One of the biggest compliments a writer can hear about his or her stories is that of “I never saw it coming.” It means that the reader was not only surprised but probably was pleasantly surprised with a twist or development in the story. Conversely, the worst thing a writer wants to hear is that the reader saw the ending or plot twist coming from a mile away. It most likely means the author got lazy and did not do a good job in their work.
I personally have had both of these statements told to me at various times regarding various work. And these things were told to me not out of anger or a judging moment, but rather as an acknowledgement of the work I did. The truth is that sometimes, no matter how hard we try as writers, we simply can’t fool our readers. They know us or our work too well.
This can be a great compliment or a curse, depending on how one takes it. I tend to take all criticism with a grain of salt. Whether it’s a complaint about editing or grammar, or a comment on my characterization, any comment is a good comment. Obviously, I would rather my reader always be shocked by the story development. I want my readers to always be guessing as to what is coming next while always being surprised at how things turned out. But if I can’t have it my way, then I will simply hope the work was good enough to be enjoyed. After all, in the end, that’s one of the reasons that I write as I do.
With that being said, feel free to always comment on my writing, even if it is to say “I saw that coming.” I don’t mind at all. But if you didn’t see it coming and found yourself pleasantly surprised, please, do me a favor and tell me! It thrills me to have someone want to talk about my work.
All the best!
Rodney