I’m getting the most interesting reader perspectives from my new book club.
At first, I had no intention of joining this club. As a rule, I don’t join clubs. I’m not really sure how I ended up joining this one. This, actually, was the book club that I based the disastrous club in Pretty is as Pretty Dies on. The club disbanded around the time that I described it (I’m sure those things are not connected.) It was resurrected a couple of months ago and I (feeling a little bit guilty about my portrayal of the club, maybe?), joined up, at a friend’s invitation.
The first book we discussed was Those That Save Us. I’ll just say right off the bat that this was a dry clean only book for sure. It was set during World War II and its immediate aftermath. It’s not one of those books that I really enjoyed reading. But it engendered some interesting discussion.
The oddest thing to me was that there were two completely different interpretations of this book. I mean radically different. One group looked at it as a love story. The rest (including myself) looked at it as a tragedy. The discussion got very passionate as each group defended its position.
I really just wanted to listen in, but I did think that the author should have done one thing different in the plot. She made a particular event happen to one character when it should have happened to another character. The way she wrote it didn’t ring true—but was a plot device.
Thursday night we had our second meeting and read While I Was Gone, which was a bit more of a machine washable read.
No one liked the protagonist. Not a single person in the group.
This interested me very much because I have a crusty, crotchety protagonist. My agent recently advised me to soften her up in two scenes before we submit to Midnight Ink. I’m going to take her advice. For those two scenes. :)
I noticed that out of the probably 14 or 15 people there, only 3 of us liked the book (myself included.) I thought the ending was weak, but overall thought the book was interesting (not fantastic, but interesting.) The rest of the group did not like the book because they didn’t care about the protagonist. She could live or die as far as they were concerned.
The author, Sue Miller, also had a couple of plot devices in her book. Those parts didn’t ring true for the book club members.
What am I taking away from my book club experience so far? Be really careful about coincidences and other plot devices in my book. Be careful about unlikeable protagonists. Different interpretations of the same book make for lively discussions—it may be okay to keep your theme a little vague if you’re writing literary fiction.
And be careful when writing about book clubs. You might end up joining the club you were making fun of.
Elizabeth – I had to laugh at your advice on writing about book clubs! I won’t mention any in any of my novels : ). I think you have a very well-taken point about how important it is to be careful about using different kinds of plot devices. Too many coincidences take away from a plot. Events have to happen naturally to characters – they can’t be forced. And (what I think is one of the most important things), the reader has to be able to identify with the characters. If the reader doesn’t care what happens to the protagonist, the rest of the story doesn’t matter.
Oh Elizabeth, I started the morning off with a smile after reading your post. They are always so entertaining.
You make a good point, readers have to like the protagonist otherwise they won’t care that there’s a second book with that same character in it.
Good stuff, Elizabeth! Last night I was reading in “How to Write a Damn Good Mystery” about heroic vs. likable protagonists. The author says they don’t need to be likable, as long as they have the other five or so vital characteristics. I much prefer protagonists that are awful and crotchety, rather than insipid do-gooders.
I remember a few years ago when I took a short story writing class – (my dad went also). I wrote a thriller type SS. It had quite the twist ending. When I finished, some of my classmates started laughing. The teacher said to me, “So you are wondering why they are laughing when it is not a comedy.” (YES indeedy I was). He said, “They were laughing because they were shocked.” So I heard from the “audience” that day how they processed my story. I also learned that different people interpreted my story in different ways.
I too receive stories as tragedies while others see it as beautiful.
Great post.
I love that you joined up with this club – that’s so fun :)
I think we must be so careful when using coincidences. They’re fine in real life, but in fiction, they often have a very false ring.
Our subdivision is starting a book club. I’m not joining. Maybe later, but not now.
A few years ago I was interested in joining a book club. Seemed like a fun idea, cheap entertainment, and a way to meet people.
I am a mystery fan when it coems to leisure reading (I read enough other “heavy” or nonfiction stuff for school or work).
I couldn’t find any book clubs that did light reading or mystery reading – all the ones I heard of seemed to focus on CAPITAL L literature and that wasn’t what I wanted.
So I created my own club (Danforth Whodunnits) and posted it on http://www.canadianbookclubs.com and WOW! I got so many replies that about a year later I started a second club (Metro Mysteries).
Even though all members are mystery fans, we have a wide range of opinions on the reading selectiosn (noir, cozy, police procedural, etc). It’s really cool to get so many perspectives.
Cheers, Jill
“Blood and Groom” is now in stores.
http://www.jilledmondson.com
Huh. “Dry clean only” I assume means difficult and less accessible, whereas “machine washable” is more pop lit? Interesting way of characterizing books, good lady.
But I do find I’m more aware of plot devices (particularly the coincidence fairy) as I practice the craft of writing. Goes with the territory, I suppose.
In this high-speed world we live in it is more important than ever to find time to decompress with others and this book club sounds great. Nothing like a little differing opinions to get you thinking :)
I have some fun activities, suggestions, recipes for book clubs on my blog http://www.nancynaigle.com/nbookclub.htm ~ The latest recipe is Fa-la-la-la-lala Bon Bons and I bet they all agree with you that they are great :) even if their opinion about the book is different.
Enjoy!
Elizabeth, did those book club members know, before now, that their club was the one you wrote about? Seems like that result in a discussion I’d like to sit on the wall and listen to.
If a writer has to many contrivances in a book, it does end up with a hollow ring. Readers can feel manipulated.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Love that last line, lol. As far as the different interpretations, what is love to one person is a tragedy to another it would seem, hmm?
Marvin D Wilson
It is strange but I always seem to enjoy the story where the protagonist is unlikable – but it has to be in a fun kind of way. I think it makes them more interesting and it allows you to enjoy the book even when bad things happen to them. You like bad things happening to this person but you celebrate when they overcome them. Should they actually develop but not lose all of their edginess, they become one of my favourite characters.
However I understand that most readers want to like the protagonist.
Unlikeable protagonists are a big one–hate them as a reader but don’t mind them as a writer. Another reminder that it’s good to be a reader (even if it’s in a book club) so you don’t lose touch with what readers want.
LOL you brought back memories of my one attempt at joining a writer group. I wonder what I would be like at a book club. I enjoyed your post.
I don’t have to like the main character in a book but I have to be affected by him or her. I have to care what happens even if it is to care in a negative way (I hope that person drops dead or wakes up). I’m going to a reunion of a book club I belonged to twenty years ago. they’ve invited the TWO people who dropped out. Luckily I love the book. Couldn’t bear that – if I put forth a book and people were mean or stupid about it – it made me crazy.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who found humor in this post. :] I think reading a book becomes a completely different experience once you step into the shoes of someone in the industry be it writer, editor or agent.
Good post. Likeable characters are important, but one reader’s like might be another reader’s dislike. As if writing isn’t hard enough already.
I would like a book club where everyone read whatever they wanted and then chatted about them. Reading “required” books reminds me of English class in high school. Yes, I know there are probably ‘good’ books that I’d miss if I joined a book club, but I have so many books I’m reading that I WANT to read.
Of course, if anyone belongs to a book club and wants to read my book, the publisher gives a special discount…. :-)
Margot–Definitely keep away from book clubs in your writing. :) The bad thing is that my next Myrtle Clover has the book club in it again. Oops.
Jill–Great links! And I think you’re right about book clubs and their focus. I somehow doubt we’ll be reading mysteries in this club…until it’s my month to pick. :)
Mason–I think *readers* think they need to like the protagonist, although writers might think differently. It’s a good reminder for me.
Simon–Oh, that’s one of my made-up terms. :) You’ve got the idea.
Plot devices seem to jump out at me now.
Bobbi–I’ve read that book and thought it had some great tips. I don’t like insipid characters, either. Bleh.
Teresa–That is really interesting! I wouldn’t think that would be a natural reaction to a twist, but being in a reading group would definitely introduce us to different reactions to our work.
Nancy–Thanks for your link! I’ll check it out.
Jemi–Or crazy, maybe. :) I’m trying.
Coincidences really do need limits.
Helen–Several of them knew beforehand…and some of the people I was poking fun at were not invited to join the new club. Anyone who read my book from that club would know immediately who I was referring to–“The Brothers Karamozov” would have special significance to that group. :)
Carol–I don’t blame you! Book clubs can get a little crazy, I think.
Marvin–I think so. It’s all in the eye of the beholder, right?
Glynis–It’s not easy for me because there’s socializing before the book discussion! But I’m learning a lot.
Jan–I think I’m developing a tough skin, but I totally know what you mean.
Cassandra–I like those stories best, too. But I think we may be in the minority…which means I’m going to be treading softly there.
Lorel–I think sometimes it’s easy for writers to get all artsy and out of touch. Book club is definitely grounding!
Tara–That is so true. And I have noticed that whenever I say something at book club, they’ll laugh and say, “The author’s perspective!” Not sure what that means!
Oh, how interesting! It never occurred to me one could learn how to write by joining a book club. I’d like to join one at some point. I think the live discussion could be very different from the Internet experience.
Thanks for a great post. :)