Expectations

Recently I received a copy of a publication I had hoped to submit a story to. I wanted to check out this collection, as freelancers are told to do, so I would know the tone and tenor of the stories that made it in print. My expectations were quite high, to be honest. I supposed this particular publication to be of the literary variety, and probably my writing wouldn’t fit, but nevertheless, on that outside chance, I was willing to pay the price of the collection to find out.

When it arrived, I was a little taken aback. The cover was … a bit amateurish, but still, I looked forward to sitting down with it and diving into the stories. Except that most of the publication was not “stories,” but poetry and art work as well. OK, I could live with that, though I now also noticed the amateurish look of the entire publication.

When I finally did begin reading the stories, is it any wonder my mindset, once prepared to consider the stories on a plane above my own writing and admire them from afar, shifted? The look of the publication altered my expectations.

This is a little shocking to me, because I’ve claimed for a long time I hardly notice covers of books or the quality of the paper or the color of the font and such. Yet, undoubtedly those things and others have played a part in creating my expectations for stories.

The real lesson for me, however, is about meeting expectations. In some ways we authors create expectations. If I categorize myself as a fantasy writer, I need to create a fantasy world or some fantasy elements in this world. Otherwise, a reader coming to the work expecting to find a place that is Other would have unmet expectations.

I’m convinced unmet expectations are the greatest cause of reader dissatisfaction.

Which brings me to another point. When an author pitches a book, either to an agent or editor, or on the back cover to readers, he needs to be truthful. Because of marketing, I think we have fallen into hyperbole. But in reality, when I read “the next Tolkien” in an endorsement or a back cover blurb, I’m not sold. I sort of roll my eyes and think, One more in the crowd of NOT Tolkien.

In other words, if a book makes this comparison to the best, I’ve already written it off. Why is that? The claim creates an expectation I don’t think can be met. I’m disappointed before I ever start.

Could be no one else reacts this way. I’m interested, though, in what creates high expectations for others. Reading a review? A recommendation from a friend? The book cover? The forward matter (a cool map, for instance)? The feel of the paper? The back cover blurb? The first page? What gives you your reading experience expectations?