By Rick Barry
The older man grinned a funny grin, as if he were about to make a confession. Then he quietly said, "Whenever I read a book, I kinda pretend like that's me in the story."
My senior citizen friend didn't need to confess. Without asking, I already knew. How did I know? Because whenever any reader begins a novel, to some degree that reader becomes the main character. Sure, the protagonist might be named Ishmael and sail aboard Captain Ahab's Pequod. Or the hero might be an Amish woman who pulls an unconscious pilot from a crashed airplane. But regardless of the gender, location, and time period, whenever a reader follows--word after word--the adventure of a character in a book, that reader begins to identify with the hero. Questions arise. Am I missing clues to the serial killer? What would I do in that situation? In other words, the hero's journey also becomes the reader's journey.
I believe this fact helps to explain why relatively few men read romance stories written from a woman's point of view. Not so many men care to "become" a woman who is falling in love with a guy. That's simply not a journey they care to take. However, take the same male reader and give him a copy of The Hunger Games, and yes, he just might join the tomboy Katniss as she stares fate in the eye armed only with her bow and arrows.
No story universally appeals to everyone. However, when you keep in mind that the reader becomes the hero and joins the journey, you begin to understand why certain books appeal to various readers. People who read fiction often long for an experience of transcendence. That is, they want to belong in some other place, if only for a while. For some, that longing might be for a simpler life in a small house on the western prairie, or perhaps an Amish community. For others, that longing might be for action. Their yearning could compel them to pick up a novel that places them in the thick of battle, or on the bridge of the USS Enterprise. Others yet find satisfaction in "joining" imaginary friends on a dangerous trek across Middle-earth.
The goal of a story might be to win something, or to escape a situation, to retrieve a valuable object, or simply to stop an event from occurring. However, regardless of the actual goal, the writer who keeps in mind that he or she is penning the reader's journey (as opposed to just a story) stands a far better chance of hooking a reader's attention and holding it all the way to THE END.
Rick Barry is the author of over 200 published short stories and articles, plus two novels. Visit his personal blog at http://rickbarry.blogspot.com.
The older man grinned a funny grin, as if he were about to make a confession. Then he quietly said, "Whenever I read a book, I kinda pretend like that's me in the story."My senior citizen friend didn't need to confess. Without asking, I already knew. How did I know? Because whenever any reader begins a novel, to some degree that reader becomes the main character. Sure, the protagonist might be named Ishmael and sail aboard Captain Ahab's Pequod. Or the hero might be an Amish woman who pulls an unconscious pilot from a crashed airplane. But regardless of the gender, location, and time period, whenever a reader follows--word after word--the adventure of a character in a book, that reader begins to identify with the hero. Questions arise. Am I missing clues to the serial killer? What would I do in that situation? In other words, the hero's journey also becomes the reader's journey.
I believe this fact helps to explain why relatively few men read romance stories written from a woman's point of view. Not so many men care to "become" a woman who is falling in love with a guy. That's simply not a journey they care to take. However, take the same male reader and give him a copy of The Hunger Games, and yes, he just might join the tomboy Katniss as she stares fate in the eye armed only with her bow and arrows.
No story universally appeals to everyone. However, when you keep in mind that the reader becomes the hero and joins the journey, you begin to understand why certain books appeal to various readers. People who read fiction often long for an experience of transcendence. That is, they want to belong in some other place, if only for a while. For some, that longing might be for a simpler life in a small house on the western prairie, or perhaps an Amish community. For others, that longing might be for action. Their yearning could compel them to pick up a novel that places them in the thick of battle, or on the bridge of the USS Enterprise. Others yet find satisfaction in "joining" imaginary friends on a dangerous trek across Middle-earth.
The goal of a story might be to win something, or to escape a situation, to retrieve a valuable object, or simply to stop an event from occurring. However, regardless of the actual goal, the writer who keeps in mind that he or she is penning the reader's journey (as opposed to just a story) stands a far better chance of hooking a reader's attention and holding it all the way to THE END.
Rick Barry is the author of over 200 published short stories and articles, plus two novels. Visit his personal blog at http://rickbarry.blogspot.com.
Excellent post, Rick. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteI've read a mystery trilogy where I believe the female lead is the main character, but I relate to the male lead, an Anglican priest/seminary teacher. And association with that character has really helped.
Jeff
So that book has two equally balanced lead characters? That in itself is unusual. The normal school of thought is for one person or the other to be considered the main leading character. Interesting.
DeleteNo, I do think the woman is definitely the lead character in the series. But all of them give plenty of time to the male character.
DeleteThis is why I avoid horror. Life is scary enough, I don't want to journey there for "pleasure". Good thoughts for authors.
ReplyDeleteMe, either, Mary. Don't watch it, either. Can't do it! I am way too empathetic a soul to watch anything get hurt or read about it.
DeleteI don't do horror either. Not that it scares me, but there are some things I simply don't pour into my brain. Horror is one of those things. :)
DeleteSuch a goooood post. Thanks for the reminder. Funny, though, I don't read romance, and usually read suspense written by men. Hmmm. Don't know what that might mean...
ReplyDeleteKarla, maybe that simply means you're an out-of-the-box type person who looks for uncommon adventures to share? In general, though, my impression is that more women read books by men than vice versa. Perhaps that makes the ladies more open minded?
DeleteNice post. For me, it's really fun when I learn something from a fictional character. I guess, in reality, I'm learning something from the author...
ReplyDelete