Be an Influential Reader

By Guest Beth Vogt

Most authors I know like to connect with readers.

Oh, I know how authors are portrayed at times: 

1.     We’re introverted to the point of being hermits. 

2.     We protect our creative time beyond all reason, like Gollum treasures the One Ring to Rule Them All. 

3.     When we do engage in conversations, we like to talk about books—our books, other writers’ books—and anything book-related, like plots, characters, and dialogue. 

To which I say, well, yes, sometimes we are pensive. And protective. And preoccupied. And authors are #1 and #2 especially when we’re on deadline. And #3? All. The. Time. 

But even so, most authors like to connect with readers. 

It’s fun to hear what readers enjoy about a book we’ve written. Or how readers connect with a particular character. Or when a reader is encouraged by a book we’ve written—when the spiritual truth we’ve woven through our novels ministers to them or gives them hope. That’s gold.

Negative reviews . . . um . . . yeah, those are harder on us. And that’s another blog post.

During the early stages of plotting my new release, Moments We Forget, I had a casual interaction with a reader. However, our brief conversation caused me to rethink how I was writing one of the plotlines of the story. This reader asked a simple “What’s going to happen next?” kind of question, and I realized she wasn’t the only reader who would want an answer to the question.

As the author, I needed to ask the “What’s going to happen?” question if I wanted to write a novel that would satisfy my readers. By asking myself the question—and ensuring I answered it—I added deeper emotional and spiritual layers to the story. 

In writing the Thatcher Sisters series, I didn’t tie up all the loose ends at the end of book one, Things I Never Told You, which meant there would be several “What’s going to happen?” story lines continuing in book two, Moments We Forget. I didn’t do that to frustrate readers—really, I didn’t. 

I left some loose ends because life is like that. Relationships, decisions, and questions don’t always get tied up with a nice neat bow because we want them to be resolved by a certain time. And reaching the end of a book doesn’t mean that everything should be completely decided, either. Yes, there needs to be a sense of closure, of character arc—meaning the main characters have changed and discovered truth. There also should be a sense of hope. But, since one of my goals as an author is to write realistic books, I don’t believe everything has to be perfect because, well, that’s not true to life. 

I’ll be forever grateful to my reader (waving at you, Gail!) for asking me, “What’s going to happen next?” because that simple question helped me make Moments We Forget a better book. Never doubt the influence of a reader on an author! 

******

Missy here. Let's chat today about how we authors have been influenced by readers. And readers, tell us what you think it's important that we know!

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind doors marked Never. Beth is a 2016 Christy Award winner, as well as a 2016 ACFW Carol Award winner and a 2015 RITA Award finalist. Beth’s latest novel, Moments We Forget, book two in the Thatcher Sisters Series, releases from Tyndale House Publishers in May 2019. Visit Beth at bethvogt.com.

Moments We Forget

Jillian Thatcher has spent most of her life playing the family peacemaker, caught in the middle between her driven, talented older sister and her younger, spotlight-stealing twin sisters. Then on the night of her engagement party, a cancer diagnosis threatens to once again steal her chance to shine.

Now, Jillian’s on the road to recovery after finally finishing chemo and radiation, but residual effects of the treatment keep her from reclaiming her life as she’d hoped. And just when her dreams might be falling into place, a life-altering revelation from her husband sends her reeling again.

Will Jillian ever achieve her own dreams, or will she always be “just Jillian,” the less-than Thatcher sister? Can she count on her sisters as she tries to step into a stronger place, or are they stuck in their childhood roles forever?