In my day job as a writing professor, I happened upon an old interview with Leslie Marmon Silko (b. 1948), the wonderful, Native American author of novels, short stories, essays, poetry, and more. When the interviewer asked her, “Who do you consider to be your audience? Who are you writing for?” I was struck by Silko’s response:
“I've never thought too much about an audience per se. When I first started writing, I wasn't sure that anyone would want to read or listen to the work that I did. I didn't think about it at first. In a way, it's good not to think about an audience. If you start thinking about the audience, it can inhibit what you do. When I was younger, there was concern about what will Grandma think, or what will Mama say or something like this, and that in a sense is being concerned about audience and can really inhibit a writer. Initially, I guess I assumed that I wouldn’t have to worry about an audience because there would not be an audience.”
Man, I envy her. Not having to think about an audience sounds so…freeing. As a middle-grade writer, there isn’t a moment when I don’t think about my (hopeful) audience. What would Joe sixth-grader think of this word? This phrase? This plot point? What will keep him turning pages instead of turning on his DSi? I can’t see him, smell him, or hear him, but Joe’s always here, peering over my shoulder, critiquing me whenever I’m BIC HOK TAM (Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard, Typing Away Madly). Frankly, Joe can be a real pain in the a--.
I can help but wonder: Are my overriding concerns about what Joe (and Jenny) reader would think squelching my creativity, making my writing seem less organic? Fellow children’s book writers, what do you think? Do you ever feel like you're too concerned about your young audience, to the point where it inhibits you and hurts your writing? Does it ever make you want to run for the relative freedom of the adult market? Is that a misnomer? Talk to me.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
An Audience of One
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I've heard some of the bigger-name children's writers say they don't think about audience either. I believe Katherine Paterson was one, and Madeleine L'Engle had such trouble getting A Wrinkle in Time published because editors kept asking, "Who is this for?" It was considered a hybrid -- not right for adults, and over kids' heads. Others say they write for the child they were, not "Joe and Jenny Reader," to use your phrase. I doubt JK Rowling thought much about her audience. Is HP MG? YA? Adult? All and none.
ReplyDeleteI suspect children's writers think about the audience more now than they did a few decades ago. I think it's part of the big push to market and to position oneself among the competition. I could be wrong. But I do know the main advice at that time was to just write the best story you could and NOT vocabulary-control, which seemed to be where the emphasis was on what NOT to do. We may compete more with other media today, but I think then we just competed with lower-tech distractions. I wonder if the answer lies mainly in character creation: if you've got credible 6th grade characters, a lot of this is taken care of?
I have to agree with Marcia. I don't really give much thought to the reader, but rather to making my characters as authentic as I possibly can. It's almost as if I feel my obligation is to my characters. They are the kids I'm thinking about as I write. And they can be as much of a pain in the a-- as Joe and Jenny!
ReplyDeleteMarcia: You make so many great points. Thanks for your thoughtful and helpful comment. I like the Madeleine L'Engle approach: Just write the best book you can and THEN figure out which genre it is.
ReplyDeleteJA: I'm glad I posted about this, you make yet another good point. Maybe I've been too influenced by editors who've read my stuff and said, here or there, "kids are going to love this," or "every kid who reads this is going to go 'ewwww' so I've been writing with them in mind. it's time to stop giving them so much thought too, I suppose.
I think it's a shame that writers feel the market pressure to fit their mss into age group slots these days.
ReplyDeleteThe best writing has many layers and therefore is accessible to a wide age range.
In writing for very young children we aim for the audience but then let the writing flow.I was just reading about Beatrix Potter today. She said she always thought of her audience and how much children liked animals and loved seeing stories about them as they acted out events in similar lives to themselves. She said the children liked reading about child like animals who were a little naughty like Peter and weren't perfect as those children in Victorian stories.
ReplyDeleteFor older children the advice to write the best story and not feel constrained by vocabulary control is right on. Kids can stretch and learn while enjoying a good read.
I don't think it's the writer's job to think about audience, beyond, as JA said, making the characters, plot, and situation as authentic as possible. You can't write to please others (i.e. the market), you have to write to please yourself - it has to be your story. And I certainly don't think it's the writer's job to figure out the genre or age range. Isn't that for the editors/publishers? Geeish, are we supposed to do everything??
ReplyDeleteGale, Eileen, and Meg: You're all absolutely right. I'll try to follow your good advice as I tackle my latest round of revisions. Thanks for chiming in.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to KNOW your audience but not necessarily write as if someone is peering over your shoulder - otherwise, my room would be very crowded - muse on one shoulder, type A editor on the other, a few characters here and there...I simply have no room for Joelle teenager!
ReplyDeleteI like Anne Lamott's idea from Bird by Bird to write a gift to someone. That usually helps me think of an audience - but an audience of one.
this is a thought provoking post. Great comments too!
ReplyDeleteRobin: Leave it to Anne Lamott to know the right thing to say. I must reread her excellent book, Bird by Bird. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteTerry Ann: I'm so glad to hear you thought this post was thought-provoking. Thanks for commenting.
Whoops, I meant Terry Lynn! So sorry.
ReplyDelete