How to get someone to read your novel again.
what draws someone to love your novel. what you can do to make your novel rememberable.
If you want your novel to fail it’s real simple, treat your reader like an idiot. If you want your novel to succeed, respect your reader and understand their intelligence.
In this blog, we will learn how to get someone to read your novel again…
HOW TO GET SOMEONE TO READ YOUR NOVEL AGAIN
Table of Contents
Look back at your favorite books. Look back at highly acclaimed novels, they all have one thing in common, the audience was respected. Now look back at some of the lowest critically reviewed novels ever made they all have one thing in common, they treat the readers as idiots.
As a novel writer, you have to understand the reader can figure things out for themselves. You do not have to spoon-feed the reader every little detail from start to finish. It is possible to give the reader two plus two and have the reader figure out the four. And when they do they walk away feeling smart. However, when you have dumb characters running around acting like idiots as a reader you can’t help but feel dumb while reading, after a few pages you put down the novel.
READERS PROJECT THEMSELVES INTO YOUR BOOK
All writers must remember when someone reads a book they project themselves into the book. They daydream they’re the lead character. When the novel has intelligent, strong lead characters the reader will feel they’re strong and intelligent.
Imagine if you’re reading a book and in the first chapter one of the characters says, “The killer wears red shoes.” And near the end of the book, someone walks into a room wearing red shoes. If you have a flashback to the first chapter with a reminder of the killer wearing red shoes, you’ll be insulting the reader. Why? Because they have a memory, they can remember things for themselves. They’ll remember the first chapter stating the killer wearing red shoes. The flashback is not needed.
THEY BELIEVE THE READER IS DUMB
But why would the writer have the flashback? Because they believe the reader is too dumb to remember such important information. So a flashback is given to “remind” you. But in reality, all it does is insult you. Of course, you remember such information. It was said only a few pages ago. Does the writer really think your memory is that bad? But a smart author will state the killer wears red shows and have someone wearing red shoes later in the book walk into the room in which the lead character sees the shoes and reacts to them. Leaving you the reader to understand why the character is reacting in such away.
Look at a movie like “Wall Street” you can’t help but watch and feel smart. Because the script respects you. At no point when watching do the actors stop what they’re doing and explain to each other “how Wall Street works.” So why does an author put a scene like that in their book? To explain to the reader how Wall Street works. So you the reader “get it.” But, in reality, it comes across as odd because stockbrokers do not have to explain to each other how Wall Street works, they already know. Why would two stockbrokers suddenly stop what they’re doing to explain the ins and outs of Wall Street to each other? But what would work is what we get in the movie. We see them in action going about their day. We watch and understand. We’re taken for the ride of Wall Street feeling as though we belong. The movie moves at a fast pace. The audience has to pay attention to keep up. You feel you’re in the action. You feel you’re a part of the movie.
THE READER IS ALWAYS RESPECTED
In Tom Clancy’s novel “The Hunt for Red October” the reader is always respected. The novel moves quick. Military terms are thrown around nonstop. A lot of information is given to you at a fast pace. But at no point do two characters have to “explain” everything to each other. Insulting the reader in the process. You have to pay attention word for word. You can’t help but feel you’re in the military and are onboard a powerful nuclear submarine when reading. Making you want to read it over and over.
In Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather” you feel you’re inside the world of the mafia, invisible, seeing the inner workings. At no point do any of the characters act dumb. You always feel they’re in the mafia living the life. Mario Puzo captured the mafia world as though it were real. So much information is said, you have to listen to every word to understand the storyline. But you never have things “explained” to you making you feel dumb. Characters do not talk to each other as though you need everything explained to you. They don’t act silly shooting guns looking like they’re playing dress-up. The book gives you insight. Respecting the reader from start to finish. The way all books should.
NOTHING IS DUMB DOWN FOR YOU
In Thomas Harris’s “Silence of the Lambs,” you are along for a wild ride as an F.B.I. agent tries tracking down a serial killer. At no point throughout the novel do the characters come across important information “magically” or stumble across an important clue. Only through hard word is it reached. Detailed information is thrown at you and it’s up to you to keep up. You find yourself having to read it again and again. Nothing is dumb down. Psychological phrases are given where you feel you need to be educated to understand. The whole novel respects the reader making you want to read it again.
One Flew Over the Cuckoos’ Nest gives you insight into the world of mental asylums. At the time of its release, no one truly knew what it was like to be in one. It was shocking to see how the patients were treated. The atmosphere throughout the book is creepy. It felt like reading a horror novel. But you are never talked down to. You’re respected at all times. Medical terms are given throughout the novel. No exposition is given to the reader through two characters talking. You had to keep up when reading.
THE READER WILL PLACE THEMSELVES INTO YOUR BOOK
As a writer, you must always remember the reader will always live vicariously through your characters. Placing themselves into the world you create. When you watch “Wall Street” you’re there in the office building dealing with money. Enjoying the fast pace world where money never sleeps. The same can be said about any novel. As a writer you need to ask yourself am I respecting the reader with my words. Or are the characters in the story acting dumb insulting the reader chapter after chapter.
Every writer has to make a choice, have the characters talk to each other as though it’s not a novel. As though the world they’re in is really happening. Or write your book with the audience in mind having everything explained and dumb down so the reader can understand. But as you read a book like this you are aware you are being talked down to, making you want to close the book. When exposition is given in unrealistic terms it insults the audience.
THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE
Having characters standing around in a living room explain in detail who they are and what their likes and dislikes are doesn’t happen in real life. People don’t give long detailed explanations of themselves to someone they all already know. This seems awkward.
As a writer you want the character to be revealed through action. Not through fake exposition. We judge people by what they do, not what they say.
WHY DO WE READ THE SAME BOOK OVER AND OVER
The question some have asked is, “Why do we like reading the same novel over and over?” Isn’t once enough? What draws us back to certain books? It’s because we daydream we’re in the novel. We like the story, the characters, the environment. When we sit down to reread our favorite novel we’re pulled out of reality and into the book. We feel the wonderful feelings the book gave us the first time we read it. It’s as if we’re addicted to the book.
When a movie respects the audience you feel respected so you want to watch it again and again, But when a movie insults you you want to stop watching right away.
“AS YOU KNOW”
One way to insult the reader is to have two characters talking and one of them turns to the other and says, “as you know” then proceeds to mention information the other character already knows. Leaving the reader thinking, “why bother saying anything if the other person already knows.”
Another way to insult the reader is to have flat boring characters stand around not doing anything. Letting the story happen to them instead of them taking action and moving the plot forward through their action. Passive characters don’t sell a book. Active characters will always be respected.
DUMB CHARACTERS STAND AROUND
In a horror novel having dumb characters stand around yelling out, “what’s happening?” is a great way to insult your reader. Having characters not having clue as to what going on makes for a boring story. You see this happening a lot in badly made horror movies. Where the actor simply stands around waiting to be killed by the bad guy. Not trying to get away or save themselves. They simply yell out “what’s happening?” while standing still and end up dead at some point. Dumb characters don’t sell. It’s impossible to respect them. No one will ever daydream of being a character in your novel if that character is dumb.
Horror movies people like watching are ones where the actors investigate. Try to solve, take action, they try to get away. To try to understand. They are active, not passive. They use their intelligence to understand what’s happening. Not just stand around waiting to get killed.
DON’T REPEAT EACH OTHER’S SENTENCES
Also, don’t write a book where characters simply repeat each other words. Nothing bores the reader more than two people saying the same thing back and forth. When someone says, “What’s down the hall?” and the other character says, “you mean down that hall?” and the first says, “Yes down the hall at the other end.” only to have the second say “Yes, I to wonder what’s down the hall as well.” None of this is worth reading. You can cut that down to one person saying, “I wonder what’s down the hall, let’s check it out.” That’s all that’s needed.
Having your characters asking questions is another way to bore the reader. Having characters asking who, when, why, over and over is going to slow down your story. You want the story to move forward. Have statements instead of questions. Don’t have characters ask questions about things they should already know. Where someone says, “We need to defuse the bomb to save the world.” Only to have someone else ask “A bomb?” And the lead actor replies, “Yes, a bomb” this dialog sounds silly. By making statements and acting on them moves the story forward faster. However, questions slow it down.
RESPECT YOUR READER
Why has Sherlock Holmes been famous for so long. The answer is straightforward. Sir author Canon Dole respected the reader. He never talked down to them. He never had Sherlock nor Doc Watson running around like dumb detectives stumbling across clues. Even the villain Morality was serious, you felt smart reading Dole’s books. You felt like you were Sherlock Holmes trying to piece together the evidence to solve the impossible. Proving again the more you respect the reader the more the reader will respect the book. Your book could be read hundred years from now.
Even back decades ago when kids used to sit around the radio listening to “The Shadow” drama plays. They pictured themselves as The Shadow. When The Shadow is doing the impossible the kids listening couldn’t help but see them doing the same. When The Shadow is stopping a bad guy they daydreamed they were stopping the villain. This led them to listen week after week. If The Shadow acted stupid the kids would’ve turned the radio off.
THEY WILL NOT WANT TO READ ANYMORE
Always remember the golden rule, the reader will always put themselves into your novel. The lead character in your novel becomes the person reading it. If the lead actor is dumb or pointless the reader will have no motivation to carry on reading. They do not want to picture themselves dumb. They want to feel smart and by having smart characters the reader will read on.
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