What to do, what to do? Do people even read fiction anymore? Lots of people are writing it, but who’s reading it? How many times do I hear someone say something like, “But is it true?” Or “I like true stories about real people.” Real people? Who are they? The people on reality television? Eeek!
Anyway, why care about people who don’t exist? What’s the point? I love fiction. I love the characters. They might as well be real people for the way I feel about the characters I read about. I do and I don’t understand why some people just don’t care for fiction. Storytelling is one of the world’s oldest traditions–certainly older than writing them down. Humanbeings have always told stories! But then again..you don’t obviously learn a skill or information to use during your day. Who has the energy to spare for the nonexistent.
But my characters exist for me. So, what should my characters do to get people to care? The blog should tell what story? Should I make them tell wilder stories? Sexier ones? How to keep them friends and give them drama?
I need to be true to my so-called writerly vision, but I need to make readers happy. Oh, that elusive love–the reader. When I was single, I thought getting a man was a near impossible task (no joke there) but now I know–seducing a reader is its own circle of relationship hell.
Where do my characters go from here? How to make them more seductive? Well, how is anyone seductive if no one is looking?
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 
A blog is much more effective if you are writing from a place in yourself that is for yourself. You are genuine. Readers will find you. Their engagement with the posts and the dynamic nature of the blog IS the seduction. It’s like eavesdropping on a conversation or reading the paper over someone’s shoulder — informal and accessible.
A novel, on the other hand, does call for consideration of the reader, because you are asking the reader to make a commitment of time and effort. You’re asking the reader to trust that you’ve created a world worth immersing in. That calls for active seduction by the author.
The last question you ask intrigues me. Got to mull that one for awhile.
Wait, I just thought of something else about blogging. Readers return because they feel involved in the blog, and this arises from the blog author(s) responding to them personally when they leave comments.
The thing about your fiction blog is that it feels insular to a reader; they write to and for each other. Any reader who happens to come by can eavesdrop, but they aren’t invited in, nor do the authors show interest in anyone else’s world (by visiting and commenting on other blogs, or linking to another blog in a post they write). This is the challenge of the type of blog you created — it’s written by you in several voices. You’d go crazy trying to comment on other blogs in the persona of your various characters. And yet, interaction is what makes a blog breathe.
I just thought of something. Mercie comes up with questions she asks her coworkers to answer in the blog. What if she invited other readers to do the same and answer on their own blogs and provide a link to their post in the Lake Belle comments? That builds relationship and traffic. And I think Mercie is the best character to use as the ambassador to the world. You already have a strong relationship with and through her via the art and Flickr photos.
What you’ve said really helps–now I’ve just got to put it all to use….I’ve got more to say and loads of ideas, but the time is not exactly overflowing. Anyway, Mercie is the lead and I’ll work the rest of it out.
yullo. It is I Sidney Feldman (my, you HAVE changed. Save a dance for me, now). Once again, I have attempted to post to the Lake Belle site and there is yet again no actual image from which I might type the letters hidden therein. (what was I actually going to say?) hmmm. Ah, yes. For seduction, see “Trouble Follows Me, Lauren” on art everyday.
More later. Must eat to counter the alcohol.