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Readers' consent
I was following up on some e-publishing wank last night (here if you're interested), and in the process ran across this really interesting article-about-an-article, on the idea of readers' consent. This is basically a theory that tries to explain why some plots work for some readers but not for others:
Source: Dear Author: The Reader and Consent (09/21/10)
This has happened with me, not only from a reading perspective, but from a writing one. I was shocked when, halfway through Fleeting, about half the audience became outraged at a turn of events that was essential to moving forward the plot of the story. When I wrote that installment, I was aware that it might be a surprise to some readers (or maybe even a bit unbelievable), but I was nowhere near prepared to handle the visceral reaction quite a few reviewers had to it. I'd touched a nerve in a *huge* way, and it was obvious I'd brought those readers out of the story, perhaps so much so that they'd stop reading it entirely. This bothered me, a lot, but it also kinda fascinated me - and now this idea of readers needing to consent - or, at least, buy - to the actions presented in the plot help me make sense of it, and learn from it.
I'd definitely urge you guys to read the entire article (yes, it's posted at a romance blog, but it's not limited to romantic or sexual interactions). Has this ever happened to you? Does it explain why there are popular stories/series/movies that others seem to adore but you just don't get (or vice versa)? Discussion, as always, is welcome =)
Ever put down a book? Why? Sometimes it is because the story is boring but sometimes it is because there is something in the story that bothered you.
This happened to me recently when I was reading a book the other day. The hero declared (to another person) that he was in love with the heroine and I put the book down, metaphorically speaking. I wasn’t ready to go there with the hero. The author hadn’t prepared me well enough for that scene to happen and thus I wasn’t satisfied with the direction of the story.
Source: Dear Author: The Reader and Consent (09/21/10)
This has happened with me, not only from a reading perspective, but from a writing one. I was shocked when, halfway through Fleeting, about half the audience became outraged at a turn of events that was essential to moving forward the plot of the story. When I wrote that installment, I was aware that it might be a surprise to some readers (or maybe even a bit unbelievable), but I was nowhere near prepared to handle the visceral reaction quite a few reviewers had to it. I'd touched a nerve in a *huge* way, and it was obvious I'd brought those readers out of the story, perhaps so much so that they'd stop reading it entirely. This bothered me, a lot, but it also kinda fascinated me - and now this idea of readers needing to consent - or, at least, buy - to the actions presented in the plot help me make sense of it, and learn from it.
I'd definitely urge you guys to read the entire article (yes, it's posted at a romance blog, but it's not limited to romantic or sexual interactions). Has this ever happened to you? Does it explain why there are popular stories/series/movies that others seem to adore but you just don't get (or vice versa)? Discussion, as always, is welcome =)
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It even works in movies. I never watched the move JFK because I was in New Orleans when the events that the movie portrays took place and knew very much what the character that Keven Costner played looked like....I could never ever suspend disbelief enough to start watching it....LOL. A rather blatant example of not giving consent.
One reason I don't read standard SK fics is I can't believe in 99% of the scenarios that would put the two together, based on my understanding of their personalities in the canon, and my desire to see them together is not strong enough to overide that feeling that it is of low probability, and requires putting someone out of the way or out of character to accomplish. I can't consent to it. I have read stories that I could, but they are few and far between, but they have resolved the scenario issues for me in believable ways, so I could give consent.
Sometimes, though, it's not a believability issue. Sometimes it's a "been there, done that" issue...I've seen this story done too many times and you, dear author, are not doing it in any way that deserves my time to see a cookie cutter version of a worn out trope. Happens a lot in fanfiction, a bit less often in published fic.
And occasionally, I just don't like the protagonist enough to keep reading the story. Or the writing style drives me crazy.
Anything that seriously shatters that willingness to go on with the writer does this. Writers who know their market, or who click into their market and are well received match with their audience, and don't do this a lot. But no writer reaches everybody. Even bestseller writers. I've put down many a best seller...evidently I have niche tastes!
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Yeah, one of the things that bothered me about the article was this assertion that we (as romance readers) had to take the female lead as our avatar and approve of everything the male lead did to her. I absolutely hate the idea of using a character as an avatar, either from the author's or the reader's perspective. I try to judge characters on their own merits, not necessarily by how much I relate to them :P
One reason I don't read standard SK fics is I can't believe in 99% of the scenarios that would put the two together, based on my understanding of their personalities in the canon
Ditto - which is why I work hard to find interesting ways or reasons to bring these two together. The difference between us is that I do have that desire to see them paired together - but I am different from your run-of-the-mill S/K fan in that there are very definitely limits to what I am and am not willing to buy. 95% of S/K stories, I am not willing to buy.
Sometimes, though, it's not a believability issue. Sometimes it's a "been there, done that" issue...
This is a HUGE issue in fanfic, but there is also quite a bit of reinventing the wheel going on in profic, too, at least in genre stuff. Ever seem like an author is just writing the same story or characters over and over again? Chances are, if you look closely enough, they are.
I've put down many a best seller...evidently I have niche tastes!
The only things I tend to read from the bestseller lists are romance novels...that I'm already interested in for another reason :P If anything, finding out a book has been hyped hither, there, and yon and is on the bestseller lists makes me *less* likely to read it than more likely - same with movies and certain TV series.
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At least you're willing to give up on something that isn't satisfying to you. I think some people could make a career out of complaining about things they hate, and yet continually subject themselves to, anyway :P
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For me it's movies, and TV shows sometimes too as well as books. But mostly for movies, I have a really hard time with "slow-burn" plots. Like if it doesn't move fast enough for me, I give up. I leave the room, shut it off, whatever. My husband and I get in arguments about this. One example, "Taxi Driver". I hated that movie. I didn't even finish it. It just moved too slow to me, the director concentrated too much on the character progression/motivation and not enough on the progression of the story. It just felt to me, the whole beginning was wasting my time... and Joe would argue with me that there's a reason for the "slow burn" technique, and I wouldn't have it. It's just... well, such things make me impatient.
So I totally get this. As far as triggers, well yeah, rape really gets to me too in books, especially if it's glorified and the heroine falls in love with her rapist. Blah. Also? Stories about a woman who's life revolves around the fate of a man bother me, just no, which is why I absolutely despise "A Time Traveler's Wife" and had to force myself to finish it (rather than torching the book, which is what I wanted to do 100 pages in).
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I wonder if this could be an issue of framing as well. Do you think if someone told you that it was a character study instead of an action movie (or however it was introduced to you), that you would've tolerated it better? Or would you not have even bothered with it?
I don't like movies that are so action-packed I feel like I'm going to break my neck trying to follow all the moving pieces. But I don't like the film equivalent of literary fiction, either, where you're so enamored of your style you forget you're supposed to be telling a story :P Can you tell I don't want a lot of movies or loooooong TV series (like Lost)?
As far as triggers, well yeah, rape really gets to me too in books, especially if it's glorified and the heroine falls in love with her rapist. Blah.
I wonder how you'd react to a book like the Nikita Black novel they recently reviewed over there.
Stories about a woman who's life revolves around the fate of a man bother me, just no
AGREED. Nothing bothers me more - it's like, haven't we evolved at all in the last sixty years? Ugh. (And your reaction to The Time-Traveler's Wife pretty much cemented my decision to stay far, far away from it, LOL.)
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I probably wouldn't have bothered with it, or needed to be in a certain mood to watch it. I dunno. I do like character studies, but I'm really not all that interested in serial killers, you know? But my husband doesn't seem to think I like good Oscar winning movies, so I get razzed on for that.
I wonder how you'd react to a book like the Nikita Black novel they recently reviewed over there.
I'm not a big romance reader (Nora Roberts is about all I read, because she's fantastic, and she's in my comfort zone) but who knows, I might have read this out of sheer curiosity (though I really don't know after a review like that.)
And your reaction to The Time-Traveler's Wife pretty much cemented my decision to stay far, far away from it, LOL.
It was disappointing, mostly because everyone just loves that book and I just can't wrap my brain around WHY, you know? Because I found it neither romantic nor how women should act when they're in love. And that's not counting the literary problems with the book...
I think it's my least favorite book of all time... like the only book ever to generate such hatred in me that I want to set it on fire with my mind every time I see it in the Literature section at Borders.
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I *think* that's an oxymoron...but don't quote me on that :P
who knows, I might have read this out of sheer curiosity (though I really don't know after a review like that.)
Did you see the spoiler for the ending in the comments? That's a big load of DNW for me. And, I think, it does larger damage to the genre - its a controversial book already, being how its about BDSM and set in fetish clubs, but to add that sort of 'negative' surprise twist ending? Paints the whole genre in that light. It's just...bizarre, to me, how far out of their way some authors will go for the sheer shock value.
Because I found it neither romantic nor how women should act when they're in love.
THIS. There is a lot of "popular" romance stuff that I just hate, because I believe there should be more to a woman's life and existence the the presence or absence of a man. The romance genre has come so far since the days of the bodice rippers, but there are just enough of them around to keep it mired down. And this was ~literary fiction~ which is supposed to be ~better~ than genre - but after reading this, would you pick up a romance novel? I wouldn't!
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I kinda laughed when I read that article - the beginning bit with the author not buying the legal "procedure" is so very me. It's difficult for me to watch the traditional L&O for that reason - the courtroom behavior aggravates me. Shoddy police procedure though? Meh. I can deal with that just fine.
I also think that whenever you put sex into the mix, you're automatically amping up the risk that your readers won't take a liking to it. You have the extremes of "no sex until marriage", all the way to "first date sex is the best", lol. When you start putting kink into that? O.o Good luck!
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*nods* That certainly sounds plausible. I was just floored by the reaction folks had to Inuyasha and Kagome mending fences in Fleeting - I knew it would be somewhat controversial, just considering I was on a cracking good roll with the shock back then, but I never expected the visceral nature of the reactions I received. But the situation I wrote about is one everyone approaches differently, and one that's colored by everyone's separate feelings and experiences. I think any time you mix emotion into a work is when it becomes a minefield - there's no such thing as an objective emotion.
I also think that whenever you put sex into the mix, you're automatically amping up the risk that your readers won't take a liking to it. You have the extremes of "no sex until marriage", all the way to "first date sex is the best", lol. When you start putting kink into that? O.o Good luck!
That's why I'm pretty relieved no one's ever said anything about my citrusy stuff. I know its on the tame end of the spectrum, but still. It's something that's so easy to take personally, especially if you're wearing the main character as an avatar. I liked the examples in the article they gave, though, about helping make the kinkier stuff more believable if it was from the woman's POV - especially the whole rape fetish thing. I'm curious to read that scene now, even though rape fetish is way up there on my personal list of DNW.
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I know that a lot of my readers are younger, and a lot of them see things in this idealized way. That's not a knock - they just haven't had as many cold realization moments as you or I have had (or, although I dread it, the many more that those older than us have had). When I have the characters do something shocking or very adult, that gets a lot of reaction. Some of my reviewers have been with me for a long time, and it's really interesting (to me, at least) to see how their reactions change.
I liked the examples in the article they gave, though, about helping make the kinkier stuff more believable if it was from the woman's POV - especially the whole rape fetish thing.
It's not something I'd really thought about, but it does make sense. I bet a lot of people wouldn't even be aware of how a POV shift could affect their reading of a scene like that. When it's any sort of BDSM or rape-fetish, etc., I think it's natural to want that sort of reassurance from the character that it's really okay with them.
Those sorts of scenes aren't my cup of tea either. So I'll leave actual investigation of that to others.
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You're lucky for that =) I think I can count on one hand the number of people who've stuck with me since the beginning...and considering I think all of them are older than me? I don't have this particular privilege, LOL :P
I bet a lot of people wouldn't even be aware of how a POV shift could affect their reading of a scene like that.
Agreed - its not something you notice until it "feels" wrong, or upsets you and you can't figure out why. But, that's one of the cool things about being a writer, I think :)
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For me, I had the same crisis with the Black Dagger Brotherhood books by JR Ward. After about the fourth or fifth one, I just could no longer quite buy into her universe - and I didn't care about the secondary characters who suddenly took center stage. (Doesn't help that she moved into hardcover, either.) I still read and enjoy the first few of that series, but the rest get a big pass from me.
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