answering reader questions Archives

A brown sack on a yellow field. Exciting, I know.

As has become an annual tradition, I recently ran a survey with my newsletter subscribers. Were their questions awesome? Absolutely—and you can have that answer for free.

…Oh yeah, and the rest are free, too. Here they are!

1. What is the genre of your writing?

It’s funny you should ask that, because I myself am not quite sure. So far, I’ve written sci-fi, mystery, epic fantasy, and creative nonfiction in the forms of novels, novellas, short stories, poetry, and essays. Is hodgepodge a genre?

No matter what I’m writing, I strive to unify my work with humor. I’ll continue to do so with my future endeavors (one of which may or may not be a poetry collection).

2. Is Nairn Lockwood going to get her own book?

Whoever submitted this question is a real one.

For context, Nairn Lockwood is the co-hero of my novella “The Megrim,” appearing in the short fiction collection Monsters at Dusk. She’s brave, brash, and greedy, though she’s got more heart than she lets on. Plus, she’s as big a fan of leftovers as I am, which is really saying something.

So, as this intelligent and thoughtful person wondered, will Lockwood get her own book? The short answer is this: It’s already in the works.

Ever since completing “The Megrim” in 2019, I’ve been brainstorming Lockwood’s next adventure (accompanied by her sidekick Pureman Wendyll—can’t forget him). I even wrote an outline for a potential sequel, one I’m quite proud of. Its setting is a cross between Ancient Rome and modern-day Las Vegas.

I expect that story and any subsequent ones will be standalone novellas, where each tale follows a new challenge for Lockwood and Wendyll. When I’ve got enough material for a book, I’ll collect them all and publish them for your reading pleasure.

I don’t have a release date for you, but it might come sooner rather than later now that I know someone’s anticipating it!

3. Could you please write a zombie comedy? I think you would do it well!

Why thank you!

I’ve never considered writing about zombies because, honestly, I’m afraid of them. I remember seeing Shaun of the Dead as a 12-year-old and being scared shitless (excuse my French). Later I tried The Walking Dead, and though I enjoyed the first few episodes, I never kept up.

Keeping up is part of the challenge with zombies—and I don’t mean keeping up with your fellow humans while the horde is hot on your heels. I mean zombies have become as well-trodden a sub-genre as vampires, rife with tropes and clichés and reader expectations up the whazoo. If one elects to write in this space, they’d better do their research.

I haven’t, but maybe someday I will. I tend to follow my passions, so who knows? Maybe one day I’ll get over my fear and start writing.

4. Why isn’t comedy included [in your genre list]? I love your comedic sci-fi / fantasy stuff.

To explain, I asked respondents what genres they read, though I didn’t include comedy among my multiple choices. That’s because I don’t always view comedy as a literary genre unto itself—I view it as a tone, at least in my work. After all, I try to inject humor into everything I write, even places it doesn’t belong (e.g. a haiku about cutting my cats’ nails).

Still, it’s an interesting question: Is comedy its own genre? In film, that’s an obvious “yes,” with countless movies created for the sole purpose of generating laughs (see, for example, the works of Nicolas Cage).

I find the answer is murkier in books. Though comedy exists in literature, it’s often blended with better-defined genres. Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, for instance, has a darkly humorous tone, but it’s hard to classify it as anything other than science-fiction.

Genre debates like these have raged for centuries, though they’re about as useful as sports topics on First Take, which is to say, not very. But like Stephen A., that won’t stop me from debating them!

5. [Your survey question] could be replaced by “how many of my books have you downloaded and not gotten around to reading yet?”

To explain this answer, I asked people which of my books they’ve read, if any. The above was one person’s response.

Owning more books than can be read is a common phenomenon. You could build mountain ranges out of peoples TBR piles. From personal experience, I can attest that I’ve got a laundry basket full of unread books by my bedside, one which my wife, Sara, is not especially happy about. (I’m sorry, Sara.)

So, PSA to the readers out there: We need to borrow from libraries more often. I utilize my local library’s digital collection, where they offer thousands of ebooks and audiobooks, all for free. I even learned New York State residents can earn membership to the New York Public Library, which offers a dwarven treasure-trove of knowledge.

Also, if you’ll allow me a brief and shameful plug, you might find my epic fantasy-comedy novel Eggs for the Ageless among your local library’s digital collection. Okay, plug over.

6. I am new to your books and would like to know more about you.

Well hi! I write pretty much whatever I feel like writing, which ranges from the genres and styles I mentioned in question one to future stuff I’m too afraid to reveal.

A few other random facts about me:

I root for the New York Giants. It’s often painful.
I’m not unconvinced there aren’t alien tourists visiting our planet for funzies.
I like cats because I see a lot of myself in them.
I once wrote a short story about a commune of geriatric cannibals living in a New York City neighborhood.
“Anyhoo” might be my favorite word.

Thanks for your questions!

They’re always a delight to answer. If you’ve got any more, please send them to kyle@kyleamassa.com and I’ll be happy to reply. I just can’t promise I won’t use the word “anyhoo.”

Kyle A. Massa is an author of some sort living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife, their daughter, and three wild animals. His published works include five books and several short stories. When he’s not writing, he enjoys reading, running, and drinking coffee.

My wife is currently reading a frustrating book (I won’t tell you the title). She’s got several grievances, such as one character’s annoying name and another character’s dopey behavior. But one issue stands above the rest. My wife asks:

“Why don’t they call the cops?”

Now that’s an important question, especially for writers. When the going gets tough, why don’t your main characters call the cops?

As writers, we must constantly ask ourselves questions like these, because our readers certainly will. If we never anticipate the questions that might arise, readers will end up feeling frustrated, like my wife does now.

How can we answer our readers’ questions before they’re asked? Let’s get into it.

1. Put Yourself in Your Characters’ Shoes

Let’s say your protagonist is being stalked by someone outside the house who’s trying to break in. Why doesn’t he or she call the cops? If you can’t answer this question, you can’t proceed with your story.

So put yourself in your character’s shoes. Say to yourself, “Okay self. Let’s say that as you’re writing this, you hear someone breaking in downstairs. What do you do?” Calling the cops is probably on your shortlist. Finding a weapon to defend yourself with is another solid tactic. Shouting for help or escaping out the backdoor works, too.

The final decision will vary depending on the character making it. However, you must at least provide plausible evidence as to why your character does or does not do something. Maybe they don’t call the cops because you’ve established that they’re distrustful of the police. Maybe they don’t arm themselves because they’re just a scared little kid.

Take a moment to show answers to logical questions. If you’ve done that, you can proceed with your story.

2. Share Your Work with Beta Readers

It’s okay if you don’t speak Greek. Beta readers are just the kind people who give you their first impressions on your works-in-progress. If they wonder why your main character didn’t call the cops, they’ll let you know.

The best beta readers tell you what questions they have as they read your work. For example, they might say, “I didn’t understand why Luna wouldn’t tell Solara about the mouse in the basement.” As the writer, you probably know the answer. Yet a beta reader might show that the answer isn’t clear enough. In this example, perhaps you go back and explicitly state Solara’s reasoning: Luna had cried wolf—or in this case, mouse—too many times already. She knew Solara would never believe her.

Beta readers need not be anyone fancy (though they can be if you like fancy people). Just pick your family, friends, or anyone you trust. Ask them if any questions arise while reading the story, and what you can do to answer them.

3. Consider the World of Your Story

If you’re writing a murder mystery set in Ancient Greece, the “Why don’t they call the cops?” question isn’t especially relevant (though Socrates calling the police on an iPhone is a hilarious image). Conversely, if you’re writing a murder mystery set in the distant future, you might need to put extra brain power into your explanation.

Why? Because as a reader, I won’t believe that in the year 3000 we’ll have phones like we do now. In fact, I’m not even sure we’ll still have phones. Would we have neural pathways connecting us all? Could you simply think, I’m in danger!, and then get instant help. You must take extra care to consider how the rules of your world affect readers’ questions.

Questions Need Answering!

Don’t be like the author of the book my wife is reading. Anticipate your readers’ questions, then answer them. And if you need a place to start, start with this one: “Why don’t they call the cops?”

Kyle A. Massa is a speculative fiction author living somewhere in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. His stories have appeared in numerous online magazines, including Allegory, Chantwood, and Dark Fire Fiction.

Tag: answering reader questions

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