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Put a stake through its heart
Well I finished the book that was annoying me. A friend ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jpsorrow had suggested that I persevere and read to the end because I would enjoy the twist.
And I did like the twist at the end, and almost wanted to pick up the next volume of the series. But the book's flaws had progressed from mildly annoying to fingernails on blackboard annoying, and I couldn't possibly stand to read another book written by this author. The central character was intriguing, and there's a germ of a great story, but the writing technique has put me off this author for life.
I can't understand how other people could enjoy a book that I see as deeply flawed. And yet the series sells. It has gone through multiple printings, and the author is successful. So then I find myself wondering what this means about myself. Am I that bad a judge of what makes good writing? Is it possible that what readers really want is the kind of prose that I am incapable of writing?
This is why I don't read in genre when I'm deep into writing in genre. It makes me crazed. Time to put aside the fantasy novels that make me second guess myself and my writing. Somewhere in my TBR stack I have a couple of urban fantasies, an old fashioned spy novel, a mystery and there are three research books that need to be skimmed and returned to the library. That should keep me busy for the foreseeable future.
jpsorrow had suggested that I persevere and read to the end because I would enjoy the twist. And I did like the twist at the end, and almost wanted to pick up the next volume of the series. But the book's flaws had progressed from mildly annoying to fingernails on blackboard annoying, and I couldn't possibly stand to read another book written by this author. The central character was intriguing, and there's a germ of a great story, but the writing technique has put me off this author for life.
I can't understand how other people could enjoy a book that I see as deeply flawed. And yet the series sells. It has gone through multiple printings, and the author is successful. So then I find myself wondering what this means about myself. Am I that bad a judge of what makes good writing? Is it possible that what readers really want is the kind of prose that I am incapable of writing?
This is why I don't read in genre when I'm deep into writing in genre. It makes me crazed. Time to put aside the fantasy novels that make me second guess myself and my writing. Somewhere in my TBR stack I have a couple of urban fantasies, an old fashioned spy novel, a mystery and there are three research books that need to be skimmed and returned to the library. That should keep me busy for the foreseeable future.
no subject
These seem to be Standard Issue Self-Doubt questions. If the book you so disenjoyed is K_D, then I'll say that I read the first one and thought it was ...OK. I didn't have the Complete Visceral Reaction to the "If We Had But Knowns...", but I wasn't compelled to go buy and read the second one, either.
A long time ago, an editor told us that what we wrote wasn't "commercial" -- and experience bears this out. P.T. Barnum and All Like That...
Self-doubt
I just have to remind myself that reading in genre is bad for me when I'm at this stage of writing. If it's a great book then I'm depressed because I'll never write anything of that level of greatness. If it's a bad book (IMO), then I'm depressed because it's a sign that I don't understand what sells in the market.
When I was writing Regencies I read a lot of fantasy and very few Regencies. I think it's time to lay off the fantasy novels, at least until June 1st, and stick with other genres to accompany my morning coffee.
After all, it won't be long before I have Crystal Soldier to devour :-)
Also . . .
. . . you should consider the audience of the novel. For the novel you didn't like, I thought the audience was just above young adult, the 12-14 age. And at that age they need all the hints they can get in general. And it's all the "hints" of what's to come that really seemed to bother you.
I decided that the novel was just "fun" for a break, and I haven't gone on to read the other 3 in the series. I expect I will, because like you said there were some interesting ideas in there. But for the most part I didn't feel like I needed to read them immediately.