Liar
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...or What Makes a Writing Star.
I thought I'd plop this off as a new thread, since it tiptoed away from what the original was about. Besides, I was in a thread starting mood.
There's a whole battery of authors that I would label "fad authors". Novelists that are well read simply because they are well marketed. This doesn't mean that they are no good at writing. They are pretty damn good at the craft, and their books may have some artistic value (wghatever that is). But so are most authors.
In fact, two times out of three when I pick up a mainstream published book by a real novelist (not some celebrity who got to write one because their name would sell), I thoroughly enjoy it. And when I compare it with my experience when reading the Big Writing Stars (some examples below), is that they are pretty much equally good writing and storytelling and equally interresting stories being told.
This leads me to the conclusion that "fad authors" are average competent writers with way above average name branding support from their publisher. How did they get this support? An early display of good sales due to an unexpectedly large target group. Publisher smells money, and maximize their efforts.
Look at JK Rowling. She wrote an adventure book for kids. That was read by adults too. A significant UK success was picked up by the media, spread like bushfire, and all of a sudden, she is God.
And for that matter, look at Terry Pratchett (yep, a fad author too. there are other players on his court that doesn't get the same attention as him) Lives a pretty quiet life as a writer of quirky humouros fairy tales, but has not yet risen to stardom. But gains more and more loyal fans. Then, as the prolonged echo of Monthy Python dies down and Douglas Adams goes on a permanent hitch-hike in the sky, he is left to carry the torch of British humor. By consistency with keeping the Discwordld brand going (Let's face it, many of those stories would had been just as valid outside of that world - keeping the line of Discworld nivels intact is a marketing move from TP.) his fame versus other good authors has also grown out of proportion.
Last year's fad (or was it 2003?) was a guy who took a few old hocus pocus myths, piggybacked on a wave of neo-spiritualism and wrote a pretty good spy story around it. It got picked up by a trend sensitive publisher and given so much juice PR-wise that I thought it was the second coming. His name was Dan. Dan Brown.
There are more. John Grisham is an old favourite. Fantasy writer David Eddings another - pretty much the Rowling of the early 90's, but for teenage boys. Simple, sympathetic easy-reading books about magic and stuff.
Who is this years fad? Can't say for sure. Susanna Clarke might have a shot. If the sales points in the right direction, I wouldn't be suprised to see more massive promotion of her "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell". But then again, Potter #6 (is it #6?) is here, so getting a word up might be hard.
#L
Edited cuz I spel lik a drnuk wombat
I thought I'd plop this off as a new thread, since it tiptoed away from what the original was about. Besides, I was in a thread starting mood.
But there is.davidwatts said:
There's a whole battery of authors that I would label "fad authors". Novelists that are well read simply because they are well marketed. This doesn't mean that they are no good at writing. They are pretty damn good at the craft, and their books may have some artistic value (wghatever that is). But so are most authors.
In fact, two times out of three when I pick up a mainstream published book by a real novelist (not some celebrity who got to write one because their name would sell), I thoroughly enjoy it. And when I compare it with my experience when reading the Big Writing Stars (some examples below), is that they are pretty much equally good writing and storytelling and equally interresting stories being told.
This leads me to the conclusion that "fad authors" are average competent writers with way above average name branding support from their publisher. How did they get this support? An early display of good sales due to an unexpectedly large target group. Publisher smells money, and maximize their efforts.
Look at JK Rowling. She wrote an adventure book for kids. That was read by adults too. A significant UK success was picked up by the media, spread like bushfire, and all of a sudden, she is God.
And for that matter, look at Terry Pratchett (yep, a fad author too. there are other players on his court that doesn't get the same attention as him) Lives a pretty quiet life as a writer of quirky humouros fairy tales, but has not yet risen to stardom. But gains more and more loyal fans. Then, as the prolonged echo of Monthy Python dies down and Douglas Adams goes on a permanent hitch-hike in the sky, he is left to carry the torch of British humor. By consistency with keeping the Discwordld brand going (Let's face it, many of those stories would had been just as valid outside of that world - keeping the line of Discworld nivels intact is a marketing move from TP.) his fame versus other good authors has also grown out of proportion.
Last year's fad (or was it 2003?) was a guy who took a few old hocus pocus myths, piggybacked on a wave of neo-spiritualism and wrote a pretty good spy story around it. It got picked up by a trend sensitive publisher and given so much juice PR-wise that I thought it was the second coming. His name was Dan. Dan Brown.
There are more. John Grisham is an old favourite. Fantasy writer David Eddings another - pretty much the Rowling of the early 90's, but for teenage boys. Simple, sympathetic easy-reading books about magic and stuff.
Who is this years fad? Can't say for sure. Susanna Clarke might have a shot. If the sales points in the right direction, I wouldn't be suprised to see more massive promotion of her "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell". But then again, Potter #6 (is it #6?) is here, so getting a word up might be hard.
#L
Edited cuz I spel lik a drnuk wombat
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