I saw a post on Facebook that got me thinking. I’ll be honest, it also annoyed me. The post was complaining that a certain author had disappointed him by not putting out a book in a series that was promised. I have no idea who this author is, nor do I know the reader. But, this reader’s post got me thinking about what is owed readers from authors.

The plain truth is, authors owe readers a good story. Nothing more. But good stories don’t just come out of nowhere. Writing an engaging story that readers will love, is extremely hard work. Every single word that ends up on that page comes from thin air, and they all have to make sense.

Let me also make one thing clear: When authors don’t finish a series, it isn’t to spite readers.

There are a ton of reasons why authors put certain books off. Often it’s that they can’t get into the story enough to finish the book. Most authors want to put out a good product, not just slap some awful book out, so that people stop asking. Sometimes the books people are asking for weren’t the most profitable ones, and authors need to concentrate on a project that pays the bills quicker.

Authors aren’t vending machines. Creativity comes when it comes. Authors are humans who suffer from depression, sickness, lack of creativity. We have children, lives, sick parents.

The new climate of publishing has people pumping books out every month, and I think it’s made readers think that’s the norm. I guess it probably is the norm now. But it wasn’t always the norm. You can’t force creativity. Some books are easier to write than others.

I suppose I find it disheartening that some readers are callous about how they view authors. As if we’re not really people. Seeing a bunch of others jump in on that post to complain about how frustrating it is to wait for books was discouraging. I understand that readers are frustrated, but so are the authors. Authors who can’t write because of stress or burn out aren’t enjoying life. We’re usually crippled with depression because we know we’re letting readers down.

Maybe no one cares what authors feel. Maybe certain readers just want the books, and will never have empathy for what an author might be struggling with. But I felt the need to speak up for myself, and all the other authors out there, who sometimes struggle with pumping book out like an assembly line.

Because creating something from absolutely nothing isn’t easy. Creating characters, and a world that engages a reader’s mind so intensely that they can’t wait for the next book is hard work. I don’t just want to write books that people forget in a day. I want my characters to stick with the reader. I want my stories to mean something.

My stories are more than just the ISBN number.

S.C.

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