Puzzled

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm reading a collection of Stephen King novellas. The two I've read are excellent; SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and APT PUPIL.

What puzzles me is the quality of King's stories from one time to the next. According to the articles he publishes, he's aware of the crap he writes, and blows it off with the justification that his fans will buy anything he writes.

The other day I tried to read a horror novel recommended by J.K.Rowling. Most of the chapters run 2-3 pages, and most of the sentences are no longer than 5 words:

"Whats wrong, Jane?"
"I'm afraid, Dick."
"Look, Jane! There's Sally and Spot."
"Jane's afraid, Sally."
"Poor Jane," said Sally.
"Woof, woof," barked Spot.

The writing is almost that laconic, and the story is strange. Some kids go to a freak show where a wolf-man amputates a girl's hand with his teeth, and a staff member reattaches the hand with magic thread; they give the wolf-man a group hug and he falls asleep in his cage. Huh?

Rowling recommended this crap? What was she thinking?

 

[vrosej10]

I'm reading a collection of Stephen King novellas. The two I've read are excellent; SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and APT PUPIL.

What puzzles me is the quality of King's stories from one time to the next. According to the articles he publishes, he's aware of the crap he writes, and blows it off with the justification that his fans will buy anything he writes.

The other day I tried to read a horror novel recommended by J.K.Rowling. Most of the chapters run 2-3 pages, and most of the sentences are no longer than 5 words:

"Whats wrong, Jane?"
"I'm afraid, Dick."
"Look, Jane! There's Sally and Spot."
"Jane's afraid, Sally."
"Poor Jane," said Sally.
"Woof, woof," barked Spot.

The writing is almost that laconic, and the story is strange. Some kids go to a freak show where a wolf-man amputates a girl's hand with his teeth, and a staff member reattaches the hand with magic thread; they give the wolf-man a group hug and he falls asleep in his cage. Huh?

Rowling recommended this crap? What was she thinking?

I've read the book your reading and enjoyed it, but this is deliberately commercial stuff, so we're not gunna get Kafka's Metamorphosis, are we? I really love his short stuff, one of these stories being a personal favourite of mine, though I continually forget the title for some reason. It's about a woman with a passion for short cuts. I just finished Twillight. Now that's some thin commercial stuff.

If you're taking J.K Rowling's literary advice, you not going to get Tolstoy recommended...

 

[Songcatcher]

If you're taking J.K Rowling's literary advice, you not going to get Tolstoy recommended...

J.K Rowling sells witch stories to kids. Tolstism became a religion.

It's as different as Christ and Rumbo VI.

 

[lance gt]

I'm reading a collection of Stephen King novellas. The two I've read are excellent; SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and APT PUPIL.

What puzzles me is the quality of King's stories from one time to the next. According to the articles he publishes, he's aware of the crap he writes, and blows it off with the justification that his fans will buy anything he writes.

The other day I tried to read a horror novel recommended by J.K.Rowling. Most of the chapters run 2-3 pages, and most of the sentences are no longer than 5 words:

"Whats wrong, Jane?"
"I'm afraid, Dick."
"Look, Jane! There's Sally and Spot."
"Jane's afraid, Sally."
"Poor Jane," said Sally.
"Woof, woof," barked Spot.

The writing is almost that laconic, and the story is strange. Some kids go to a freak show where a wolf-man amputates a girl's hand with his teeth, and a staff member reattaches the hand with magic thread; they give the wolf-man a group hug and he falls asleep in his cage. Huh?

Rowling recommended this crap? What was she thinking?

My son is reading the same novella, Different Seasons. I noticed three of the stories have been made into movies so far. A Winter's Tale would make for an interesting one too I think. I've read numerous S. King books and I agree his writing takes a turn for the worse in some of them. It's hard to find the right elements in every story to make it a winner, but he has done well. As for Rowling, she should stick with Harry Potter and plug it to death and leave recommending books alone.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

My son is reading the same novella, Different Seasons. I noticed three of the stories have been made into movies so far. A Winter's Tale would make for an interesting one too I think. I've read numerous S. King books and I agree his writing takes a turn for the worse in some of them. It's hard to find the right elements in every story to make it a winner, but he has done well. As for Rowling, she should stick with Harry Potter and plug it to death and leave recommending books alone.

If the story sux and you know it sux, why fool with it unless youre into screwing the reader?

 

[Songcatcher]

If the story sux and you know it sux, why fool with it unless youre into screwing the reader?

Tell me that kids know the difference.

 

[argh654]

If the story sux and you know it sux, why fool with it unless youre into screwing the reader?

There are two reasons for me.

I won't ever claim to be happy that what I've written. No matter how many edits, I always find something that could be better or nicer. Yet, I eventually put these stories online, here and other places. If I waited until the story is all it can be, then nothing of mine would ever be read by more than a few close friends.

The second reason is even more trivial - because the story means something to me. I have one long story that is horrible. Every time I think of it, I want to revise it - but when OpenOffice is loaded, I can't change a single character. The story is my voice from back then. It is the best I could do back then and changing it now would lead to a better story, but it would take away from the despair, the anguish I felt back then.
I just can't revise it. Yet, the text said so much about me that I felt it was right to publish it.

In other words, there are good reasons to publish stories that suck. However, if you publish it just "because my readers will read it anyway" then you're definitely not doing the right thing.

Peter.

 

[Songcatcher]

It is easy to write a good story. I believe human imagination is limitless.

It is fucking hard to get it published.

 

[argh654]

It is easy to write a good story. I believe human imagination is limitless.
.

Then you're a better person than me. Despite the fact that I spent the last 10 years in the US, there are always cases where I spend an hour on a single paragraph and in the end I'm still not happy with it.

Peter.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

There's such a thing as the Artifact Effect.

Once you've created an artifact, you never really know who might use it, how they might like it, or what they might use it for. Therefore, the Artifact Effect suggests that you publish everything you've written and let the fans sort it out.

I have several stories that I know are failed attempts but some people think are just grand. One never knows.

 

[kamuikamui]

Then you're a better person than me. Despite the fact that I spent the last 10 years in the US, there are always cases where I spend an hour on a single paragraph and in the end I'm still not happy with it.

Peter.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeck.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Tell me that kids know the difference.

Okay. KIDS KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. There.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

PETER

For me, at least, its possible to create a satisfactory story. I'm difficult to please but occasionally I write something that makes me laugh or hard or whatever. Its the same with growing a garden or anything; if what you do matches whats in your head its possible to be satisfied.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

There's such a thing as the Artifact Effect.

Once you've created an artifact, you never really know who might use it, how they might like it, or what they might use it for. Therefore, the Artifact Effect suggests that you publish everything you've written and let the fans sort it out.

I have several stories that I know are failed attempts but some people think are just grand. One never knows.

YOU know! I think most of us have rare events where the prose is fucking awesome, and we know it!

 

[lance gt]

There's such a thing as the Artifact Effect.

Once you've created an artifact, you never really know who might use it, how they might like it, or what they might use it for. Therefore, the Artifact Effect suggests that you publish everything you've written and let the fans sort it out.

I have several stories that I know are failed attempts but some people think are just grand. One never knows.

I agree Doc. I get an idea of something that I have to write about and express it the best way I know how, in my mind anyway. How it's going to be taken by readers is their business. Everyone will relate to the story in their own way from personal experience and the intent on reading the story in the first place. I've written stories I thought I put a lot of effort in and it panned out, others I couldn't understand why it was dumped on. The same went the other way as well, a half assed attempt got great results. So I just write from my heart what I think is a good story and let it go out there and do its thing. I stopped putting expectations on hoping it was a good story and the disappointment if it isn't, doesn't come and discourage me to write again.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

LANCE

For me the experience is visceral when I stumble over the right combination of words and all, and it's exactly what I wanted. Its like scoring 100 on a test you expected to make 75, or beating your old record swimming. You know youve raised the bar and progressed.

 

[lance gt]

LANCE

For me the experience is visceral when I stumble over the right combination of words and all, and it's exactly what I wanted. Its like scoring 100 on a test you expected to make 75, or beating your old record swimming. You know youve raised the bar and progressed.

Exactly James, you never know when you finish writing the story if you've done your best or not. You believe you've put all the right words and elements together and feel it reads well, then find it sucked in the ratings. Then writing something so-so gets raves. A writer never knows what's good or bad until it's submitted and read. So it leaves a writer wondering what is a good story to write and what isn't. Do you write for yourself or write for an audience?

 

[Liar]

It is easy to write a good story.

It's easy to make a good story.

It's a bit of a challenge to tell a good story.

It's a fucking nightmare to write a good story and not mess it up in the process.

 

[Songcatcher]

It's easy to make a good story.

It's a bit of a challenge to tell a good story.

It's a fucking nightmare to write a good story and not mess it up in the process.

Funny: http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=674016

 

[Bianca_Sommerland]

Exactly James, you never know when you finish writing the story if you've done your best or not. You believe you've put all the right words and elements together and feel it reads well, then find it sucked in the ratings. Then writing something so-so gets raves. A writer never knows what's good or bad until it's submitted and read. So it leaves a writer wondering what is a good story to write and what isn't. Do you write for yourself or write for an audience?

See that's tricky. I tend to write for my audience. That's how I can look at entire chapters I've spent months working on, and simply remove them from the story because, reading them objectively, I know they're not up to par.

If you're writing for yourself then by all means, settle. It is a personal choice and there's no one to judge you but yourself. Once you decide to take it to a professional level it's a whole new ball game.

IMO Rowling is a decent writer but her public relations suck.The Harry Potter books were a guilty pleasure of mine for awhile, and unlike the travesty that is Twilight I can reread those books without feeling ill.

If I ever published something like Twilight I would change my name and hide somewhere. Yes I get she's laughing to the bank. Good for her. I have more pride...probably be my downfall

Stephen King. God I love his older works, but the new stuff is almost generic. Guess it pays the bills...though I don't see how he would have a problem in that regard. Maybe he just got tired of all the demands for more books and just shits them out now. Who knows.

 

[lance gt]

See that's tricky. I tend to write for my audience. That's how I can look at entire chapters I've spent months working on, and simply remove them from the story because, reading them objectively, I know they're not up to par.

If you're writing for yourself then by all means, settle. It is a personal choice and there's no one to judge you but yourself. Once you decide to take it to a professional level it's a whole new ball game.

IMO Rowling is a decent writer but her public relations suck.The Harry Potter books were a guilty pleasure of mine for awhile, and unlike the travesty that is Twilight I can reread those books without feeling ill.

If I ever published something like Twilight I would change my name and hide somewhere. Yes I get she's laughing to the bank. Good for her. I have more pride...probably be my downfall

Stephen King. God I love his older works, but the new stuff is almost generic. Guess it pays the bills...though I don't see how he would have a problem in that regard. Maybe he just got tired of all the demands for more books and just shits them out now. Who knows.

They did a great spoof of Steven on Family Guy, trying to come up with new story ideas. I loved "It" and the Different Seasons, mentioned earlier, plus Thinner under Richard Bachman. DreamCatcher was the start of the downslide for me.

 

[Bianca_Sommerland]

They did a great spoof of Steven on Family Guy, trying to come up with new story ideas. I loved "It" and the Different Seasons, mentioned earlier, plus Thinner under Richard Bachman. DreamCatcher was the start of the downslide for me.

Never seen it. Gotta check youtube. I stopped reading Stephen when he wrote another car horror. Don't remember the name. Christie was much better.

It and The Stand are my favs.

 

[lance gt]

Never seen it. Gotta check youtube. I stopped reading Stephen when he wrote another car horror. Don't remember the name. Christie was much better.

It and The Stand are my favs.

The best book to movie done so far I think is The Green Mile, both are still faves of mine. So it begs the question about Steven King as a writer like the rest of us, can you just burn out trying to write in one genre all the time, or do you branch out farther.

 

[Bianca_Sommerland]

The best book to movie done so far I think is The Green Mile, both are still faves of mine. So it begs the question about Steven King as a writer like the rest of us, can you just burn out trying to write in one genre all the time, or do you branch out farther.

I've heard you should branch out further. It keeps things fresh. I'm writing erotica now but I've always writen fantasy. Never thought I could write romance but I'm working on one of those too. Guess it depends on a writers willingness to go further, and their comfort zone.