I'm starting this post with a bit of trepidation because I really don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about why I am writing it. The aim of it is to pass a comment, a reflection if you will and is definitly not an attempt to get you kind folks out there to say nice things about BTL. I am not trying to provoke flattery from anyone.
Okay so now we've establishe dthat maybe I should get on with it.
Himself (best husband in the whole world) bought me a book for Christmas that a film I have been known to enjoy on occasions was based on. I will not be naming names here but suffice to say that the film falls into the "romcom" category and the book therefore is "chick-lit." His research had told him that the book was much better than the film and contained "a lot more." Okay then, methinks, I'll give this a go, a little light entertainment over the festive period.
Okay so lets cut to the chase and get to the heart of the matter. As a piece of writing, well how can I say this, its not that good. Mrs Wilkinson my old English teacher would be shivering in a corner if one of us had handed it in. No hang on that's not fair because obviously the writing is grammatically correct etc etc but to me it just doesn't seem to flow. Its all a bit stilted - he said she said but how on earth is anyone feeling sort of thing.
But here is an author who has written and published more than one book and sold the film rights to one of them so she must be doing somthing right. And she is - she is commercial.
Which brings me back to my thoughts on BTL and my writing in general - maybe its just not commercial enough.
Just a thought - and here's another one.
Can we stop eating yet?
4 comments:
I know just what you are talking about. I read Charlaine Harris, she of TrueBlood series i.e. Vampires, humans, lots of blood and sex. I've read two of her sookie stackhouse series and three of her Harper Connelly series. Here is an author who struggled for years writing crime then came up with an idea for a supernatural series about a relationship between a human and a vampire. Okay it's been done to death (sorry, but you know what I mean) before so why has this become a big sell and put her on the top shelf. Simple she has great new ideas. She write badly and in the first person which I dislike unless it's done very well, but she has new original ideas which is what publishers and readers are looking for. Well, that what I think anyway...:-)
And yes, lets be the first and stop eating
Yes Jarmara. like it or not Charlaine is commercial. I have to say though that I am enjoying the book that HImself bought regardless of the writing so maybe it is the idea that is more important.
Some books I've read have been so bad I've thrown them at the wall. On the other hand, there's nothing as entertaining as a well-written commercial novel when you want a bit of escapism.
XX
Absoloutely nothing at all Suzanne. I am happy to report that I am really enjoying my book. Its not War an Peace but it doesn't pretend to be and for the record I wasn't that fussed about war and Peace - sorry those who love it.
Post a Comment