Reader Questions
I've received a number of questions from readers regarding my novel that I will hopefully be able to address here.
One of the primary concerns some have expressed was over my use of something aside from first-person POV.
In the US, it's become standard practice to write YA novels using first-person perspective as many in the publishing industry argue helps create an instant connection with the characters. Initially, I began writing using this method but quickly discovered it was limiting my ability to create the sort of complex story I'd envisioned.
Another concern was from readers who were unfamiliar with a YA novel with a main character not acting as the driving force behind the story, aka the protagonist.
In American literature, it's normal to roll the main character and protagonist into one, creating what literary buffs refer to as the 'Hero/Heroine' archetype. What this means is that the outcome of the story and the fate of the entire fictional world around which the story revolves rests exclusively on the proverbial shoulders of a single character. This practice is heavily influenced by the film industry and publishers oblige by seeking out stories possessing a 'cinematic' quality as books have by and large become catalysts for movies in recent years. Personally, I find this plot device extremely contrived and predictable, and in the case of Amber, simply not feasible given her age and role in the story, itself. And, while Amber is the main character in the sense that the bulk of the story is told primarily from her perspective, she is not the protagonist - that role is actually fulfilled by Fortis.
I hope this sheds some light on why I went about the plot as I did.
Happy Reading :)
One of the primary concerns some have expressed was over my use of something aside from first-person POV.
In the US, it's become standard practice to write YA novels using first-person perspective as many in the publishing industry argue helps create an instant connection with the characters. Initially, I began writing using this method but quickly discovered it was limiting my ability to create the sort of complex story I'd envisioned.
Another concern was from readers who were unfamiliar with a YA novel with a main character not acting as the driving force behind the story, aka the protagonist.
In American literature, it's normal to roll the main character and protagonist into one, creating what literary buffs refer to as the 'Hero/Heroine' archetype. What this means is that the outcome of the story and the fate of the entire fictional world around which the story revolves rests exclusively on the proverbial shoulders of a single character. This practice is heavily influenced by the film industry and publishers oblige by seeking out stories possessing a 'cinematic' quality as books have by and large become catalysts for movies in recent years. Personally, I find this plot device extremely contrived and predictable, and in the case of Amber, simply not feasible given her age and role in the story, itself. And, while Amber is the main character in the sense that the bulk of the story is told primarily from her perspective, she is not the protagonist - that role is actually fulfilled by Fortis.
I hope this sheds some light on why I went about the plot as I did.
Happy Reading :)
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