Readers' consent

[luxken27]

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:

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 =)

Comments

[knittingknots.livejournal.com]

The technical term I learned for it was "Willing suspension of disbelief," but it's the same thing. Anything which blows out the reader's ability to go along with what the writer is saying will do things that chase the reader off.

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!

[luxken27]

The technical term I learned for it was "Willing suspension of disbelief," but it's the same thing.

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.