As Writers we all started out as readers. When that change happen to us, when we decided to write as well as read is different in us all.
When at school we learnt how to read and write but most of time our writing consisted of writing what we were told, or to answer the question. Now as writers and Authors as many of hope to be, we have free reign to create and write a good story. I ask myself this question frequently, how it is then we are so disappointed with the books that have actually been published.
I am aware we all have different tastes but as a writer and reader you will have come across many I am sure of stories that lost the plot in the middle or seemed rushed at the end. Sometimes it even happens in films, you get to the end and it feels as someone has really lost the plot!
Whether you are an established author, or a struggling newbie, trying to put together and polish your first works, we all want to strive to write our best or is it just me? You want to create a page turner, something your readers do not want to put down, you hold that suspense, drama to the end where if you have been successful, you have your readers begging for more.
So how come in a world where traditional publishing houses are apparently struggling, has so many badly written books end up on our shelves leaving us with a bad taste in our mouths. I recently read a book where it was split into four sections but each sectioned to be linked to each other, the first three had me there turning page after page and then the final section was as if either the editor had told them to shorten it, or the author ran out of steam. I felt it was rushed, you had this big build up only for the ending to be rushed and incomplete and yet it was published by one of the big houses.
I ask myself, is it me? Have my standards of writing and reading risen so high I can no longer find satisfaction in published works by the traditional houses. For all the critics of JK Rowling and Dan Brown (and I am not one of them). Many of jealous of their success.All I know is that they created page turners. Stories you wanted to stay up all night to finish. The likes of Barbra Taylor Bradford and Nora Roberts I enjoy their works, but not all. I would not say I am so avid a fan I would buy all their books as I have not enjoyed all but that is down to taste not because of poor writing. Another bestseller I used to enjoy, now just seems to churn out the same, almost predictable scenes for his character. Has he gone stale or just trying to rely on his fans to buy his new repeats.
Whatever my future skills may fall, I hope no one has to write such a blog over me, publishing poor works with the big houses depending the fan base.
I wish you all a happy weekend and hope whatever your reading delivers your expectations.
What books have you read that have not come up to the mark ?
Did you feel it was down to your taste or had the author somehow let you down?
Let me know would love to hear from you!
Off the top of my head I can name at least four authors whose books I used to buy without reading any of the blurb or reviews, I loved them that much. Over time I realised that all of them were recycling plots and I no longer bother with any of them. I wonder if it's down to the publishers demanding 'more of the same' because they know the fans will buy them, often sight unseen, the way I used to. Perhaps those authors would love to write something totally different but are trapped by their own success.
ReplyDeleteNo idea, but lets hope it never happens to us. Since I started writing I am more choosy of who I read. It is often a disappointment to us when your fav authors, leave us instead of clamouring for more, leave you high and dry.
ReplyDeleteRegarding recycling stories, it was once said to me, there are only so many stories in the world but its the way that we tell them that makes them different.
There was one author that I liked her books and whenever she had a new one out I would automatically buy it because I knew it would be good. I travel a lot for my job so I buy a lot of "airplane books", you know the kind you'd read to pass the time on a flight. After a while, I think she got tired of writing the series, but wanted to keep making money. The last book of hers I read was so bad, I never bought another.
ReplyDeleteAnother book I read lately was by a new, independent author and it was great about 3/4 of the way through and then it turned from a fantasy novel to romance. I don't really like romance novels and I was pretty disappointed, especially because it was so good up until that point.
I felt excately the same about a famous male author, loved his books but then got so bored with same oh same oh!
ReplyDeleteStrange is it not, an author tries try to gain readership only to publish a poor or even bad one to lose that reader for good. Although sometimes I think we are a little more forgiving or actors they may do a bad film but it does not mean we will never watch them again!!
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