Mar 28 2008
Friday Night Movie: The Starter Wife
The Starter Wife was a television miniseries. It’s a campy, quirky movie that was an endless binge of brain candy. The kind of movie you watch to forget your daily struggles. At least that was my initial take on the movie. Then somewhere along the way I became emotionally involved in the characters. The two characters I wanted to see fall in love and get married, didn’t. I was heartbroken. Here I invested time and emotions and the end wasn’t what I hoped for. For a while after the movie finished, I felt cheated (though I have since come around)
As writers, what is our responsibility to our audience’s expectations? Oh, I can hear you now: Write for yourself, not your audience. In theory, I understand that sentiment. I truly do. But as a business, and for me writing is a business, there should be a balance of what you want your ending to be and what will satisfy the buying marketing.
Garnering public interest in your book is a major feat, but if we want our readers to do more than shell out a few bucks for our book then we need to respect their tastes, their expectations. Not only because we want them to enjoy our book, but also because we want them to buy our next book.
It is hard for me to imagine my audience. People who have heard the story always seem very pleased with the ending. Mostly women have heard it…a beaten down female overcomes in the end. I do agree that unless you are a very popular author, you must please and be mindful of your audience. Famous, beloved, actors can take chances (for their mental health) now and then, as long as they give their fans enough of what they want. Making the move too soon is deathly.
My opinion, you write for yourself. Diane talks about how she can’t really imagine her audience, but that those “who have heard the story always seem very pleased with the ending.” She writes for herself, creating her own audience. If writing is personal expression, I think it should be personal to the end, period. If you write it, they will read. And like you with the Starter Wife, some who may not at first be pleased with the ending might just given time “come around” to joining the audience.
You need to check out all the episodes for free on Hulu.com! This probably won’t work but here is the link: http://www.hulu.com/the-starter-wife
it’s amazing!