The relationship factor

This sucks.

Why am I still reading it?

I’ll answer that question later.

Have you ever had trouble getting into a book? Did you ever wonder why? Did you keep reading? As a writer, these questions are important to me. Namely because I never want a reader to think this about one of my books.

Okay. Now to answer the questions– I told you I would. Have I ever let you down?

Well, that’s easy. I’ve read several novels by a certain author… in fact, I think this was the 5^th or 6^th book I’d read and I know he can write. Boy do I know he can write. So I knew it had to get better. So I trudged through the first half of the book, making myself read, waiting for the payoff. Why? He’d already sold me. I was reading the author, not just the book. I had confidence in him and his writing.

Which leads me to another lesson. If it had been his first book, I may have still finished (because I’m anal about things like that) but I would never have picked up another written by him.

First books are like first impressions, they stick with you.

You might think I’m going to say to make sure your first book totally rocks the house. I’m not. The problem? I could have just as easily picked up this book first. If so, I’d have never read the other 5 which I thoroughly enjoyed.  

So my point? Every book counts. If it’s the first of the fiftieth, make sure it rocks the house.

The good news?  Once you have a following, if one of your readers stumbles through one of your books, chances are, it’s not going to break the relationship.

 Consistency is the key.

As a writer, what lessons have you learned by reading?

As a reader, do you continue to read a book that just doesn’t grab your interest?

About these ads