How Rewarding is the ‘Reading Experience’ Provided by Your Writing?
Measuring “Rewards-Per-Page” Can Give You an Indication of this Important Success Factor.
I have been conducting an analysis of the Romance genre for the last eight years. In studying over 1000 romance novels I have made many observations. Perhap
s the finding of most importance to romance writers involves my “Rewards-Per-Page” index. (RPP)
I was an advertising copywriter and copyeditor for many years. I have written over 3,000,000 words of advertising that have appeared in print. Since no one has to read advertising, copywriters know that they must continually reward the reader in order to keep readers reading. A competent copywriter usually rewards the reader by providing beneficial information that a prospect needs and can use.
Consider this headline:
Will Your Next Manuscript Be Rejected Because You Made One of These Fatal Mistakes?
If you are an aspiring writer, you will probably find the above headline to be irresistible. It would almost be negligent not to read this ad. Even if the ad were thousands of words long, it is highly likely that you would still read every word of the copy if it kept rewarding you with important information.
The trick to getting a prospect to read long copy is to make every sentence rewarding and worthwhile to read. For example, the above ad’s body copy should begin by fulfilling the promise in the headline:
“The number one cause for manuscript rejection is: (state reason #1 here.) Then follow with:
According to leading New York editors, there are three ways to avoid this mistake.. 1) advice goes here. 2) advice goes here. 3) advice goes here. (I think you get the idea.)
Fiction Has an AdvantageWhile vital information will keep a prospect reading copy, fiction has many more ways to reward a reader than does advertising. Romance writers have dozens of ways available to reward their readers. Unfortunately, some writers seem unaware of this. (As evidenced by low RPP scores.)
Why Bother to Reward the Reader?You might wonder why an author would be concerned about rewarding the reader. The book has already been sold. Shouldn’t the author be striving for literary excellence rather than be pandering to the pleasures of an anonyms reader? Isn’t a great story reward enough for any reader?
Rewarding Readers is Optional in LiteratureIf you are writing enduring literature, you don’t have to worry about rewarding the reader on a page-by-page basis. It is often the case with literature that readers want to ‘have read the book’ more than they wanted to actually read it. I’ve read classics that I am glad to have read, but that were very unpleasant to read.
Rewarding Readers is Very Important in RomancesIf you write romances, a genre in which the reader already knows how the story is going to end, then rewarding the reader is essential. Consider a romance
novel as being a consumable product, say a chocolate cake. Both the novel and the cake will be replaced in a few days by a similar consumable.
The ‘reading experience’ needs to be rewarding on a ‘page-by-page’ basis. (One just expects every bite of a chocolate bar to taste good.) Fans read romances for how the ‘reading experience’ makes them feel as they are reading the novel. Fans know how the story will turn out. Some fans even read the last pages of a romance, while still in the bookstore, just to insure they will get the ending they desire. (I’ve seen fans do this at Wal-Mart.) As such, romances are primarily about the extended, on-going, reading experience that they provide a reader.
Fans are Buying a “Basket of Feelings”I like to think that a romance fan is really buying a ‘basket of feelings’. Fans know that some themes, like the ‘hidden baby’ theme, will provide a predictable set of feelings. When these feelings are in ‘deficit’, fans can actually develop a craving for a given romance theme.
Discovering an Important Truth about Romance Writing Success
Some years ago I was reading a romance magazine in which some second-tier authors were complaining that publishers pick favorites to promote. Nora Roberts was considered so successful because of all the promotion money spent on her books. Publishers spend a small fortune on ads and in-store, point-of-purchase, displays to promote their favorite authors. One author from the second-tier was singled out as being superior to Nora Roberts in quality because she receives better reviews. However, because of her smaller advertising budget, her sales were only a tiny fraction of those of Nora Roberts.
Better Reviews or Bigger Sales?
Coincidentally, at the time I read this romance article, I had just read and reviewed a book by Nora Roberts and a book by the ‘better’ author mentioned in the journal article. The ‘better’ author did, in fact, have better reviews. I will also freely admit that her book had more literary merit. (That is, it spoke to the human condition and universal values in a much more poignant and enduring manner than Nora’s book did.)
I decided to see how the two books compared on a reward-per-page basis. The ‘better’ author got about 1 to 2 rewards per page (with some pages having no rewards). Nora’s score was about nine rewards per page. (So far, Nora Roberts enjoys the highest scores I’ve encountered. However, Janet Evanovich, Lucy Gordon, Natasha Oakley, and Julie Lessman also score well.)
Reading Enjoyment Sells BooksThe rewards-per-page scores mentioned above mirrored my own enjoyment in reading these books. The ‘better’ author’s book had clear literary merit but was dry and dull in many parts. I believe that this ‘better’ author was writing to the needs of the story. She wanted to get the story right. She was viewing the novel as an ‘end product’ to be judged by readers and critics as a whole. This is like a chef saying, “Don’t judge my cooking by each individual course but rather judge it only as a complete culinary experience at the conclusion of the meal.”
Nora Roberts & Writing to the “Reading Experience”
I believe that Nora Roberts was writing to what I call the ‘reading experience’. She was making the ‘reading experience’ as enjoyable as possible on a continuous, page-by-page, basis. Some might argue that writing this way could lessened the literary value of the work. Perhaps it might, however, this comment reminds me of an interview I saw on TV. A music ‘expert’ was asked about Yanni’s music. The expert said, “Yanni’s a fake. He doesn’t know anything about music. He just writes the kind of music people like to listen to.”
The Rewards of Providing a Better ‘Reading Experience”
Nora Roberts book and the second-tier author’s book provided very different reading experiences. After reading the ‘better’ author’s book, I felt like the book was excellent (I gave it 41/2 stars) but I was not interested in reading another one of that author’s books. After reading the Nora Roberts book, (I gave it 4 stars) I felt like reading another one of her books right away. The page-by-page reading experience was far more enjoyable with Nora Roberts. Like many fans, I place greater value on having a more enjoyable reading experience than I do on how highly a book is reviewed.
How to Sell More BooksBased on my research I believe that the way to sell more books is to enhance the page-by-page ‘reading experience’. One way to quantify this illusive measure is by the use of a Rewards-Per-Page index.
Ways to Reward a Reader.
There are many ways to reward a reader. (I keep discovering more ways all the time.)
Please Note: it is important to point out that the RPP index is ‘art’ and not ‘science’. What I might call a reward, another person might not. Some rewards might qualify as two or more rewards on the same index. Scores can also differ by which pages one chooses to use as a sample. I like to use ten pages from page 100 to 110. This is arbitrary. A more scientific study would employ more objective reward categories and use a larger sample, say 100 pages. Therefore, the RPP Index is best utilized to show which authors rate low and which rate high when using the same criteria. This is still very useful information.
Interestingly, a new author can have a high RPP score and still not be selling anywhere near her potential because she is as of yet little known or in a small niche market. How many books would Nora Roberts sell if she only wrote Christian Fiction? Authors with a high RPP score should consider moving to a larger target market and be encouraged to do a lot more personal marketing.
Some Ways to Reward a Reader
1. Give the reader new experiences. Take the reader to places she has never been. Treat the reader to smells, foods, and sights she is not likely to otherwise encounter. (For example, try a new coffee, tea, or other product. Perhaps show a new way to make coffee. The point here is that whatever your plot may dictate, you should still be thinking of ways to give the reader new experiences.)
2. Five-sense your copy. Involve odor, taste and touch as often as it makes sense within the storyline. Use hot, cold, hunger, and thirst. Five-sensing can be used to provide ‘new’ experiences and also used to enhance the vicarious experience your story provides the reader. Nora Roberts is very proficient with 5-sensing her copy.
3. Make the reader ‘feel’ an expanded array of emotions. The phenomena of ‘vicarious experience’ allows readers to feel what your characters are feeling – or at least what your heroine is feeling. These feelings can include: being loved, desired, envied, jealous, victorious, cherished, prideful, fearful, beautiful, approved of, angry, sorrowful, in doubt, joyous, hateful, and feeling betrayed. Janet Dean makes exceptional use of emotions in her first book, “Courting Miss Adelaide”.
4. Anticipatory Events (AEs): create situations in which the reader looks forward to finding the resolution. Secrets work well as AEs. Other AEs include ‘going to a big event—like a dance’, ‘who will win an award’, ‘who will get the job’, ‘what will happen when Mary finally meets her ex?’, Julie Lessman uses AEs skillfully in her “Daughters of Boston” series.
5. Make AEs happen sooner in the story than the reader expects. This is a reward in itself. (Nora Roberts is an expert at rewarding the reader sooner than the reader expects it to happen.)
6. Factoids: facts make the reader feel smarter. Lucy Gordon does this often in her Italian stories. Factoids can include ‘how-to’ items. (Like how an Italian cook might handle a cooking problem such as too much spice in a soup.) Factoids are so popular that the term ‘factoid’ is now in general usage. (As strong as factoids are, a writer must be very careful to seamlessly work them into her writing. Factoids cannot be there simply because the author wants to reward a reader.)
7. Sparkles: the poetic use of words; fresh and unique ways of expression – a selection of words the reader has never heard or seen of before. Sparkles include new terms to take the place of worn-out romance phrases like ‘toes curled’, ‘knees turns to jelly’, ‘took her to where she had never been before’, etc. Camy Tang demonstrates this ability in her new book: “Deadly Intent”.
8. Quips, quotes, and wisecracks. These cover a lot of ground. Ideally these are sayings that the reader can enjoy and perhaps use herself in the right situation. Janet Evanovich’s books are plum full of wisecracks and are a joy to read. In an interview Janet once said that she considered herself to be an entertainer more than a writer. Wow! This goes right to the heart of writing to the ‘reading experience’.
A Few Examples from Available Books:
“His Forever Love”, Missy Tippens, page 12
Her traitorous heart galloped underneath her rib cage.
Stop it! I will not let my heart race over this man. This supposed friend.
(Example of ‘emotions’ and ‘sparkle’)
****
“Deadly Intent”, Camy Tang, page 8 “I need to speak to Jessica Ortiz.”
An involuntary spasm seized her throat. Of course, glamorous client Jessica Ortiz or plain massage therapist Naomi Grant – no comparison, really.
But something in his tone didn’t quite have the velvety sheen of a lover. He sounded almost…dangerous. And danger didn’t belong in the spa.”
(Notice in the above quote: 5-sense: ‘spasm’, Emotional: ‘envy’ of Jessica and ‘s
elf-depreciation’ – she almost ‘feels’ sorry for herself, Sparkle: ‘velvety sheen of a lover’ . AE: ‘danger didn’t belong in the spa’ ).
***
“Deadly Intent”, Camy Tang, page 12
Back out in the central fountain area, the harsh smell seemed stronger, but she couldn’t pinpoint where it came from. Had a sewage pipe burst? No, it wasn’t that sort of smell. It didn’t smell rotten, just…had an edge to it.
(A good use of ‘smell’ – I can almost smell it myself. This detail enhances the reader’s vicarious experience.)
****
“Petticoat Ranch”, Mary Connealy, page 49
The man quit rubbing his head. He was staring at her and listening so intentl
y, it was as if every word she spoke was coming straight from the mouth of God. “Earlier you asked me about a name.”
“Clifton Edwards.”
His eyes narrowed, and Sophie leaned closer along with the girls.
“Clifton Edwards, Cliff,” he muttered. “It means something to me.”
(AE: the author could have just revealed the information directly but instead the reader has to wonder: ‘Who is Clifton Edwards to this man? What happens when he remembers the name?’ Mary Connealy makes very good use of AEs in her books. By the way, the answer comes very soon.)
***
“
Assignment: Baby”, Lynne Marshall, page 8
Amanda Dunlap prayed this wasn’t fate’s idea of a practical joke.
And there they were, the twenty carefully selected patients, each with three or
four of the risk factors contributing to future heart disease – ticking time bombs, as her mentor had put it.
(Above quote is an example of an AE – will patients die, which ones, will the bombs go off?)
*****
Assignment: Baby, Lynne Marshall, page 8
Thank heavens the Mercy Hospital medical director had found a replacement for their satellite clinic. Only one problem remained.
Where was her hero?
While destiny snickered, Amanda checked her watch again – seven-ten.
(Example of AE. Who is hero? Will he show up? What will her reaction be? )
***
“Courting the Doctor’s Daughter”, Janet Dean, page 13Opening the side door leading to her father’s office, Mary’s nostrils filled wi
th the smell of disinfectant, a scent she’d grown as accustomed to as the honeysuckle fragrance she wore. The waiting room chairs sat empty. A stack of well-worn
Farmers’ Home Journals and
Ladies’ Journals cluttered the top of a small stand. She took a minute to clear out the old issues before the whole heap tumbled to the floor.
(Example: excellent use of smell and factoids – magazines of the times)
***
“A Passion Redeemed”, Julie Lessman, beginning of Chapter 4.
What was he doing here? Again? Mitch sucked in a deep breath, thick with the loamy scent of wet leaves and burning peat, and turned the ignition off. The car sputtered to silence. He sagged back in the seat, surrounded by stillness except for drizzle on the roof of his Model T, the distant yapping of a dog, and the pounding of his pulse in his ears.
(AEs and 5-sensing. Julie Lessman scores very high on RPP. )
****
“Sushi for One?” Camy Tang, page 310.
“Lex, singles in the entire Bay Area are asking the same question.”
“But I used to succeed in everything whenever I gave my best. Why not in finding Mr. Right too? Or at the very least, a sponsor.”
“Let me get this straight. You’re complaining because you, like practically every woman in the United States of America, can’t find either Mr. Right or Mr. Rich? What planet are you living on?”
(Example of emotional desire to win and of snappy dialogue)
“Sushi for One?” Camy Tang, page 310.
Lex didn’t realize she’d been leaning against the car until the heat began toasting her buns. She scooted away.
(Good use of showing someone who is mentally preoccupied and also how hot it is outside without expressly saying either.)
*****
“A Passion Denied”, Julie Lessman 
Brady frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Collin’s chest tightened as he thought of Lizzie and the secret Faith had sworn him to.
“Collin? Something’s wrong – what is it?”
Collin looked away and threaded his fingers though his hair. “Yeah, yeah, there is. I don’t think it’s anything serious yet, but—“
(Secrets are used many times in “A Passion Denied”. Will a character reveal the secret? Will grantor of secret find out? What will happen then? Lots of AEs can be generated by use of a single secret.)
*****
Important: The RPP approach does not supersede writing rules. You still need to know how to write well. Writing a bad book that has 20 rewards per page will only produce a more rewarding bad book. Increasing the RPP may not even merit you better reviews. The higher RPP is designed to enhance the total ‘reading experience’ in order to please readers and make fans more likely to buy your next book(s).
How you might choose to apply this information:
1. create your own RPP index with rewards that you find significant.
2. score your own work – then score an author you particularly like using your RPP system. Compare scores.
3. color code your manuscript in your word processor by giving different color highlights to the five sense words.
4. color code ‘emotions’ – show what characters are feeling on each page. You can use different color type for the different emotions.
5. scroll through your WIP file. Ask yourself – how colorful is my writing and how ‘rewarding’ is my writing? If you’re seeing very little color, you have work still to do.
6. try to increase your RPP score without making the writing seem stilted. (Think of this: ‘a high-concept’ movie is one that by its very nature provides many ways to reward the viewer. If you develop a ‘high-concept’ romance plot, then by its very nature, you’ll enjoy more opportunities to increase your RPP score.)
Questions:Do you write to ‘the needs of the novel’ or do you write to the ‘reading experience”? Do you consider yourself an entertainer?
Can you suggest some additional ways to reward the reader?
Vince
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vince is giving away a spankin' new copy of Julie Lessman's
A Passion Most Pure to one person who leaves a comment here today.
If you'd like to read more about Vince's philosophy of romance, check his blog at
http://vmres.blogspot.com/~
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Do you ever root for the bad guy? Have you ever met a character who made you sit up and pay attention, truly fear for the protagonist... and you loved every minute of it? These are the villains worth remembering. These are the antagonists we come back to again and again. Who briefly, secretly, we love a little bit -- at least until they do something horrible to the main character.
The best villains, the ones we remember, feel like more than caricatures who cackle malevolently or sit in high-backed chairs and stroke cats. I've read decent books where the villain elevated the whole story and made it shine, kept coming back to lacklustre movies because of a captivating enemy. The best villains compel us, challenge us to linger for a moment in their motivations and think 'You know what, I see where he's coming from.' A character like Hannibal Lecter, for example, fascinates us to the point of dominating our attention despite only 16 minutes of screen time in Silence of the Lambs. Why? Because as alien and atrocious his actions are, he is real, compelling, and challenges us to examine his point of view. We may not agree with his actions, but we can understand why he agrees with them.
Maybe not the best example of a romantic story (the movie does begin with the words "This is not a love story"), but one of my favourite guilty pleasures in film is Original Sin. Perhaps not the most stellar of movies out there, but the villain utterly saves it for me. I adore Thomas Jane's performance, from his wheedling introduction to venom-spitting conclusion, and his utter sway over the main characters' actions holds the plot hostage until the final minutes with the possibility of several messy endings. The dynamic, compelling, and most importantly real antagonist draws an audience into deeper realms of villainy, eager to see how and if the main characters will escape. If he steals each scene and captivates us, the audience, how can we expect the characters to break away from his influence and persevere?
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do you make your masterpiece moody and atmospheric? Whether you write medieval, regency, paranormal or contemporary, your job as an author is to convey your setting to the reader in a way that is believable, that will give your story credibility. To do that you will need to build the world in which your characters live. The 5 basic elements of setting, besides time period, are physical locale, customs and manners, lifestyles, and historical events.
