Authorly perspective on Reader

[Guest]

Seriously I have gotten feedback that just makes you stop and go .... ewww. . .

Alex, we probably share the same ungentlemanly callers. I rec'd a sicko offer recently, forwarded it to a Lit. pal and ten minutes later she forwarded the same offer obviously sent to her a few minutes after I'd received mine.

We nearly simultaneously found their profile and pushed that precious 'ignore' button.

best, Perdita

 

[wildsweetone]

Quasi, I know you are not illiterate, so that leaves the other option.

I think that the reading audience for our writing is as vast as the abilities of the Litland authors.

I also think that I want too much from my personal Ideal Reader to be able to ever have one.

 

[Rainbow Skin]

Seriously I have gotten feedback that just makes you stop and go .... ewww I need to go take a shower I feel dirty that this sicko emailed me.

I must be doing something wrong. I've only once got anything like this. What I considered a beautiful, gentle story, one of the best, good characters, believ.. oh, all the things I was trying to do.

Someone wrote hey it was a really great story, good characters, believable, but I forgot pussy lips, blow job, and anal.

'Forgot'.

 

[DVS]

BUMP!

Doesn't anyone else think this is a good thread? What is your ideal reader? Not what is the ideal Lit reader, but your ideal reader!

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

I replied first and here's part of what I said, "... from a Lit. reader I want intelligence, a reading background, sensitivity to language and the content."

To expand on this: My ideal reader would appreciate my style, the flow of a sentence or paragraph sequence, the hints of character (vs. what some call telling) through small actions or a phrase (whether in first or third person), descriptive phrases and words, some poetry of expression. And as I am writing in episodic chapters I would hope a reader would be inclined, through the reading experience to go back and forth as something is recalled that triggers a related bit in an earlier part.

It's only now that I am about to submit a sixth episode that I am thinking ahead to making my story into a novel or novella length work. I guess I would also like a reader to recognize my work as work. Obviously I do not want a reader who only wants the erotic bits, which is me when I look for good erotica.

I also want to note that I think Pops' above tongue-in-cheek description of a reader is probably the norm for non-author readers of Lit. I say that opinionatedly without rancor.

Perdita, novice erotician

 

[KillerMuffin]

Readers don't usually confuse me with my characters, though they confuse me with the chick in my illustrated story. They usually send me their stories, requests for boob pics, and other assorted "I came 57 times!" feedback.

Of course, feedback has dropped sharply since I've included the "I am not available for personal editing at this time" notice in my profile and turned off anonymous feedback.