Writers: What do you want a reader to get out of your writing, and how do you plan on achieving this?

I'm very connected to my characters, and I try to make them as real as I can so someone, somewhere can truly connect with them. I want my readers to put the book down and still have a character in their mind for days. I want the overall story to mean something to them, even if it was just the enjoyment of reading it, but more than anything, I want one character to stick with them. After I read The Outsiders, I thought of Dallas Winston for days. To this day, I still haven't read another character that was as real and connected to me as Dally was. I want someone to feel that way about one of my characters, and for me to be able to give that back to the world of fiction, that would be amazing enough.

I totally agree with you. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than setting down a book and feeling a sense of loss without it. When I finish a Harry Potter book, or even a Twilight book for that matter, I feel like there is something missing. I end up getting emotionally attached to the characters, and it's like the story line is my own life. When the story ends and I get shoved back to reality, it's the oddest sensation. I feel like when readers feel that way about a book, you, as an author, have succeeded.

I feel the satisfaction of giving my reader's a romance/mystery piece with a hint of tragedy with it. I want my books to touch someone-if it is only a few- I would adore it. I love it when people read my stories that I worked hard on. I have read Twilight and Harry Potter, both have touched me. I have, as well, tried my hardest to feel content in my writings. I hope that one day my stories will possibly be published to the public. =)

I want them to take SOMETHING from the work I've done. I don't care what it is, personally. If they find that they're attached to one of my characters? Great. If they find that an event from my story really resounds from their life, and the resolution/lack therof really changes their perspective on things? That's great too. If they find that one of my overall themes resounds with their life as a whole, and that the book's been a life changing experience? Great. If all they get -- and I mean literally all they get -- is a 5 second laugh out of one character making a cheesy pun? Fking awesome. Guess what? They still bought my book!

What matters to me is that I, as the author, have consciously crafted structures (characters, events, dialogue, etc.) within this story that carry out my purpose, and that they are done WELL. The reason you guys were all so touched by the HP series is that Rowling did such a good job at creating very vivid and easy-to-relate-to structures -- the world, the characters, the plot points, themes, etc. -- that we were ABLE to attach ourselves to them. Rowling wanted to create a vivid world that was easy to picture, with characters that were easy to relate to, in spite of having magical capabilities, and themes that resounded with all people from all walks of life in the real world.

Honestly, I don't really care about touching people or creating characters they can relate to or anything like that -- not really. If they're touched or can relate, then awesome, but that's not really my intention. Anyone can create something "touching" or "moving" -- all I would have to do is describe a cute little puppy, and then say that they're taking it to be euthanized in horrible ways, and then introduce a character who is going to put a stop to this, at once! Whether I've done a good job at describing this character, and regardless of anything else this character may have done, most readers will be "moved" by this character's performance. I know that's not as deep as being touched or moved by an entire novel or series of them, but this could go further -- I mean, really, it's not hard.

I suppose that what I'm trying to say, in short, is that I want to create an excellent product so that a reader can have their pick at getting a number of things out of my writing.

i want them to feel the characters emotion, i want them to hate such and such, or feel bad for whoever. i plan to do this by relating to many people at one time and making a very real-life environment, somewhere they can escape to. i want the person to reluctantly put the book down and go "woah! I'm back in the real world" i love that feeling as a reader, and to make someone feel that as a writer would just be amazing. i would love to touch someones life, to make them cry, scream, and throw the book against the wall. just one person, i don't care if thousands of people hate my book, i want it to touch someone. if i cant feel the emotions and have to read about how they're mad then i don't consider it a good book.

for me, its really important that the reader shares a connection with my characters and feels as if they really know them well, as if they knew them in real life. I would want my readers to feel like they've lost a close friend when one of the characters dies. I really try to make my characters unique and not sporadic. When writing from a character's point of view, I try not to think of what I would do or say in the situation, but what my CHARACTER would do. Characters are one of my biggest focuses when I am writing a book.

I want my readers to feel as if they lost a friend when they put a book down. (Let me rummage around a sec on WeHeartIt.com..... HERE IT IS >> http://weheartit.com/entry/2031083 )

I want them to feel a connection with the characters. I want them to want to read more.

I know this is going to sound *really* cheesy, but I don't really care about being rich and famous (even though being able to write as a full-time job would be amazing!). I just want readers to love what I wrote. I agree, Harry Potter changed my life. If I could do that to just a single person, I'd be ecstatic.

As long as my story gets going somewhere, affects at least one person... it doesn't really matter. I went through a really hard stage in my writing where i was trying to write what the readers wanted. I found my story lacking and superficial. Always write for yourself. Write from the heart and someone will listen.

Knowing that I have worked hard on it, and someone, anyone, appreciates it. Even if they don't like it, I'd be happy that they thought about it. I'd like my writing to make the reader feel or think something from it, and, like you, to connect with my characters.

After I read a good book I sit and wonder how the author came up with such great characters and stories.

I know it's aa good book if I laugh, cry, shout or all of the above.

I want people that read my books to feel the same.