I’m fond of reading Author Notes at the end of novels, but I
may be in a minority.
To be clear, I understand the reluctance many feel about
this matter. I want to be succinct and say that, for me, an Author Note is
satisfying to read only if it’s short and personal. Like a cherry on the slice
of cake I just managed to finish.
An added zing, a finishing touch. An Author Note needs to
work like a decorative bow tied to a well wrapped gift.
A good
post on this can be found here.
For fiction, it’s important not to slip into lecture mode. I’m
afraid the tendency to explain, self-analyze, and even apologize— is what many authors
pass for their final note. I plead guilty myself.
A good Author Note does one simple thing: it ties the
fictional story to the author’s life experience in a way that enriches the
story for the reader. Too many authors write these notes to make up for
what they perceive will be criticism or in response to Beta readers’ feedback.
An Author Note shouldn’t be a defense of one’s work, nor added material that
should have been woven into the story itself. Again, I plead guilty to these faux pas.
While Author Notes can enrich a novel, I find them a burden
when tacked to picture book texts. Writers who have polished their skills writing
for the educational market are prone to add Author Notes to trade picture
books, sometimes longer than the story texts. Thus, a fictional tale becomes a
mini textbook. Publishers seem to love this, because it makes these picture
books marketable in both the trade and the educational markets.
I’m not a publisher. As a reader, I never liked fiction
laden with footnotes, and these Author Notes (as well as “Side Bars”) sink fun
fiction faster than I can say PLEASE DON’T.
For the third time, I plead guilty to this, also.
So, my take on Author Notes is keep it interesting and above
all—
keep it short.
6 comments:
Hah, I love author notes, footnotes, sidebars, backmatter, dedications, acknowledgements, all of it, really. It's why I enjoy visiting author blogs so much...to know more about their lives, their process, their inspiration. Yes, in NF PBs, the notes can be 10X more than the main text but I do so love those layers.
Indeed, author notes and side bars are part of educational nonfiction and all academic writing, Vijaya. I was specific about this matter for FICTION stories, where they shouldn't become textbooks. Librarians and teachers like them, but young readers-- not so much. ;=(
Keep 'em short for fiction. Especially when it comes to fictional picture book stories, make sure they are much shorter than the text itself. Honestly, I've seen books (mostly yet to be published, which I saw as a beta reader) where the auxiliary sides rivaled the text in length. Ask any young reader how much they like it. Not.
Maybe I'm wrong, but my impression is that today's fiction PBs are written primarily for young children who are not yet reading. Since the people who read the books to the children are therefore older, it doesn't seem to me that it matters if a young "reader" doesn't like the Author's Note. But I'll admit that I don't remember seeing an Author's Note in a fiction PB, so I clearly don't know what I'm talking about.
I, too, appreciate author notes and, as a nonfiction writer, have used footnotes or endnotes. Some of us don’t mind additional information. Besides, no one is forced to read anything extra. I remember one editor who made me put all my explanatory notes at the end of the book so as not to stop the flow of text. That was fine because she didn’t object to how much I included. Maybe my academic background has not made me dislike the extras because I always had to write them too.
I agree with you about fictional PBs, Mirka. They should be fun to read and to listen to.
I love short, entertainingly written author notes for historical middle grade novels, if they provide historical background the reader wouldn't know. (No one has to read them if they're not interested.)
I love reading author's notes and also acknowledgements. I often read those first to see how much the story ties to the author's experience. But I agree that short and sweet are best. Sometimes they can be too rambling. Thank you for the link as well!
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