Less Hype--More Meat
A few years ago I joined the OWW (Online Writing Workshop for SF, Fantasy and Horror) Yahoo group along with the critique group. There was a comment from a regular there that stuck with me over the years. I don't even remember who made the comment, but I remember he had published some short fiction and like the rest of us struggled to catch the eye of an agent or editor.
He said (and I'm paraphrasing): I'm not looking to write the next big epic nor do I have visions of being a best seller. I just want to write a good story that people will enjoy.
In my quest for authordom, sometimes I forgot that wisdom. While it's nice to write the next BIG thing, there's nothing wrong with writing just a plain good story.
On my bookshelf is a novel by Suzanne Frank, called 'Shadows On The Aegean'. It was a book I found in a discount book bin. It looked a little beat up but the subject and genre captured my attention and I bought it on the spot. The thing I remember most about this book is the way Frank merged science and fantasy. I loved the story too, a time traveling couple who end up in Atlantis.
It's the kind of story I liked curling up with in bed, the kind of story I looked forward reading every night after a brutal day at the office. And I hated when it ended. It was the kind of book I never considered donating or chucking into a garage sale box. It was a plain good story--one I might read again.
Now that I'm in the business and I read all these posts about agents wanting the next BIG thing, I shake my head. As a reader, I'd much prefer a good solid story that is intelligent and original. I can't say that's always the case with the BIG books.
Sometimes it's the little known books that stay with you long after their day in the sun.
In that vein, I want you to check out KS Augustin's latest.
A Pirate's Passion just came out this week. I read it yesterday and I was a happy camper the rest of the day. It's just one of those stories that satisfies.
In celebration of Kaz's release I am giving away a gift voucher for "A Pirate's Passion" to one lucky person who comments on this blog post. Deadline is Saturday 5-9-09 at 12 noon.
Your turn:
What kind of stories have satisfied you the most--the BIG idea books or the lesser hyped stories? Has there been one book that's stuck with you for years?
He said (and I'm paraphrasing): I'm not looking to write the next big epic nor do I have visions of being a best seller. I just want to write a good story that people will enjoy.
In my quest for authordom, sometimes I forgot that wisdom. While it's nice to write the next BIG thing, there's nothing wrong with writing just a plain good story.
On my bookshelf is a novel by Suzanne Frank, called 'Shadows On The Aegean'. It was a book I found in a discount book bin. It looked a little beat up but the subject and genre captured my attention and I bought it on the spot. The thing I remember most about this book is the way Frank merged science and fantasy. I loved the story too, a time traveling couple who end up in Atlantis.
It's the kind of story I liked curling up with in bed, the kind of story I looked forward reading every night after a brutal day at the office. And I hated when it ended. It was the kind of book I never considered donating or chucking into a garage sale box. It was a plain good story--one I might read again.
Now that I'm in the business and I read all these posts about agents wanting the next BIG thing, I shake my head. As a reader, I'd much prefer a good solid story that is intelligent and original. I can't say that's always the case with the BIG books.
Sometimes it's the little known books that stay with you long after their day in the sun.
In that vein, I want you to check out KS Augustin's latest.
A Pirate's Passion just came out this week. I read it yesterday and I was a happy camper the rest of the day. It's just one of those stories that satisfies.
In celebration of Kaz's release I am giving away a gift voucher for "A Pirate's Passion" to one lucky person who comments on this blog post. Deadline is Saturday 5-9-09 at 12 noon.
Your turn:
What kind of stories have satisfied you the most--the BIG idea books or the lesser hyped stories? Has there been one book that's stuck with you for years?
Comments
I find myself returning to old favorites time after time. I'm re-reading Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series right now. They are GOOD STORIES.
No one knows what will be a hit and what won't. I remember some Austrailian publishing house toting the fact they'd found a novel about a young boy and something to do with archaeology, and were claiming it to be the next 'Harry Potter'. But I haven't seen anything yet.
On a related note, thanks for the offer on Pirate's, M! That was stupendously wonderful of you and I shall have many Scotches tonight in your honour.
I've read TONS of BIG novels and been sorely disappointed (*cough*l0velyb0nesanyone*cough*); so yeah, not sold on BIG over here.
Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books struck a chord with me as soon as I picked up the first and turned that fresh first page. I devoured them and go back to the beginning and read them again at least once a year or so. (At six LOOOOOONG books, it's too hard to reread them any more than that.)
Ms. Gabaldon doesn't take the easy route in anything. She doesn't cheap out on that word count, and she doesn't show us her world through rose-coloured glasses. She paints it the way it is, even when it's ugly, and definitely when it's real