Not necessarily a smart thing to do...
but maybe worthwhile. I recently wrote a post regarding the ages of our heroines and I realized something - here comes a general statement - while many romance heroines may be in their twenties, we are not necessarily writing for the sensibilities of twenty-something year old readers. We may be writing for women over thirty. Our heroines tend to reflect thoughts, feelings, insights and the awareness of a more mature woman, perhaps reflecting us and our thoughts, feelings, insights and awareness.
Over the past few years, I've also noticed something else - once again, this is a generalization that may not be entirely accurate but is related - the younger the reviewer of my works, the more they seem to like what I consider fluff. I mean, I don't generally write fluff, but I've noticed that say...a work that means the least to me, well put together but not especially deep, will get a great review from a young twenty-something reviewer, while a work that is of far more significance to me, that I feel is far more complex and contains depth and symbolism, seems to go right over the same reviewer's head. I'm not saying that reviewer is shallow, I'm saying I find it interesting that they really like a work of mine that I consider sort of, well, shallow.
That's about it! Call me Ishmael....
No, I don't take this personally. My philosophy is to each his own. I find it curious.
Over the past few years, I've also noticed something else - once again, this is a generalization that may not be entirely accurate but is related - the younger the reviewer of my works, the more they seem to like what I consider fluff. I mean, I don't generally write fluff, but I've noticed that say...a work that means the least to me, well put together but not especially deep, will get a great review from a young twenty-something reviewer, while a work that is of far more significance to me, that I feel is far more complex and contains depth and symbolism, seems to go right over the same reviewer's head. I'm not saying that reviewer is shallow, I'm saying I find it interesting that they really like a work of mine that I consider sort of, well, shallow.
That's about it! Call me Ishmael....
No, I don't take this personally. My philosophy is to each his own. I find it curious.
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Tessie - I scheduled this post for midnight tonight and it posted anyway, dang it and I'm sorry!!!
ReplyDeleteDuring a workshop with two editors (who were 20 something), they said that most writer's don't write for the 20 something generation.
ReplyDeleteSo you may be correct!
Hey Julia - it's all good!!
ReplyDeleteI think maturity is a big part of the equation. Life is a whole bunch of 'fluff' when we're younger. What seems so important at 20-something becomes vastly different at 40-something!
I tend to have heroines in the 30-something range. My daughters starting reading with a more mature interest in romances as they got closer to 30. Before, they flirted with the "fluff" ones...if they read at all.
ReplyDeleteReviewers...gotta love them and hope they understand your voice/emotions/plot no matter how old they are!
I'm finding "Maturity" comes in all ages. I've found some very mature young readers and some very silly ones who are old enough to know better. I think the best fiction works on many levels. Everyone absorbs what they are ready for. We all "see" ourselves in interesting fictional characters and some people see more than others. Writer's who have rich life experiences are honor bound to write rich-fiction even if a few members in the reading audience are not fully appreciative of all that's offered.
ReplyDeleteXXOO Kat
Thanks for understanding, Tessie! I have issues with this site!
ReplyDeleteGive me a writer with some life experience any day - I've dabbled in some of the fiction that was on the NYT bestseller list - written by twenty-something year old authors and I could not see what the reviewers saw. The works were narcissistic, full of angsty plot devices that drove me nuts - really unpleasant whiny reads. Might as well watch my twenty year old have a temper tantrum.