An oft-hoarded gift

Joy: many people want it, but few delight in giving it. In and amongst the pages of my works, the enjoyment of writing is evident. Although my plots have become more serious and textured over the years, I still have the same fun creating a tale as I did as a teenager.

When writing, it is important to remember that the reader’s experience must be an enjoyable one. This is not to say bad things will not happen. They most certainly will. But in the end, the audience must come away satisfied with the experience. If the work is a misery to read, they tend to eschew it for the sake of a story that does not tax their patience.

Readers delight in being trifled with. They will frown upon a work that is too obvious and even safe. There is a love of danger in reading: the desire to be imperiled while ensconced in the perusal. The excitement is in not knowing what will happen next.

Still, if you trifle with them too much, they become annoyed. The ending must be worth the arduous journey to get there. They will suffer much to get to their destination. And if it is not worth the trip, they will consult their travel agent and try somewhere else next time.

Fun is infectious. The audience can sense whether or not the author enjoyed what they wrote. Whether comedy, tragedy, or something in between; the enjoyment of the writing is evident in the reading. And the audience soaks it all in.

Writing is hard work, but there is a thrill to be found in the fashioning of worlds. One grows fond of the people who live in these places. And you long to tell their stories, watch them grow and realize their dreams. For joy is a gift often hoarded, but a writer is a giver of smiles.