Over the weekend I read "Nights in Rodanthe" by Nicholas Sparks. What I like about Sparks' novels is the way he tugs at the heartstrings. I've never read one of his books without tears and the blowing of my nose. This is my third outing with Sparks. I've read "Message in a Bottle" and "A Walk to Remember". With "Nights" that makes three books where there's a love affair that ends in death and perhaps that's what pulled at my heartstrings. He builds up this beautiful fairytale love affair, then kills one of them off. The ultimate tragedy of romance.
What I was trying to figure out was how his words made me cry. Sound stupid? Well, I once had an editor say she rejected my story because I didn't make her cry. Huh? Then there was the story I wrote that made me weep as the words poured out of the keyboard, but the editor changed the ending because he wanted the story to end with action not emotion.
People don't cry over the same things. Some readers cry and gnash their teeth over pets getting killed in a story. That doesn't bother me at all because living in the country I've learned that the loss of an animal is part of the cycle of life. So, considering the different viewpoints from which people read, how can I make someone cry who doesn't share my view of life?
All of which makes me wonder, is it the writer's job to get an emotional response from our readers or should we just write to entertain?
3 comments:
Entertain is the key word ... for some, becoming a blubbering, snot-nosed, teary-eyed idiot for a few hours IS entertainment. :)
Though I've read at least 5 of Sparks' novels, I have had to stop because that's exactly how I'll find myself ... for days afterward.
My guess though? Some really like that emotion and others, go for the cheesy, funny action packed.
I think you should write to tell a good story with great characters and let the chips fall where they may. I cry very rarely and especially not when the author is so clearly trying for that effect. Entertain yes, but what's entertaining for me might not be for others.
A good laugh or a good shock trumps a good cry for me any day.
Welcome to The Corner, Aimee! I couldn't take a steady diet of Sparks but every once in a while that's what I look for in a book.
I tend to read and write in the between ground of emotional and action packed. And hopefully it's entertaining for the readers.
I guess in the end, Patti, that's the best that we can hope to do. Write the best story and hope someone out there likes it.
I think I was mostly surprised that an editor would say such a thing. But on the other hand, it was better to be rejected than have my ending rewritten without telling me. Makes you wish someone would pass out directions for dealing with editors.
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