Ah, that's a question that all writers ask themselves. Or writers of obscure genres that no one reads anymore. Sometimes a reader (meaning work or family friend) reads my stuff, and says, "but it's nothing like your msn convos/blog posts/odd etchings into the bathroom wall that I find so enlightening/humourous/pathetically amusing." Which is true.
I mean, the genre I'm currently writing in (I'm not sure I could write in any other) is called comic fantasy, or humourous fantasy, and it had it's heyday in the 80's. It still is enormously strong in the UK (as in, almost Harry Potterish strong), but it's dominated by one and one writer, Terry Pratchett. It's not very widely read except apparently by the English, between their musings on their latent and declining naval powers and that charming period that they had the entire world at their feet. All while eating crumpets and scones, of course.
So the sorts of people who I would hope would find my stuff entertaining would be the same sort who thought "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" was fantastic, "The Neverending Story" was a charmer, Terry Pratchett is god, and understood almost every joke tossed into the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series. This is not a large group. This is the same group that, perhaps, found programming their Texas Instruments calculators to be the height of frivolity. The sort that tivo every episode of Mythbusters. The sort who watch Battlestar Galactica mainly to point out it's deficiencies to the 80's classic. Again, a small, small group.
So my hope is that the sorts of people who enjoy the preceding activities and media will find my book mildly amusing. Perhaps enough to spend 7 bucks on it in a paperback. But maybe not. It's a long shot, as there isn't really anyone in North America writing this sort of stuff, that I know of.
But in the end, it's just the sort of stories that I would like to read. Some people who have read it abhor it. Some people don't get it at all. And a very small number think it's pretty entertaining. So don't worry if you are reading it and want to take a toothbrush to your brain in an effort to clean it free from all references of pandas named Steve. Or cheese pirates. Or multi-tiered floating cities. That's completely normal.
5 comments:
The key thing you said was that you're writing what YOU WANT TO READ. As long as you're doing that, then keep enjoying yourself, and keep writing. Eventually someone else will want to read it too, and then you start making the moolah. Of course, I know I'm preaching to the converted when I say this, but sometimes it helps to have others repeat it back to you so you know you're still doing the right thing. :)
Yeah, absolutely :) It totally helps to hear other people tell it to me. It's one of those truisms you hear so much, yet dont' really believe until you're confronted with it.
Glad to hear it's appreciated. :) I check your blog every couple of days now, so anytime you post slightly negative thoughts like that one, I'll be right there to prop you back up buddy.
Also, we need to get together so I can meet your kid. :) You need to meet my wife too. :P
Sounds like my kind of book. Are you still working on it or is it available?
Oh, this book is currently undergoing it's 3rd edit/revision. I'm still trying to get an agent and/or publisher for it. I'll let you know when it's available :D
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