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Know Your Audience

This week the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Dragons of the Valley, book two in the Chiril Chronicles by Donita Paul, winner of the first Clive Staples Award. It struck me as I was reading this story that one of […]
Rebecca LuElla Miller on Jan 24, 2011 | No comments |

This week the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Dragons of the Valley, book two in the Chiril Chronicles by Donita Paul, winner of the first Clive Staples Award. It struck me as I was reading this story that one of Ms. Paul’s strengths as a writer is that she knows her audience.

Mind you, that audience is not some neatly defined niche. From the beginning of her foray into fantasy, Ms. Paul’s books have been marketed to “all ages.” And while this, like the others on her fantasy shelf, is published by a Christian house (WaterBrook), her books reach a span of readers, from Christians to seekers and those not opposed to Christianity.

So who exactly is her audience? I think I can construct a profile of her readers by looking at similarities in her stories.

Ms. Paul’s audience consists of people who like inventive “quest tales” with strong Christian themes. They enjoy “light fantasy” that avoids delving deeply into the dark recesses of evil, yet provokes thought. Her readers prefer stories that illuminate character more than track frenetic action. And her audience enjoys dragons — many different varieties. In short they love her world, with the seven high and seven low races; her characters that include some fun, quirky individuals; her stories that don’t glorify violence; and her spiritual depth that shows God to be intimately involved with Mankind.

Even as I write up this audience profile, I have some questions. Can a writer get locked into a world, a series, or a genre because of reader expectation? Or will readers trust an author they love and follow her as she ventures into other lands, with other characters? For example, can J. K. Rowling ever write anything besides Harry Potter?

I’m also wondering if formulaic writing stems from trying to write what an audience expects, and if so, how can an author keep from disappointing his readers, yet avoid falling into the “prairie romance pit” (also called the “Nancy Drew story design” 😉 )?

I think Ms. Paul shows us some of the answers. First is inventiveness. She’s constructed a big world which gives her room to add more continents and countries with varying cultural aspects. And she has multiple races, allowing her to feature different ones in different books. For example, the kimens, featured prominently in Dragons of the Valley, have unique characteristics from the other races readers have seen close up in earlier books.

Another thing that keeps Ms. Paul’s stories from becoming formulaic is plot variation. I might even say, plot growth. In my estimation, Ms. Paul continues to improve as a storyteller. Her plots, while retaining the quest aspect her readers are looking for, do not feel like a repeat of any other quest. There are twists and variations that make this new quest feel one of a kind.

On the flip side, an author who knows her audience must not do an about face on any of the elements her readers expect. For example, Ms. Paul’s books have become increasingly realistic, especially in the area of physical confrontations. And yet, violence is still downplayed. If this were not so, I suspect a good number of her readers would feel let down. In the same way, a story starting out in the typical “light fantasy” way her audience expects, could not become a dark tale without losing readers.

In the end, I think the secret to writing consistent fiction without falling into a formula is for an author to write stories he loves. Others who love the same kinds of stories will become his readership. In this way, the author can grow and change, and the audience will grow and change right along with him.

If you’re interested in seeing what participants in the CSFF Blog Tour for Dragons of the Valley are saying, visit these bloggers in the next few days:

Gillian Adams * Noah Arsenault * Amy Bissell * Red Bissell * Justin Boyer * Grace Bridges * Beckie Burnham * Morgan L. Busse * CSFF Blog Tour * Amy Cruson * D. G. D. Davidson * April Erwin * Amber French * Andrea Graham * Katie Hart * Ryan Heart * Bruce Hennigan * Becky Jesse * Cris Jesse * Jason Joyner * Julie * Carol Keen * Emily LaVigne * Shannon McDermott * Matt Mikalatos * Rebecca LuElla Miller * Joan Nienhuis * John W. Otte * Donita K. Paul * Sarah Sawyer * Chawna Schroeder * Tammy Shelnut * Kathleen Smith * James Somers * Fred Warren * Phyllis Wheeler * Dave Wilson

Rebecca LuElla Miller
Best known for her aspirations as an epic fantasy author, Becky is the sole remaining founding member of Speculative Faith. Besides contributing weekly articles here, she blogs Monday through Friday at A Christian Worldview of Fiction. She works as a freelance writer and editor and posts writing tips as well as information about her editing services at Rewrite, Reword, Rework.
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  1. Morgan L. Busse says:
    January 24, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    Good insight Becky 🙂 I mentioned on my own blog when I first discovered Donita K. Paul, I was disappointed because I didn’t realize the audience she wrote for (her book had been placed in the adult fiction section of the Christian bookstore I was perusing). When I approached her book this time, I did not come as Morgan, 3- (not going to give my age away!) mother of 4, realistic adult. I came as my 12 year old self and read the book through those eyes and loved it.

    On that note, you stole my post for tomorrow! Gonna have to come up with something else… lol

    Reply
  2. Rebecca LuElla Miller says:
    January 24, 2011 at 5:30 pm

    😆 Don’t you usually post about the writing on day two? You can still do that and just say we agree! 😀

    I do think expectation plays a big role in how a book strikes a reader. I guess that’s why cover and back cover are so important. (BTW, I really loved the cover of Dragons. I’m wondering if I’m more drawn to those hot colors, and I’m wondering if that’s typical or if it’s different for different people).

    Becky

    Reply
  3. Morgan L. Busse says:
    January 25, 2011 at 7:35 am

    I love the cover too 🙂

    Reply
  4. Tweets that mention Speculative Faith: Know Your Audience -- Topsy.com says:
    January 26, 2011 at 2:29 am

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Timothy Stone, Speculative Faith. Speculative Faith said: Authors like Donita K. Paul succeed partly by knowing their audience, @RebeccaLuella says on @SpecFaith: http://bit.ly/eawUy0 […]

    Reply
  5. Speculative Faith: Lives of Their Own says:
    January 26, 2011 at 7:04 am

    […] her post of yesterday, Becky Miller asked a frightening question: Can a writer get locked into a world, a series, or a […]

    Reply
  6. Donita K. Paul says:
    January 27, 2011 at 10:31 pm

    I’m done with Amara and Chiril after I turn in the manuscript I’m working on now. A new story is niggling at my brain trying to get me off track. It has dragons, but it only has one race of people, so far. It’s going to be fun.

    Reply

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