Reader Survey

Dear Reader,

Interest in The Reader Connection Blog has been minimal. I am considering discontinuing this blog, but I want to check with  you first.

In the comment box below, please answer the following questions for me:

1) How often do you read The Reader Connection?

___Weekly
___Occasionally
___Never

2) If you read, how beneficial do you find it to be?

__Very beneficial
__Somewhat beneficial
__Not at all beneficial


Thank you for you kind help. Upon reviewing the results, I will make my decision.


Many blessings,

MaryAnn

Are You a Troper?

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA

What is a troper? With apologies to Mr. Webster, a troper is a reader or writer who chooses her fiction according to tropes. Readers choose what they read based on their tropes of preference, and writers choose what they write based on their tropes of preference.

Well, what is a trope? 

A trope is a common plot device used within a particular fiction genre. For example, a happy ending is a trope for a novel in the romance genre, while a dead body is a trope for a novel in the mystery genre.

Let's focus on romance, for example. The romance genre has several possible tropes. Here are a few:

__Enemies Become Lovers
__Second-Chance Romance
__Belated Love Epiphany
__The Love Triangle
__The InstaLove Trope (Or Love-at-First-Sight Trope)

Tropes set up and fulfill reader expectations. Certain readers are partial to certain tropes and will seek out stories that employ those tropes. When expectations are fulfilled, readers are happy. 

Writers need to be aware of the tropes of the genre in which they write and use those tropes skillfully.  Knowing one's tropes of preference makes the job of matching writer to reader much easier. 

Now it's your turn? What is your favorite genre, and what are your favorite tropes within that genre?

ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT IN MY HUGE SALE!  My special ebook sale is fast coming to a close. Until the end of May, all of my novels are available in ebook format for only $4.99. That's less than the price of your favorite latte. Don't miss out on this big sale! This is the last time I will be offering it for a good while. As of June 1st, prices will go back up to $9.99 per book. So, check out the list below and click on the cover to purchase. You may also wish to purchase some as gifts for the fiction readers in your life while the sale is still on. 

Click on the book cover to purchase. NOTE: The Italian Chronicles is a compilation in a single volume of all three of the following novels in the trilogy: The Madonna of Pisano, A Sicilian Farewell, and Return to Bella Terra. So, when you purchase The Italian Chronicles, be aware that you are purchasing all three books in the trilogy.

Happy Reading! MaryAnn

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Genre Wars: Real or Imaginary?

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA

I've noticed lately that novels are increasingly being categorized across several genres, making it difficult for readers to find the books they are looking for.  For example, a novel whose genre is "Romantic Suspense" may also be categorized under "Sports" if there is a sports element in the story. But when romance novels begin taking over the sports shelves, we've got a problem. 

Such confusing categorization, in my opinion, makes for what I call "genre wars"—not in the traditional sense of the term but in the sense of genre competition for a particular genre. When both the sports shelves and the romance shelves compete for the same novel, a genre war ensues in the reader's mind. The reader becomes confused. She wonders if she will find a romantic suspense novel on the romantic suspense shelf or on the sports shelf? In my humble opinion, a romantic suspense novel should be placed on the shelf of the primary genre—romantic suspense—not on the shelf of a sub-genre.

And herein lies the root of the confusion. When book listings allow—indeed, require—a listing to include several subcategories, such sub-categories (aka sub-genres) complicate the issue. To fulfill the listing requirement, publishers pick and choose elements in the story that do not directly affect the genre–such as my example above of the sports element.

This genre confusion also occurs when authors and/or publishers incorrectly describe the genre of their books. For example, there is no such thing as a "fictional memoir." Yet, authors have been known to label their books as fictional memoirs when, in reality, there is no element of fiction in their books. To describe a memoir as fictional is a contradiction in terms. A memoir, by its very nature, is not fiction but nonfiction. It is a true story.  By the same token, a so-called "novel" based on the true story of one's life is not a novel but an autobiography. 

In order to win the genre wars, those of us who are writers must be more careful in listing our books according to their primary genre. And those of us who are readers must insist that books be placed on the shelves whose genre they most accurately reflect. 

What are your thoughts? Have you engaged in genre wars in your writing or reading experience? Please share your comments with us in the comment box below. Thank you!

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ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT IN HUGE SALE!  My special ebook sale is fast coming to a close. Until the end of May, all of my novels are available in ebook format for only $4.99. That's less than the price of your favorite latte. Don't miss out on this big sale! This is the last time I will be offering it for a good while. As of June 1st, prices will go back up to $9.99 per book. So, check out the list below and click on the cover to purchase. You may also wish to purchase some as gifts for the fiction readers in your life while the sale is still on. 

Click on the book cover to purchase. NOTE: The Italian Chronicles is a compilation in a single volume of all three of the following novels in the trilogy: The Madonna of Pisano, A Sicilian Farewell, and Return to Bella Terra. So, when you purchase The Italian Chronicles, be aware that you are purchasing all three books in the trilogy.

Happy Reading! MaryAnn

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

What Fiction Writers Want from Fiction Readers

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA

Last week, we explored what fiction readers want from fiction writers. This week, we're going to explore what fiction writers want from fiction readers.

As I've often said, writers and readers are two sides of the same coin. We need each other, and without the other, what we do is futile. As a writer, I write for you, my valued reader. As a reader, you read (I hope :)) what I write. We share in a mutually beneficial relationship. 

So, what is it that writers are looking for from readers? Here are a few of my thoughts as a fiction writer. I encourage you—as a reader or a writer—to add your opinions in the comment box below. Thanks. :)

So, fiction writers are looking for:

1. Faithful Fans. There's nothing that delights a novelist more than readers who become faithful fans of the author's novels. We fiction writers write stories so that you will read them. And when you read them regularly, you encourage us to continue writing stories for you. 

Of course, readers have preferences as to what kinds of stories they like to read. But once you discover an author whose novels you really like, it helps the author greatly for you to support that author on a regular basis. How can you do that? Point 2 answers that question.

2. Honest Book Reviews. Authors need book reviews in order to help other readers make informed decisions as to what books to buy. A short, positive book review goes far in getting an author's book in front of potential buyers. This, in turn, helps an author to pay the bills so that she doesn't have to find a day job and, probably, stop writing. Or at least cut back significantly on her writing.

Good writing is hard work and authors put in long hours writing their novels. For example, I easily spend 30-40 hours or more a week writing and running my writing business. I think you will agree that, like everyone else, an author deserves financial recompense for the hard work. 

3. Word-of-Mouth Recommendations. This one is a biggie. It is one thing for me to tell others about my books. It is quite another for you the reader to tell others about my books. Somehow, people will believe you more than they believe me. When I promote my books, it could come across negatively, as though I am being conceited, prejudiced, or proud. In reality, I simply want to let readers know that I have novels available for sale.

But when you tell a friend or relative about a novel you've enjoyed, your friend or relative is much more likely to trust your opinion than mine.

So, to sum up, three things writers want most from readers are:

1) Faithful Fans
2) Honest Book Reviews
3) Word-of-Mouth Recommendations

By helping your favorite author in this way, you will doing a great service, not only to them but also to readers everywhere.

Now it's your turn: What are some ways that you, as a reader, help the authors whose work you love? Please post your comments in the comment box below. Thank you!

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HUGE SALE!  I've extended my special sale for another week. All of my novels are available in ebook format for only $4.99. That's less than the price of your favorite latte. Don't miss out on this big sale! This is the last time I will be offering it for a good while. So, check out the list below and click on the cover to purchase. You may also wish to purchase some as gifts for the fiction readers in your life. 

Click on the book cover to purchase. NOTE: The Italian Chronicles is a compilation in a single volume of all three of the following novels in the trilogy: The Madonna of Pisano, A Sicilian Farewell, and Return to Bella Terra. So, when you purchase The Italian Chronicles, be aware that you are purchasing all three books in the trilogy.

Happy Reading! MaryAnn

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

What Fiction Readers Want from Fiction Writers

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA

Writers of fiction are continually thinking about how they can best serve their readers. One way writers do this is by sending out surveys. 

I recently sent out a survey myself to my newsletter subscribers and was surprised at some of the results.  For example, to my surprise, most of my readers said they prefer historical fiction over contemporary fiction. Most also said they prefer romance and romantic suspense over other genres of fiction. 

My readers' responses were of great help to me. Since I myself love to write romance, especially romantic suspense, I now know that in doing so, I am meeting my readers' literary needs. This makes me happy as an author.

In addition to genre needs, however, readers of fiction are looking for some other very important things as well. Here are a few of them:

1) Choices of format in their reading material. Readers like to know that a novel comes in print, ebook, and audiobook formats. Audiobooks especially are gaining in popularity at rapid rates. Readers love to "read" books while driving, washing dishes, or exercising, for example. In a world where multi-tasking is the rule, audiobooks have gained a prominent place.

2) Series or stand-alones? Most readers don't care whether a novel is part of a series or a stand-alone. But some readers devour series books only and will closely follow a novelist for the next book in the series. Other readers, on the other hand, prefer stand-alone stories, claiming that subsequent books in a series get "watered down" and are not as interesting as the first book in the series.

3) Good book descriptions (referred to as "metadata"). Fiction readers want to know as
much as they can about a novel before buying it. When an author provides ample information about her book, the reader is better able to make an informed purchasing decision. 

What about you? As a fiction reader, what do you want from fiction writers? Please post your comments in the box below. Thanks! :) 

HUGE SALE!  This week, all of my novels are on sale in ebook format for only $4.99. That's less than the price of your favorite latte. Check the list below and click on the cover to purchase.

Click on the book cover to purchase. NOTE: The Italian Chronicles is a compilation in a single volume of all three of the following novels in the trilogy: The Madonna of Pisano, A Sicilian Farewell, and Return to Bella Terra. So, when you purchase The Italian Chronicles, be aware that you are purchasing all three books in the trilogy.

Happy Reading! MaryAnn

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.