Expectations and Reader Reactions
There is a scenario that almost every writer has encountered at least once. They write something that is technically outstanding and eagerly release it to their readers only to be bombarded with rage, disappointment, and dismay. Now, there are several possible explanations for this, but today I’d like to focus on just one: reader expectations.
In many ways, a good story is like a promise between the writer and the reader. Throughout the early parts of the story, the writer makes a promise of sorts through the plot, characters, settings, and techniques they use to tell the story. For example, if the first half of a story is full of warmth, humour, and quirky but adorable characters, then the reader will most likely expect more of the same in the second half of the story.
And this is where problems can emerge.
Imagine that story. Now imagine that its second half is full of the sort of grim darkness that would terrify even lovers of post-apocalyptic fiction. Everyone dies horribly, the bad guys win, and there isn’t a joke in sight. Some writers would argue that the sudden change in tone and style makes for an exciting twist. I’m not one of them. Veering so dramatically from the first half of the story, the part that caught the reader’s attention in the first place, is not unlike breaking a promise, and the vast majority of readers are not going to like that. It’s very much a bait and switch, and people generally dislike bait and switches.
Think about how you would feel if you bought tickets to a movie after seeing a heartwarming trailer about puppies and kittens only for the movie to transform into a bloody horror film halfway through. Would you be happy? There are probably a few people who would be, but again the vast majority of people would be upset, angry, and dismayed.
Consider another scenario. You are reading a science fiction story in which the protagonist has an unswerving devotion to logic and reason. As the plot reaches its climax, the protagonist suddenly starts basing their decisions entirely on emotion, forgoing the reason and logic that got them so far in the first place. The odds are pretty good that you’ll be some combination of confused, angry, and dismayed.
A story can be written with exquisite technique, attention, and care and still be disliked by readers if it violates their expectations, particularly if those expectations were established by the story itself. Readers generally don’t like it when their slapstick comedies turn into horror stories, or when their horror stories turn into romantic comedies halfway through.
This isn’t to say that twists can’t happen. If a twist makes sense and is consistent with the internal logic of the story, then readers may very well accept it, even like it. For example, if the protagonist from the science fiction story example given above only started making decision based on emotion after their family was kidnapped and held to ransom by their enemies, then the sudden change in behaviour is plausible. The reader may even empathise and find the battle between logic and emotion fascinating.
Likewise, if sudden twists and turns have been established earlier in the story as being possible, then no one is going to mind when they happen later. For example, in the Game of Thrones series, backstabbing, treachery, and skulduggery have been commonplace right from the start, so people are not going to be surprised when they happen. Of course, not everyone will like the twists and turns (or see them coming), but they aren’t going to think of those twists and turns as a broken promise.
As readers work their way through a story, they will undoubtedly develop expectations. These expectations are often created relatively early on through the story’s plot, characters, settings, and techniques. Deviating too far from these expectations can leave readers feeling as though the writer has broken a promise about what sort of story the story would be, which can result in readers feeling angry, dismayed, and disappointed. That isn’t to say that twists and turns are impossible, but they need to be handled properly.
If you want to read more about my thoughts on writing, education, and other subjects, you can find those here.
I also write original fiction, which you can find here.
