Comments on: Who do you write for? http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/ A mutual support group for SF/F Novelists Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:40:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Steve Buchheit http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3053 Steve Buchheit Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:33:13 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3053 I love that answer, Jim. Note to self, must remember to steal it. This reminds me of a (an urban legend - I'm sure) story about the producers asking the creators of Ren & Stimpy why they put so many adult references and jokes in a cartoon for kids. Just who did they think they were making these for? They replied, "For 18 year old drunken reprobates." At which point they were fired, replaced, and Ren & Stimpy went down the toilet. I love that answer, Jim. Note to self, must remember to steal it.

This reminds me of a (an urban legend – I’m sure) story about the producers asking the creators of Ren & Stimpy why they put so many adult references and jokes in a cartoon for kids. Just who did they think they were making these for? They replied, “For 18 year old drunken reprobates.” At which point they were fired, replaced, and Ren & Stimpy went down the toilet.

]]> By: Joe Iriarte http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3034 Joe Iriarte Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:45:17 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3034 <i>From here on out, when someone asks who my book is for, I think maybe I’ll just smile, gently place a copy into the person’s hand, and say “I wrote it for you.”</i> I love this. :D Have you considered answering the question by comparing it to other books? I'm starting to think about how I will want to pitch my nearly-completed WIP, and a problem I'm facing is that it doesn't fit neatly into those standard categories. The protagonist is 13, which would make it a kids' book, or maybe middle readers, but too young for young-adult. But thematically it just isn't a kids' book. It could be a young-adult book, but the rule of thumb in writing for kids is that your protagonist should be a couple years or so older than your intended reader, no? And anyway, I didn't write this for kids, I wrote it for myself and for anybody else who might like it. So what I'm thinking of saying is something like, "This book would is for readers of all ages who enjoy reading books about young protagonists, such as those written by Orson Scott Card, Stephen King, Steven Gould, and Anne McCaffrey." Could you use an "If you like _____, then you might also like ___" type of pattern for your books? From here on out, when someone asks who my book is for, I think maybe I’ll just smile, gently place a copy into the person’s hand, and say “I wrote it for you.”

I love this. :D

Have you considered answering the question by comparing it to other books?

I’m starting to think about how I will want to pitch my nearly-completed WIP, and a problem I’m facing is that it doesn’t fit neatly into those standard categories. The protagonist is 13, which would make it a kids’ book, or maybe middle readers, but too young for young-adult. But thematically it just isn’t a kids’ book. It could be a young-adult book, but the rule of thumb in writing for kids is that your protagonist should be a couple years or so older than your intended reader, no? And anyway, I didn’t write this for kids, I wrote it for myself and for anybody else who might like it. So what I’m thinking of saying is something like, “This book would is for readers of all ages who enjoy reading books about young protagonists, such as those written by Orson Scott Card, Stephen King, Steven Gould, and Anne McCaffrey.”

Could you use an “If you like _____, then you might also like ___” type of pattern for your books?

]]> By: Simon Haynes http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3033 Simon Haynes Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:10:47 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3033 I write for my own entertainment, which means tickling my own peculiar sense of humour. I don't put angst, violence or nasty language in my books (plenty of that in the daily news, thanks), and there's none of that kissy nonsense my brother and I used to groan about whenever the Sunday war/wild west movie cut to the Obligatory Romance Scenes. Jay Lake reviewed the first Hal book a couple of years back, and he said it was written for the inner fifteen-year-old. I'd agree with that assessment. As for the extremes ... one guy wrote to thank me last year, saying his 84-year-old mum had just read Hal Spacejock over the weekend, the first book she'd picked up in years, had enjoyed it immensely and was now reading regularly again. And earlier this week someone wrote to let me know they'd read ALL FOUR Hal books to their <i>three year old</i>, who loved them. Cough, splutter. I write for my own entertainment, which means tickling my own peculiar sense of humour. I don’t put angst, violence or nasty language in my books (plenty of that in the daily news, thanks), and there’s none of that kissy nonsense my brother and I used to groan about whenever the Sunday war/wild west movie cut to the Obligatory Romance Scenes.

Jay Lake reviewed the first Hal book a couple of years back, and he said it was written for the inner fifteen-year-old. I’d agree with that assessment.

As for the extremes … one guy wrote to thank me last year, saying his 84-year-old mum had just read Hal Spacejock over the weekend, the first book she’d picked up in years, had enjoyed it immensely and was now reading regularly again. And earlier this week someone wrote to let me know they’d read ALL FOUR Hal books to their three year old, who loved them.

Cough, splutter.

]]> By: David de Beer http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3030 David de Beer Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:12:48 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3030 <i>when someone asks who my book is for, I think maybe I’ll just smile, gently place a copy into the person’s hand, and say “I wrote it for you.”</i> Neil Gaiman did that with one of his books, wrote a dedication to the readers: This book was written just for you. it is an aap question*, isn't it? don't have much else to add here, but good post. *monkey when someone asks who my book is for, I think maybe I’ll just smile, gently place a copy into the person’s hand, and say “I wrote it for you.”

Neil Gaiman did that with one of his books, wrote a dedication to the readers: This book was written just for you.

it is an aap question*, isn’t it?
don’t have much else to add here, but good post.

*monkey

]]> By: S.C. Butler http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3026 S.C. Butler Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:26:04 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3026 I always tell folks that I didn't write the Stoneways trilogy to be YA, but that I didn't write it not be YA either. The holy grail in fantasy is to sell to everyone. I always tell folks that I didn’t write the Stoneways trilogy to be YA, but that I didn’t write it not be YA either.

The holy grail in fantasy is to sell to everyone.

]]> By: Dave http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3024 Dave Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:47:46 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3024 Other than yourself? People with money. Other than yourself?

People with money.

]]> By: Marie Brennan http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3022 Marie Brennan Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:24:25 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3022 I've had one or two people ask me if my first novels are okay for a kid of X age. I dodge the question; I answer by telling them about the book's content, and let them decide from there. ("No sexual content, a fair bit of violence but it isn't graphically described, mostly made-up swearing, some politicking" -- people usually are asking about sex when they ask that question, but I'm damned if I'm going to answer only in those terms. Kids who wouldn't mind the sex and violence and swearing might be bored by the politics.) I’ve had one or two people ask me if my first novels are okay for a kid of X age. I dodge the question; I answer by telling them about the book’s content, and let them decide from there. (“No sexual content, a fair bit of violence but it isn’t graphically described, mostly made-up swearing, some politicking” — people usually are asking about sex when they ask that question, but I’m damned if I’m going to answer only in those terms. Kids who wouldn’t mind the sex and violence and swearing might be bored by the politics.)

]]> By: Jim C. Hines http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3021 Jim C. Hines Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:06:15 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3021 Kerry - I'll put the book in your hand. It's up to you to sneak it out past the bookstore staff :) Di - yup. I have no idea if my book is "safe" for your child, or even what standards you'd use to decide what s/he can and can't read. I'd let my kids read them, but I'm not parenting yours.... Kerry – I’ll put the book in your hand. It’s up to you to sneak it out past the bookstore staff :)

Di – yup. I have no idea if my book is “safe” for your child, or even what standards you’d use to decide what s/he can and can’t read. I’d let my kids read them, but I’m not parenting yours….

]]> By: Kerry http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3020 Kerry Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:02:05 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3020 <i>I think maybe I’ll just smile, gently place a copy into the person’s hand</i> Hmmm... Gotta remember to ask next time I see you - maybe I can get me a free book *smirk* I think maybe I’ll just smile, gently place a copy into the person’s hand

Hmmm… Gotta remember to ask next time I see you – maybe I can get me a free book *smirk*

]]> By: Diana Pharaoh Francis http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3019 Diana Pharaoh Francis Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:57:01 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/24/who-do-you-write-for/#comment-3019 What I hate is when they ask is it okay for a 15 year old or a 12 year old or whatever. I think, sure! Cause yanno, I was reading Jack Chalker in 4th grade and John Saul in sixth, not to mention a whole lot of other stuff. But then some parents may think my books are too violent or whatever for their children. So I have no good answer. But that's the one question I hate the most. What I hate is when they ask is it okay for a 15 year old or a 12 year old or whatever. I think, sure! Cause yanno, I was reading Jack Chalker in 4th grade and John Saul in sixth, not to mention a whole lot of other stuff. But then some parents may think my books are too violent or whatever for their children. So I have no good answer. But that’s the one question I hate the most.

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