And even those writers who can boast "best selling author" in their profiles didn't necessarily start out to craft a book with the likes of their readers in mind. They started with a story they wanted to tell. Word followed upon word until their story was concluded...then time to introduce it to the world.
The best advice I ever saw on this subject is that I should write what I like to read. If I like it, then surely there will be a group of readers for whom my work will tickle their fancy. :-)
Most of my books are part of my Brad Frame mystery series. In Brad Frame's world I've created a detective, his assistant, his colleague, his love interest, quirky relatives, and defined the world in which he lives. The premise of my series is that Brad Frame led an aimless life until his mother and sister were kidnapped and murdered. He helped solved their crime, then paired with Philadelphia police detective Nick Argostino to open a detective business to help bring justice to others. I located Brad Frame on an estate in Bryn Mawr, PA (outside of Philadelphia). His approach to solving crime is cerebral. I always enjoyed reading whodunits, and so I chose to write them. Brad has his likes (model trains) and as with all characters, he has his own idiosyncrasies.
What becomes different about each of my books (6 in the series so far) is the locale, from a hospital in Philadelphia to a beach community on the South Carolina coast. Putting my detective in different places with a different crime to solve is what helps me keep the stories fresh (even with the same cast of characters). In FINAL JUROR, I even put Brad Frame in a jury box. If you are unfamiliar with the series, I hope you'll give it a try. Although it is a series, each is intended to stand on its own, and they don't need to be read in a particular order.
Okay, it's your turn. In the comment section below, tell me what you like as a reader. Pull back the curtain on your own likes. After all, Life's a Mystery!
What I look for as a reader is an escape from reality. Sometimes this means another time period, as in historical romance and historical mystery. Or it might mean an escape to other worlds with scifi/fantasy. For mysteries, I prefer light, funny cozies because I know the crook isn't always caught in real life and bad things happen. Cozies provide justice in a manner where the crime scene is offstage and the focus is on interpersonal relationships. So I look for an escape into a book with a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteI'm another cozy fan and look to media, in general, for relaxation and escape. I want to like the characters I'm reading about. Okay, you have to have some characters be pains in the tush, be mean and/or evil. But I hate it when a main character is whiny and constantly complaining.
ReplyDeleteSomeone else (I forget who) said it well: We want a book to take us to places we want to go with people we want to be with. Those places and people will be different for everyone but with enough overlap to make some books very popular. As a cozy writer, I populate a small town with pretty likeable people (I hope.) But as a reader I'll spread my wings a little and choose cozies, thrillers and plenty in between. Cerebral detectives work very well for me :-)
ReplyDeleteI like a fast moving book with good dialogue and minimal prose and description. If I'm reading a mystery I want a good puzzler. I historical fiction I like to learn a lot about the era.
ReplyDeleteI like a fast moving book with good dialogue and minimal prose and description. If I'm reading a mystery I want a good puzzler. I historical fiction I like to learn a lot about the era.
ReplyDeleteI like stories with a dark atmosphere, quirky humor and some supernatural/sci-fi elements. I like stories with fast-paced dialogue that moves the story along and are also satirical.
ReplyDeleteI love a "feel-good" story.When I am smiling and happy at the end of a book, my whole day or evening just feels better. Those are the books that I remember, and those are the types of books I gift to others. With all the hate, violence, and corruption in our real life world today, just reading something that is warm and sweet makes my heart smile.
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