The Reader’s Time
I am currently navigating through the deep sea of a novel manuscript. As I write, I frequently ask–have I lost my reader yet? Have I allowed my reader to break from the ship and float alone in an ocean of drowsy disappointment? Or worse yet, are they returning to shore with a sigh of narrative bewilderment? I don’t always know the answer, but if I suspect the answer is yes, then my writing goes on a rescue mission.
I truly care about my reader, and when I think about how long it takes to read a novel, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to not waste my reader’s time. But I also realize that timing plays a role in how much we are engaged by a piece of writing. There is nothing more marvelous than finding the right book at the right time, and when this synchronicity happens, it can be life altering.
When I am writing, I do not think about synchronicity, but I do think about what will encourage my reader to keep turning the pages. I want to entertain as well as inspire, and maybe even inform, and these are guiding influences in everything I write. The reader’s time is important to me and I am always grateful when time has been invested in my work by a reader, and hopefully, that time is enjoyed.