One-trick Pony?

[StrangeLife]

I must confess to having considered J.K. Rowling a one-trick pony in the literary world. Sure - Harry Potter was one hell of a trick, but how do you go on from there? And how do you avoid losing your drive with a squadrillion bucks in the bank?

So it was with some trepidation I picked up one of her Cormoran Strike books...

http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373868343l/16160797.jpg

But lo and behold - Rowling is excellent at writing intricate slow-burning gumshoe crime novels. Who'd have thought? Guess she'll keep turning tricks for a long time yet...


This is interesting to us, because it suggests that a good writer ain't necessarily tied to a specific genre, but can use his or her mad skillz for any type of word-smithery. In other words, the training we get here on Literotica writing racy smut may one day be instrumental in enabling one of us to write the next big American novel. Because talent is talent, whether your protagonist is a wizard, a detective or a horny black dude with a 10" appendage. Writing smut doesn't just make you better at writing smut - it makes you better at writing, period.

I find this an uplifting thought...

 

[patientlee]

I must confess to having considered J.K. Rowling a one-trick pony in the literary world. Sure - Harry Potter was one hell of a trick, but how do you go on from there? And how do you avoid losing your drive with a squadrillion bucks in the bank?

So it was with some trepidation I picked up one of her Cormoran Strike books...

http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373868343l/16160797.jpg

But lo and behold - Rowling is excellent at writing intricate slow-burning gumshoe crime novels. Who'd have thought? Guess she'll keep turning tricks for a long time yet...


This is interesting to us, because it suggests that a good writer ain't necessarily tied to a specific genre, but can use his or her mad skillz for any type of word-smithery. In other words, the training we get here on Literotica writing racy smut may one day be instrumental in enabling one of us to write the next big American novel. Because talent is talent, whether your protagonist is a wizard, a detective or a horny black dude with a 10" appendage. Writing smut doesn't just make you better at writing smut - it makes you better at writing, period.

I find this an uplifting thought...

One of my teacher friends (taught jr. high English for more than the 18 years I worked with her) has published a couple of YA novels. I told her my dirty, little secret last week. Her response was that writing erotica is a common way to hone your writing skills. I was pretty pleased because this woman is a genius and a good Catholic girl. It was like getting the blessing of Pope Angelou. (She didn't ask to read any of my stuff though. I wonder why.)

 

[NaokoSmith]

Hey, that's a good recommendation for summer reading.

I admire J.K. Rowling very much, more for the ideas she writes up than for the actual writing. But the ideas are really really great. And she is evidently a 'real' writer, she can't put the pen down, it's not about the money. I think it must be very hard to keep writing when you've written something as good and as popular as Harry Potter, it must be hard not to be disappointed when your next pieces of work just do excellently well, not incredibly OMG that was just phenomenal well.

There is some genuinely great writing on here, mind. Maybe the next big novel will be racy smut!

 

[squirrelzo]

Thanks for this post. I am a huge fan of JKR.

I gave The Cuckoo's Calling a solid B, with a lot of potntial. Looking forward to The Silkworm

I must confess to having considered J.K. Rowling a one-trick pony in the literary world. Sure - Harry Potter was one hell of a trick, but how do you go on from there? And how do you avoid losing your drive with a squadrillion bucks in the bank?

So it was with some trepidation I picked up one of her Cormoran Strike books...

http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373868343l/16160797.jpg

But lo and behold - Rowling is excellent at writing intricate slow-burning gumshoe crime novels. Who'd have thought? Guess she'll keep turning tricks for a long time yet...


This is interesting to us, because it suggests that a good writer ain't necessarily tied to a specific genre, but can use his or her mad skillz for any type of word-smithery. In other words, the training we get here on Literotica writing racy smut may one day be instrumental in enabling one of us to write the next big American novel. Because talent is talent, whether your protagonist is a wizard, a detective or a horny black dude with a 10" appendage. Writing smut doesn't just make you better at writing smut - it makes you better at writing, period.

I find this an uplifting thought...

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Yet Rowling is missing from every crime Must Read List. Another 50 Shades flash in the pan?

No Amazon preview. Odd. Found one!

I'll see if my library has it. All copies of Comoran Strike Series checked out.

I only read the worst reviews, to see what unhappy readers think. Plenty are annoyed with USPS or typos or poor quality binding NOT the story. Its interesting how her publisher let the cat outta the bag to sell more books.

I read the Amazon Preview. The prose is clunky and jerky. Her scene-setting reminds me of what society reporters lead with. And no detective was ever called CORMORANT STRIKE. The name screams tv soap opera and gives up the female author. You just know he'll 'come out' before the end of the book.

 

[Handley_Page]

In other words, the training we get here on Literotica writing racy smut may one day be instrumental in enabling one of us to write the next big American novel.


Please forgive the tongue-in-cheek thought, but why does it have to be an "American novel."?

 

[Bramblethorn]

This is interesting to us, because it suggests that a good writer ain't necessarily tied to a specific genre, but can use his or her mad skillz for any type of word-smithery.

Yeah, I've seen several writers who are good across multiple genres. Iain [M] Banks, Nora Roberts/various pseudonyms, Stephen King, Clive Barker, Roald Dahl spring to mind. H.G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle were multi-genre authors even if they're only remembered for one field now.

I think part of it is that genre boundaries are fairly artificial and limited in the first place. I see less similarity between the "horror" of Clive Barker and Stephen King than I do between the "horror" and "non-horror" works of either. Barker loves grotesques, taboo-breaking and sensual overload; King loves writing about the thought processes of ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

And there are whodunnit elements in the Harry Potter books: what's Voldemort up to this time around?

 

[DeYaKen]

Yeah, I've seen several writers who are good across multiple genres. Iain [M] Banks, Nora Roberts/various pseudonyms, Stephen King, Clive Barker, Roald Dahl spring to mind. H.G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle were multi-genre authors even if they're only remembered for one field now.

I think part of it is that genre boundaries are fairly artificial and limited in the first place. I see less similarity between the "horror" of Clive Barker and Stephen King than I do between the "horror" and "non-horror" works of either. Barker loves grotesques, taboo-breaking and sensual overload; King loves writing about the thought processes of ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

And there are whodunnit elements in the Harry Potter books: what's Voldemort up to this time around?

What about Ian Flemming who wrote all the Bond books and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Referring back to the OP J.K. Rowling also wrote a fairly racy Novel called Casual Vacancy. A great writer is a great writer. I doubt we'll see much of E.L.James (Fifty shade trilogy) again. She made her fortune but can't write for toffees.

 

[NaokoSmith]

What about Ian Flemming who wrote all the Bond books and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Referring back to the OP J.K. Rowling also wrote a fairly racy Novel called Casual Vacancy. A great writer is a great writer. I doubt we'll see much of E.L.James (Fifty shade trilogy) again. She made her fortune but can't write for toffees.

Or nuts I read somewhere that she made her tortured macho millionaire hero have Pinot Grigio as his favourite wine! God, that nearly beats the champagne with ravioli, which one of the writers I edit insisted on making his villain consume.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a great book!

Geoffrey Household wrote a good young adult book called The Spanish Cave. TBH, it does still has classic Household themes.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Elmore Leonard went from writing Western Classics to Noir classics.

 

[FantasyXY]

In other words, the training we get here on Literotica writing racy smut may one day be instrumental in enabling one of us to write the next big American novel.


Please forgive the tongue-in-cheek thought, but why does it have to be an "American novel."?

It's because writing the "great American novel" is supposed to indicate one has achieved the impossible... It's just a saying.

 

[squirrelzo]

Hercule Poirot? Miss Marple? Sam.Spade? Jack Reacher? Quadriplegic master detective Lincoln Rhyme? Hieronymous Bosch? (Michael Connolly's cop)

Cormorant Strike... they're all far-fetched...

Yet Rowling is missing from every crime Must Read List. Another 50 Shades flash in the pan?

No Amazon preview. Odd. Found one!

I'll see if my library has it. All copies of Comoran Strike Series checked out.

I only read the worst reviews, to see what unhappy readers think. Plenty are annoyed with USPS or typos or poor quality binding NOT the story. Its interesting how her publisher let the cat outta the bag to sell more books.

I read the Amazon Preview. The prose is clunky and jerky. Her scene-setting reminds me of what society reporters lead with. And no detective was ever called CORMORANT STRIKE. The name screams tv soap opera and gives up the female author. You just know he'll 'come out' before the end of the book.

 

[BuckyDuckman]

One of my teacher friends (taught jr. high English for more than the 18 years I worked with her) has published a couple of YA novels. I told her my dirty, little secret last week. Her response was that writing erotica is a common way to hone your writing skills. I was pretty pleased because this woman is a genius and a good Catholic girl. It was like getting the blessing of Pope Angelou. (She didn't ask to read any of my stuff though. I wonder why.)

I've mentioned this before, but I blame Writer's Digest magazine for getting me into writing erotica. Back in the mid-80's, they had an article about how writing for the bevy of Penthouse Forum magazines that were then popular was like the pulp fiction market of the 30's. Worked for me.

Similarly, when I was a kid, a parent once tried chastising my mom for allowing me to "waste" my time reading comic books. Her reply, "Hey, he's reading, okay?"

 

[PayDay]

This is interesting to us, because it suggests that a good writer ain't necessarily tied to a specific genre, but can use his or her mad skillz for any type of word-smithery. In other words, the training we get here on Literotica writing racy smut may one day be instrumental in enabling one of us to write the next big American novel. Because talent is talent, whether your protagonist is a wizard, a detective or a horny black dude with a 10" appendage. Writing smut doesn't just make you better at writing smut - it makes you better at writing, period.

You have discovered my secret.

/me runs and hides

 

[sr71plt]

In other words, the training we get here on Literotica writing racy smut may one day be instrumental in enabling one of us to write the next big American novel.


Please forgive the tongue-in-cheek thought, but why does it have to be an "American novel."?

Because the British novels have already ascended above that level and would be the next target after the Great American Novel?

 

[sr71plt]

For successful writing in other genres, I recommend David Baldacci's One Summer. John Grisham has been trying to do it but not with the greatest success so far, I don't think. Unfortunately another author from my neighborhood, Rita Mae Brown went the other direction (to cover the feed for your horses on her Afton Mountain farm) by writing insipid talking cat/dog books and no longer writing the brilliant prose in Rubyfruit Jungle. Graham Greene managed it a lifetime ago across several genres (including nonfiction).

 

[StrangeLife]

Hercule Poirot? Miss Marple? Sam.Spade? Jack Reacher? Quadriplegic master detective Lincoln Rhyme? Hieronymous Bosch? (Michael Connolly's cop)

Cormorant Strike... they're all far-fetched...

You are looking at it from the wrong angle Squirrel. It is true that Cormoran Strike is the cliche anti-heroic drinking and smoking detective, but this is a perfect example of how Rowling operates.

Look at Harry Potter for instance. Harry himself is probably the least interesting character in the entire book. He is a totally cliche teenager of the more timid variety - not especially talented or intelligent. He is born into a notoriety he never earned and is basically coasting through the books relying on the supporting characters to suck him into challenging situations (and often save his magical ass too).

But the world in which Harry Potter exists is realised in amazing detail and the characters who inhabit it are three-dimensional and everything but cliche. Nobody is inherently good or bad - just like real people - and if you remember when the books were still being released, the readers were thrown around so many loops it made you dizzy yet everything came together perfectly in the end. This is where Rowling shines - she's a world builder and a highly character driven story teller.

Now translate this ability to the detective genre.

Take a relatively cliche detective who is moderately competent but with a strong desire to do the right thing (like Harry Potter). By himself he is not that interesting, but then he gets the task of looking into the death of a super-model who was part of the upper crust of London's fashion scene and suddenly Rowling is back to building an engaging world of weird and interesting characters. Except that in this case they're not wizards but fashion designers, models, lawyers and movie moguls with their neurotic trophy wives. In a way she is totally doing her Harry Potter thang again.

So when it comes to this author you should never judge a book by it's protagonist...

 

[sr71plt]

Look at Harry Potter for instance. Harry himself is probably the least interesting character in the entire book. He is a totally cliche teenager of the more timid variety - not especially talented or intelligent. He is born into a notoriety he never earned and is basically coasting through the books relying on the supporting characters to suck him into challenging situations (and often save his magical ass too).

I know I'm terribly behind on these, but I recently finished Order of the Phoenix, and I found Harry to be insufferable--perpetually angry and self-absorbed. I kept wondering why his friends stuck with him other than wanting to be in the aura of the "chosen one." Maybe Rowling was depicting his life phase well, but I continually wanted to do the Cher thing on him from Moonstruck: giving him a good slap across the kisser and yelling "Snap outta it!"

 

[StrangeLife]

I know I'm terribly behind on these, but I recently finished Order of the Phoenix, and I found Harry to be insufferable--perpetually angry and self-absorbed. I kept wondering why his friends stuck with him other than wanting to be in the aura of the "chosen one." Maybe Rowling was depicting his life phase well, but I continually wanted to do the Cher thing on him from Moonstruck: giving him a good slap across the kisser and yelling "Snap outta it!"

It's funny you should mention it - I had the exact same experience when I read the book.

But the interesting part is that my son happens to be the same age as Harry Potter, and I could totally recognise that behavior. Rowling nails the self-centered mindset of a teenager perfectly in Phoenix...

 

[Aynmair]

...This is interesting to us, because it suggests that a good writer ain't necessarily tied to a specific genre, but can use his or her mad skillz for any type of word-smithery. In other words, the training we get here on Literotica writing racy smut may one day be instrumental in enabling one of us to write the next big American novel. Because talent is talent, whether your protagonist is a wizard, a detective or a horny black dude with a 10" appendage. Writing smut doesn't just make you better at writing smut - it makes you better at writing, period.

I find this an uplifting thought...

That was my hope... that it would be akin to working up to running a marathon. Plus, it's so much harder writing only for yourself, knowing there's a snowball's chance in hell anyone else will read what you write. It's somewhat comforting to know others are reading your scribbles, and some may even like them a little. So even snarky comments are, occasionally, better than no comments at all. It's why the FAWCs, contests and the Camp NaNo cabin patientlee organized are so appealing and fun to participate in.

Which one of us doesn't have a non-smut novel in mind to write? I've started on mine - it's gathering electron dust at the moment, but it's always in the back of my mind.

 

[allamagione]

But the world in which Harry Potter exists is realised in amazing detail and the characters who inhabit it are three-dimensional and everything but cliche. Nobody is inherently good or bad - just like real people - and if you remember when the books were still being released, the readers were thrown around so many loops it made you dizzy yet everything came together perfectly in the end. This is where Rowling shines - she's a world builder and a highly character driven story teller.

Dude! Did we read the same series?

JKR is a fantastic world-builder, no doubt, but the majority of her characters are cartoonish. Severus Snape is the only character who approaches real person territory, and even he can't walk across the room without his robes billowing dramatically.

She can write an airtight mystery, though. I'll give her that.

 

[Aynmair]

For successful writing in other genres, I recommend David Baldacci's One Summer. John Grisham has been trying to do it but not with the greatest success so far, I don't think. Unfortunately another author from my neighborhood, Rita Mae Brown went the other direction (to cover the feed for your horses on her Afton Mountain farm) by writing insipid talking cat/dog books and no longer writing the brilliant prose in Rubyfruit Jungle. Graham Greene managed it a lifetime ago across several genres (including nonfiction).

Totally agree on Rita Mae Brown - really, she should quit. It's embarrassing.
I've never read Baldacci but you keep bringing up stuff about him that appeals.

 

[sr71plt]

It's funny you should mention it - I had the exact same experience when I read the book.

But the interesting part is that my son happens to be the same age as Harry Potter, and I could totally recognise that behavior. Rowling nails the self-centered mindset of a teenager perfectly in Phoenix...

Then it's the friends around him she didn't nail right? They put up with a hell of a lot of petulance without adding their own.

 

[sr71plt]

Totally agree on Rita Mae Brown - really, she should quit. It's embarrassing.
I've never read Baldacci but you keep bringing up stuff about him that appeals.

She has horses to feed (She's the master of the hunt between Charlottesville and the Blue Ridge). She's been asked and that's her unabashed reply. When you can get to where you can hear her speak in person, she's intelligent, deep-thinking, thought-provoking, and mesmerizing in her careful, rich use of words and literary concepts. It just makes me all the more want to kick her in the shins for inflicting Sneaky Pie Brown on us. My wife reads them all and then puts them on my nightstand--where, the family rules are, I have to read them before I can clear them off the nightstand. (I think she does this on purpose to torture me--did the same thing with, *shudder*, Lillian Jackson Braun.)

 

[Aynmair]

(I think she does this on purpose to torture me--did the same thing with, *shudder*, Lillian Jackson Braun.)

Well, you probably deserve it.