So... Earthing the reader is a term I've taken to using when thinking about when it comes to reader perceptions.
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Broadly speaking, it works like this: There's an aspect or thing that has an impact on the story or character. Say... a gun that kills an intruder. Easy, right?
Well... no. Because if you want to keep your readers happy and the tension going, two things need to happen.
1) The reader must be shown that there is in fact a gun in the house.
2) The reader must be on the edge of his seat,
biting his fingernails because of the fact that the intruder broke in.
Now for things to be made even better, the gun and intruder can be earthed further. For example by showing the reader that the gun in fact does not work and later revealing that the intruder is there to kill the main character. Drama abounds, right?
All because the reader was earthed right. If they aren't gently lulled into the story with wisely inserted but vital information, the climactic scene will not have an impact on the reader except apathy. Or worse: disbelief.
Earthing the reader isn't just about the storyline, though. It's in every scene. If your characters are eating, make sure the reader knows this before the character puts her plate aside. Every single thing that the character interacts with has to be set up, otherwise it looks like he or she is conjuring it out of thin air.
It also extends to character motivations. Characters shouldn't be doing things without reasons, so you should be earthing the reader by either showing their motivations in small ways before something big happens. Conversely, a huge, seemingly incongruous reaction can be used to set up an important revelation of a character's motivation.
All of the above have to be done with skill and subtlety. Make it too obvious and the reader won't like it either, finicky creatures that they are...
Look Out for These:
CP and Beta reader reactions are a major indication of problems in this area. Look out for these (or similar) reactions:
1) "I don't like the Deux ex Machina in the ending."
2) "Where did this come from?"
3) "Why is the character reacting like this?"
What do you look for when earthing a reader? Do you ever pay attention to it while editing?
These are all really good points. I hate when the writer pulls this stunt either to (a) tie badly written plots together (b) and this is similar to "a" - when they are stuck and bam! a solution is found. Ta da! Great post.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. It's so incredibly annoying, because if the author thought he/she could get away with it, he/she must think the reader's an idiot.
DeleteGreat post. Sometimes I wonder if I'm taking my reader where I want them to go.
ReplyDeleteHmm... yeah if you are wondering that, you might want to hand the book over to an unbiased individual to see if it does take him/her where you want them. :-)
DeleteI don't know that I've heard thie term before, but it totally makes sense. I do hate when a character pulls something out of nowhere, something you had no idead they had/knew how to do.
ReplyDeleteYeah something like that can be incredibly annoying to the reader.
DeleteVery good points!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteIn other words, no contrivances.
ReplyDeleteOr, if the writer insists on including contrivances, to at least have the decency to camouflage them.
DeleteYou are absolutely right! Writer's also need to remember that they have an unfair advantage over the reader. A writer gets to spend copious amounts of time with the characters. The finished product (book, short story, etc) has to make a good first impression to the reader because they will never know what exactly goes on in the writer's head.
ReplyDeleteSarah @ The Writer's Experiment
So true. Just because the writer knows what's going on, doesn't necessarily mean the reader will.
DeleteGood tips, thanks!
ReplyDeleteLuna
Thanks! I'm glad if you found something useful in what I wrote. :-)
DeletegrEat E post!~ Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ella!
DeleteI notice this when the setting changes suddenly and I didn't get a description of the room they just walked into or the person who just arrived on scene before they started speaking.
ReplyDeleteYeah I especially hate when people who weren't there suddenly speak out of thin air.
DeleteI am not an author, but if I ever attempt to write a book this is very good advice I'll try to remmber.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog.
Alex from
www.aheepofeverything.com
Always a good thing, but the best way to go is to just start writing and finding your style before looking at tips. :-D
DeleteDefinitely important advice! I hate it when it appears as if things appeared out of mid-air or characters teleported to a different place - these things are only acceptable if I'm reading fantasy or sci-fi and that's what was supposed to have happened. :-)
ReplyDeleteContinued success with the A to Z challenge,
Jocelyn
Yeah I think it's a pet peeve with most writers. Thanks for stopping by! :-)
DeleteThe reader has to be involved or else there won't me any emotional magic so to say. These are some great points in this post.
ReplyDeleteSo true. The only way to involve the reader is through making sure they're with the story every step of the way.
DeleteGreat tips and advice. It's a real bummer when the reader isn't invited to the party.
ReplyDeleteYeah and also sort of pointless.
DeleteWhen I first saw your title, I thought you were saying "Earth to the reader." :)
ReplyDeleteThis is really good advice!
Hahahaha I never even thought about it when I wrote the phrase. Should have, though.
DeleteGlad you like the advice. :-)
I get what you mean. In many books and films I am often appalled by an over-abundance of implausabilities.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a good post here.
Yeah even the most mundane thing can seem implausible if it isn't earthed into the story right.
DeleteVery creative blog, Misha!
ReplyDeleteI like that word "earthing" very catchy! Appreciate the pointers!
I too am a writer; I've written one book thus far.
It's entitled: "What Type of Character Are You Hanging Out With?"
Some of the things that I look for when earthing the reader is who the audience might be; even though you can't really tell who the book will appeal to.
The book that I've written is for teens and above - I think teens could benefit from it more- so identifying with issues that teens might have; empathizing with things teens go through and simply relating to their issues,are things I've considered in writting the book; also using words and jargon that that age group can identify with.
I think earthing a reader has to include passages that examplify having fun, excitement, things that bring laughter, a smile,etc. and knowing when to be serious and real.
Well - I've enjoyed stopping by , Misha! Have fun with the challenge. I'm sure ill be back!
What you said is so true. How you'll earth the reader depends on who the readers are expected to be. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteGood tips. Thanks for sharing. :D
ReplyDeleteAny time. ;-)
DeleteTwo questions I ask myself, slightly altered from the original, are:
ReplyDeleteWhy is s/he doing this?
Why is s/he doing this now?
Excellent questions to ask yourself. I'm going to use them too, now. :-D
DeleteGood tips. It's important to drag out the tension.
ReplyDeleteSo true. The tension has to be just right, or the story will fail.
DeleteI loved reading this blog of yours... truly fab!
ReplyDelete