This is a statement made by the author, P. L. Blair. I think it perfectly (and elegantly) expresses an author's mission, or at least my perception of it:
What is a writer's mission?
...another mistake made by fools - to ever think our readers will - or for that matter should - "settle" for anything less than the best we can give them.
Here's my personal bottom line as an author: I'm telling you - my reader - a story. I want to immerse you totally in that story. I don't want you to be aware of me as an author; I want to be invisible to you while you're reading (although, if you happen to remember me after you close the book - and want to go find other books I've written, I won't mind ...) I want you completely involved in the lives of the characters in that book.
So, for me, if I do anything that pulls you out of that story ... if you falter because of misspelled words, if punctuation (or lack thereof) causes confusion, if ... well, if anything happens to confuse you or pull you out of the story, even for only a second or two ... Then I have failed.
- - P. L. Blair
Diana ... It really means a lot to me that you've found my comment worthy of sharing. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteP.L. -I was delighted that you allowed me to quote it. It expresses so perfectly a writer's mission, especially concerning the presentation of a story.
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