for, not what I enjoy, I might give you another chance, but don't disappoint me again.
Yeah = you followed through on your promises, it was what I was looking for, it was a lot of fun, I am definitely putting you on my "must read more" list.

An apocryphal story from a writing conference has an editor for a major romance publisher telling about a query letter she got. Essentially the author said, "Romance is garbage, nobody wants to read it, I have a book full of blood and destruction and a tough guy who doesn't have time for stupid women. Buy my book and you'll make a million." That author didn't know the publisher, didn't know the market, and definitely didn't know how to write a query that would make the editor say, "Yeah!"

So what am I saying? Essentially, just because YOU think a topic or story line is fascinating, that does not necessarily mean others will. You may be a great story teller, but it won't do you any good if the book isn't labeled properly and it is brought to the attention of people who want to read that particular type of story. Know your market, know your readers. Give them what they want. Make them say YEAH!