Readers - Friend or Foe

I just posted this article on Chip's BLOG and it got me to thinking. Everyone who endeavors in a creative field faces the double edged blade of audience approval.

If the audience truly loves you there is the danger of being labeled trite, inconsequential or 'mainstream'. If they hate you the labels change (elitist, conceited, anarchic), but the judgement is the same. In art it seems your are damned if you do, damned if you don't. 

So the answer? Do what you want. Do it well. Hope that someone else will like it.

I am currently rewriting my novel and I have been encouraged to make it juicier, scarier and more adult. I think that is a good suggestion - it needs that edge.

Of course the very things that will make it a better book will make it scandalous to my own extended family.

*Sigh* I choose Damned!!!