This chapter is in reply to SeeThomasHowl's extensive comment.

He hit the ultimate truth about trust between reader and author when he wrote, "whatever I have to say is being presented as my own opinion and not as some capital-T Truth

And it's not all on the author. The reader has to give too. 

I think this is the problem of a lot of readers. They don't give the author any leeway. As soon as their trust is nicked, they give up. And, their trust is nicked for the exact opposite things that irritate me. I'm not irritated by well placed said alternatives. My trust in the author is not broken. If the said alternatives are over the top, trust can become an issue. One such tag won't do it, though ... not for me, anyway.

I will continue reading or listening to a story as long as I feel entertained. I can put up with a lot of amateur writing if I like the story. I've put books down from well known authors, not because he messed up but because the story wasn't doing it for me.

Take, for example, my previous chapter about the book Atlantis. There was tons in that book that wasn't done by the book, so to speak, and yet none of it bothered me enough to put the book down. There were enough things that were done right that I kept reading. Even after I read the bad reviews, I was not deterred, realizing that the bad reviews were coming from readers that didn't give the story a chance or were not interested in that type of book.

The reviews referred to the ending not being what they wanted. I have still not reached the ending, though I have gotten far enough that the main conflict of the book is done. I'm on the final turn, coming into home. I just listened to a section that was riveting for me because I love history. If history doesn't do it for you, this book is not for you.

If you are paying big bucks to buy a book, trust could be a bigger issue. However, I rarely spend more than a few bucks for a book. I can wait until it is on the clearance shelf, the average reader thinking it rubbish. Sometimes I agree, many times I don't.

In reference to said alternatives, SeeThomasHowl wrote, "He's not giving my imagination enough room to operate." My imagination operates just fine when said alternatives are well placed. I can imagine the scene better. The reaction is surprisingly opposite.

Part of me says that the only ones that are annoyed by said alternatives are the ones that are aware of the issue. The majority of readers may put a book down for various reasons, said alternatives being an excuse, to a degree, not the true trust issue.

In the end, I think many people are just too critical of an author's work, finding every reason in the book not to like it. Once you get that chip off your shoulder and stop critiquing so sternly, you may actually start to enjoy yourself, no matter what style the author chooses to write in.

The same is true of movies for me. I don't pay attention to the critiques because they are almost always wrong for me. Even if the acting is slightly bad, for example, I can still enjoy myself. 

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Author guidance for This work

This is an editoral collab where our essays will describe our various writing styles.

Anyone may write a chapter. No need to ask.

Comments and ratings are welcome. If you choose to rate - high or low - please explain why.

updated May 12 '11 by marcuslee