I think wart hogs are
among the ugliest animals God made. Well, hippos on land are uglier, and I’m
sure you can name a few other animals, but wart hogs are near the top of my
list. One of the women I went on safari with had a different take, though.
Debbie thinks wart hogs are beautiful, and she was excited every time we saw
some. It just goes to show that people have different tastes.
Readers have different tastes,
too. It’s easy for me to get discouraged when someone doesn’t like what I have
written. If it’s a true critique where they point out things I could have done
differently, I appreciate the feedback. But sometimes it’s just because they
don’t like the type of things I write.
And that’s okay.
I’ve heard some writers claim
that they are writing for the masses. Unfortunately, that’s an unobtainable
objective. No one can please everyone, and I’d go crazy if I tried. Or I’d get
so depressed that I’d give up writing altogether.
Some audiences are
narrower than others, but none include everyone. Even generalized categories
such as children, teens, adult women, and adult men are far too broad.
A sane writer (if there
is such a thing) narrows his or her audience and writes for it. If other people
enjoy the story, too, that’s simply a bonus.
So find your audience,
and don’t be discouraged when you come across a reader who isn’t part of it.
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