The Backward OX
New Member
Readers vs Writers
Some five years ago, retired and looking for something to do, the idea of writing fiction developed slowly in me.
Part of this slow development was the joining of a writers’ forum. I thought I might learn a thing or two.
One of the things I learnt was that the writers – and I use that word advisedly – infesting that site all had a particular bee in their bonnets about something that fiction writing must contain.
It was “conflict”.
I was told, over and over, and in no uncertain terms, that any story lacking conflict was doomed to failure, that agents/publishers/readers would condemn all such writing.
I sought to verify this with one of my favourite readers. I’ve known her well for 20 years. She is an inexhaustible reader. She reads stories that contain conflict. She ALSO reads stories that, to use her own words, are a nice, easy, pleasant, relaxing read, that by definition DO NOT contain conflict.
The reason I’m making this observation is that my natural style of writing does not lend itself to conflict. I like to write stuff that is nice, easy, pleasant and relaxing to read.
So what do you think? Has my reader got it wrong? Is she in fact reading conflict while being unaware this is so, or is there a market amongst readers for conflict-free stories?
Go ahead, make my day.
Some five years ago, retired and looking for something to do, the idea of writing fiction developed slowly in me.
Part of this slow development was the joining of a writers’ forum. I thought I might learn a thing or two.
One of the things I learnt was that the writers – and I use that word advisedly – infesting that site all had a particular bee in their bonnets about something that fiction writing must contain.
It was “conflict”.
I was told, over and over, and in no uncertain terms, that any story lacking conflict was doomed to failure, that agents/publishers/readers would condemn all such writing.
I sought to verify this with one of my favourite readers. I’ve known her well for 20 years. She is an inexhaustible reader. She reads stories that contain conflict. She ALSO reads stories that, to use her own words, are a nice, easy, pleasant, relaxing read, that by definition DO NOT contain conflict.
The reason I’m making this observation is that my natural style of writing does not lend itself to conflict. I like to write stuff that is nice, easy, pleasant and relaxing to read.
So what do you think? Has my reader got it wrong? Is she in fact reading conflict while being unaware this is so, or is there a market amongst readers for conflict-free stories?
Go ahead, make my day.
