I never set to go read a bad book, it just happens that some ARE bad and until a few months ago, I felt compelled to finish them. No more! I now feel free to throw that thing across the room after 2 chapters. As to the learning part, unfortunately what makes the books bad is often the same things, so there actually isn’t much learning to grab… now I’ll go back to drooling at a Lehane yarn…
I think of a couple bad authors in college I read that are considered incredible or whatever-- Joyce Carol Oates and Joan Didion bored the ever living eff out of me. But... hey, so did the DaVinci Code lol. Though I adored Angels & Demons and loved the concept. I have a few Dan Brown books on my tbr. But anyway, yes, both are teachers in every which way! JD and JCO taught me not to be boring, and DB taught me not only not to be boring but to extend a concept into fantasy while including lots of realism. Magical. 😉 now if only someone could teach me discipline. This is harder than losing weight this whole getting my shizzle done! Like come on Laura, finish that story! I have it in me, it just hasn't found the page. But it will, oh it will! By the by, I plan on reading Fall In One Day this summer-- so soon! I wanted a setting for my reading of it. I hear it's a beaut! As in a beautiful novel. I had similar experiences as the protagonist it sounds like too. Can't wait til I figure that shizzle out too... ♥️ always great to read what you have to say Craig! 😊
I rag on Brown cuz he can take it - it's not going to affect his sales. I mean what I say that I'm appreciative of writers that make money for their publishers. I actually liked the Tom Hanks film that was based on the book.
I like some JCO, and some I can't get through. Her latest (Fox), I had to quit. I've never read a whole Didion book.
Ahhh discipline. When you get that figured out, teach me.
I'm currently reading Benny Muscles In by Peter Rabe and I'm tempted to give it the heave, but probably won't. I rarely DNF. I always want to know what happens, and if the author manages to salvage the book somehow.
Benny Muscles In is... interesting in that none, NONE of the characters has any redeeming features. Not a one. I don't demand "likeability," but give me someone to root for, even if they're flawed.
So I'm wondering if the characters develop, or if they remain godawful all the way through.
I don’t agree with the rule that everything should advance the plot or build character. It should almost always do either, but I like digression and rants (arguably these are building character or at least the world of the story I suppose)
Don’t be boring. That’s it. You can drift off into a history of leather tanning or the Marxist undertones of Gilmore Girls in a murder mystery as long as it entertains and keeps the reader reading. It most likely won’t in these extreme examples, but you get my point.
By that metric, Da Vinci Code is a ‘good book’ in the sense that you keep reading. Poorly written almost certainly by any objective measure, but successful on its own terms. I read it in one or two sittings. It’s dogshit prose in the way you describe but entertaining nonetheless. I can think of a few crime novels that are similarly full of clunky writing and terrible similes etc, purple in that Stephen King way, but they’re successful because they’re page turners.
Agreed on the digressions (I do think they often build character). But they need to be entertaining, yep. Willeford is a prime example of how to do this. I'd follow any path he takes me on, whether it's part of the plot or not.
And yes, this is what I mean when I actually appreciate Brown and his ilk: they create page turners. And that is not easy to do. I will read these thriller/crime/book of the moment to figure out what makes them tick. Gone Girl was another one.
Don't be boring is both simple and hard. It's what I want my readers to tell me, with honesty. If I'm boring them, I want to know.
I never set to go read a bad book, it just happens that some ARE bad and until a few months ago, I felt compelled to finish them. No more! I now feel free to throw that thing across the room after 2 chapters. As to the learning part, unfortunately what makes the books bad is often the same things, so there actually isn’t much learning to grab… now I’ll go back to drooling at a Lehane yarn…
You're right, it often is the same things. I'm also getting a lot better at throwing them across when I've had enough.
Oh Dennis, how do I love thee let me count the ways! 💕😊
I think of a couple bad authors in college I read that are considered incredible or whatever-- Joyce Carol Oates and Joan Didion bored the ever living eff out of me. But... hey, so did the DaVinci Code lol. Though I adored Angels & Demons and loved the concept. I have a few Dan Brown books on my tbr. But anyway, yes, both are teachers in every which way! JD and JCO taught me not to be boring, and DB taught me not only not to be boring but to extend a concept into fantasy while including lots of realism. Magical. 😉 now if only someone could teach me discipline. This is harder than losing weight this whole getting my shizzle done! Like come on Laura, finish that story! I have it in me, it just hasn't found the page. But it will, oh it will! By the by, I plan on reading Fall In One Day this summer-- so soon! I wanted a setting for my reading of it. I hear it's a beaut! As in a beautiful novel. I had similar experiences as the protagonist it sounds like too. Can't wait til I figure that shizzle out too... ♥️ always great to read what you have to say Craig! 😊
I rag on Brown cuz he can take it - it's not going to affect his sales. I mean what I say that I'm appreciative of writers that make money for their publishers. I actually liked the Tom Hanks film that was based on the book.
I like some JCO, and some I can't get through. Her latest (Fox), I had to quit. I've never read a whole Didion book.
Ahhh discipline. When you get that figured out, teach me.
Thanks for reading, Laura.
Oh, and I'm delighted that you will be reading Fall in One Day - very different than my others.
I'm currently reading Benny Muscles In by Peter Rabe and I'm tempted to give it the heave, but probably won't. I rarely DNF. I always want to know what happens, and if the author manages to salvage the book somehow.
In the past I never DNF'ed - but I've changed my ways. Too many books to read, and I'm slow. I have to give things the heave ho from time to time.
Benny Muscles In is... interesting in that none, NONE of the characters has any redeeming features. Not a one. I don't demand "likeability," but give me someone to root for, even if they're flawed.
So I'm wondering if the characters develop, or if they remain godawful all the way through.
I don’t agree with the rule that everything should advance the plot or build character. It should almost always do either, but I like digression and rants (arguably these are building character or at least the world of the story I suppose)
Don’t be boring. That’s it. You can drift off into a history of leather tanning or the Marxist undertones of Gilmore Girls in a murder mystery as long as it entertains and keeps the reader reading. It most likely won’t in these extreme examples, but you get my point.
By that metric, Da Vinci Code is a ‘good book’ in the sense that you keep reading. Poorly written almost certainly by any objective measure, but successful on its own terms. I read it in one or two sittings. It’s dogshit prose in the way you describe but entertaining nonetheless. I can think of a few crime novels that are similarly full of clunky writing and terrible similes etc, purple in that Stephen King way, but they’re successful because they’re page turners.
Agreed on the digressions (I do think they often build character). But they need to be entertaining, yep. Willeford is a prime example of how to do this. I'd follow any path he takes me on, whether it's part of the plot or not.
And yes, this is what I mean when I actually appreciate Brown and his ilk: they create page turners. And that is not easy to do. I will read these thriller/crime/book of the moment to figure out what makes them tick. Gone Girl was another one.
Don't be boring is both simple and hard. It's what I want my readers to tell me, with honesty. If I'm boring them, I want to know.