Comments on Nathan Bransford, Author: This Week in Publishing 9/18/09

As usual, thanks for keeping us posted on the late...

2009-09-22T16:17:10.161-07:00

As usual, thanks for keeping us posted on the latest industry status.

Funny you should mention Dan Brown's latest book (or is it?), because it has been the topic of discussions at the office here.

One of my colleagues, who rarely reads outside of work (work read = lots of numbers and raw data = oh-so-boring) actually mentioned he wanted to buy it. Whereas I, an avid book collector, will not. Why? After reading the Da Vinci Code (which I thought was brilliant as I hadn't read a similar story that involved following clues that involved pseudo-historical facts, or at least not quite like Dan pulled it off), I immediately read Angels & Demons. And that led to immediate disappointment. The story was the same, just different setting. But same beginning, same way to get to ending, and as we all know, same ending. That put me off completely and to this day, I refuse to read another Dan Brown book (though I hear the Angels & Demons turned out to be 100 times better than the Da Vinci one, so I might check that one out. One day).

A tiny "boo" from me on keeping the anon...

2009-09-21T10:01:02.552-07:00

A tiny "boo" from me on keeping the anons, Nathan. I can understand your reasoning, but the effort to identify one over the other in order to respond could so easily be reciprocated by the effort to register a name. I tend to ignore them as a result.

Anyway, I've got no problem with Dan Brown's books. Genre fiction is fun. But if an author's writing is awkward or poor, or his or her ideas are hackneyed and/or weak, I don't see anything wrong with saying so. Criticism helps us become better writers––or, for others, better thinkers. Monetary success shouldn't function to stifle the evolution of either.

Oh, and thanks for the travel writing link!

Wonderful links. Thank you, Nathan.

2009-09-21T09:07:40.709-07:00

Wonderful links. Thank you, Nathan.

essay by Paul Graham on future of publishing

OMG Nathan! I'm not sure you subscribe to comm...

2009-09-20T16:07:19.679-07:00

OMG Nathan! I'm not sure you subscribe to comments on older posts so let me reiterate what I was saying when I read about JACOB WONDERBAR!

HOLY CRAPOLA!! I'm so terribly sorry I missed the fantastic news! I've been SO busy with school (I'm in the ICU this semester and clinicals have been kicking my hiney since I'm on evening shifts). I'm SO PROUD! I love when great things happen to great people and I'm not just saying that.

I'm so happy for you and I knew you seemed to understand the writer's perspective too well to not have experienced it! You are fantabulous and I can't wait to read your MG book. My daughter will be 6 when it comes out so just in time!

MANY MANY CONGRATS! And again, I apologize for not seeing it sooner!

PurpleClover (jenn)

2009-09-20T16:06:32.180-07:00

This comment has been removed by the author.

I'm sorry but I never understood why Dan Brown...

2009-09-20T15:39:38.219-07:00

I'm sorry but I never understood why Dan Brown ever got such a bad rep.

I have not bought the book yet. However, it will be the next book I buy! I'm not afraid to admit Dan Brown is one of my favorite writers (if not THE favorite). Think what you will! But DaBro has mad skillz.

Thanks for the links! I appreciate it. I'll try to get through them during the week (yes I'm slightly behind here...school is kicking my hiney)!

Sorry to hear you're keeping anonymous commenting. lol. But hey, maybe you made your point. :) There is always the option of holding anonymous comments but I'm not sure blogger does it.

I know Jennifer Jackson can do it. If you use your profile, there is immediate posting. Anonymous posts are held to be reviewed prior to posting. She uses LiveJournal though. We would follow you if you moved! Or maybe you could mention it to blogger?? I'm sure you have a bit of weight you can throw around. ;)

PurpleClover (Jenn)

Dan Brown is laughing all the way to the bank. Peo...

2009-09-20T14:58:57.105-07:00

Dan Brown is laughing all the way to the bank. People can talk about the "drivel" that he writes and he will still be sipping margaritas in The Bahamas. I'd trade places with him anyday, and I'm actually doing very well. Brown's publisher is pretty happy too. Even with all the lukewarm reviews the book is still in the Amazon top 10.

Just watch though--- he might just pull an Anne Rice and get all nutty. Authors seem to go a little crazy when they have too much success.

Generally I'm pretty easy-going, but all the D...

2009-09-20T13:02:50.249-07:00

Generally I'm pretty easy-going, but all the Dan Brown bashing going on has made me really impatient and frustrated with the literati--and the twitterati. For all people are talking about literary merit or success or whatever-- what does any of that matter if people don't read your work? People are reading his book. MILLIONS of people. And I'm sure a good portion of those people will like it, enjoy it, love it, etc. Who's to say that those people are enjoying it, but it's still crap? I think it's horrifically patronizing to say that Brown must want to write something of "great literary merit" but can only come up with crappy thrillers. What rot. A huge value judgement, as if brilliant writers can't choose to write genre fiction. As if choosing to entertain with your writing cannot be a valuable goal in itself.

And maybe I feel so strongly about this b/c as someone who writes romance, I've had to grit my teeth on too many occasions to count when told that romance is crap or--the term used most often--"trash." As if there's something wrong with writing about love and sex and commitment, about falling in love and the beauty of human connections. I'm always saddened to see someone in the romance community coming out with a "defense of romance" blog post or article, because the need for defense is predicated on the idea that writing and enjoying romance must be justified. It shouldn't have to be, though. It doesn't have to be. In that same vein, I don't think the people enjoying Dan Brown's work need to offer a defense or justification.

Oh, wow, I guess I had more to say on this topic than I thought.

Back to lurking now...

Wow... The Menaker piece kind of makes you want to...

2009-09-19T21:48:25.871-07:00

Wow... The Menaker piece kind of makes you want to stick a pencil in your eye. "Redactor Agonistes" (Publisher Struggles) is beyond bleak.

Admittedly, I tend to be the snotty literary type Nathan describes, but I enjoy a Twinkie book every now and again... and not just to be lamely ironic.

Well, I did it. I submitted a literary short story...

2009-09-19T10:08:51.384-07:00

Well, I did it. I submitted a literary short story to the genre wars. And would you believe my word verification for this comment? suffur - exactly what I'll be doing till January when they announce the winners.

Can't wait to submit to "Genre Wars"...

2009-09-19T09:53:49.131-07:00

Can't wait to submit to "Genre Wars". I have a shortie called 'Serial Killer's Day Off' that might be just the ticket!

Awesome post as always Nathan. Even when I'm ...

2009-09-19T09:49:41.883-07:00

Awesome post as always Nathan. Even when I'm too busy to read all of my fav blogs, I never miss TWIP.

I am looking forward to Brown's new book. I like being entertained! I also agree that anything that gets folks into bookstores and reading is a good thing.

Our business has one employee. He barely finished high school. However, he could build the space shuttle with a 2X4, a screwdriver, and a roll of duct tape. Not well educated, but tremendously talented. He told me one day that he doesn't read a lot, but has read every book written by Grisham.

Tell me, you literary critics, how is this a bad thing?

Long live books that are entertaining for the sake of being entertaining!

Terri

Great links!

2009-09-19T09:46:59.311-07:00

Great links!

I dunno. If it rained she-trolls, I might be more ...

2009-09-18T22:07:25.965-07:00

I dunno. If it rained she-trolls, I might be more astonished than if a hail of shoemakers' apprentices fell down around me.

Lol. I re-read my post, and realized I ended up e...

2009-09-18T20:43:21.203-07:00

Lol. I re-read my post, and realized I ended up editing out most of the compliments about ethics and responsible handling of power and your award for best industry blog and how I saw your leadership abilities at your workshop as well.

Well, probably just as well I edited all of that out. It might have been abit too much.

Warning: extremely complimentary post about to fo...

2009-09-18T20:37:13.025-07:00

Warning: extremely complimentary post about to follow. :)

Nathan, yesterday was marvelous. Watching as you asked input, engaged, weighed both sides, and came to a decision was major cool. You have a gift for leadership.

But most important, thanks for allowing this blog to continue to be an open forum. And I like your compromise. I hope having to ponder deletion decisions less will make your job easier.

And speaking of gifts, since I'm being complimentary, can I just add that I gave alittle sigh of envy at your humor writing in your post? The line: "That's just a bonus" - oh, such nice timing. Surprise jokes like that - they're delicious.

Sigh. :)

Hope you and everyone else on the blog has a great weekend.

I'm trying like crazy to think of some comment...

2009-09-18T18:33:06.274-07:00

I'm trying like crazy to think of some comment that's just on the edge of smarmy but not something that would have to be moderated.

Either I'm too tired or Nathan's good karma is blocking it.

Curses. Foiled again!

Thanks for the interesting links.

2009-09-18T18:18:45.745-07:00

Thanks for the interesting links.

Ha. love the spider-man comment. I still can't...

2009-09-18T18:08:53.335-07:00

Ha. love the spider-man comment. I still can't believe brown broke the sales on first day record. crazy.

I'm not going to diss Dan Brown because I thin...

2009-09-18T16:29:19.542-07:00

I'm not going to diss Dan Brown because I think I'm too cool for his books, but the Da Vinci Code was one of those books I put down after a couple of pages because I didn't get into it. Saying that, I do that with a heck of a lot of books. It's just that anyone would think God had released a sequel to the Bible, the way everyone is carrying on... Surely it couldn't have been THAT fantastico a book? Or should I give it another shot?

Spiderman? Spiderman? Nathan, Nathan, Nathan......

2009-09-18T16:07:41.349-07:00

Spiderman? Spiderman?

Nathan, Nathan, Nathan...

BATMAN. Find a BATMAN quote. BATMAN is so much cooler I can't even type BATMAN unless I do so in capital letters.

Spiderman.... sheesh!

:P

Nathan, regarding your anon judgment, King Solomon...

2009-09-18T15:36:47.474-07:00

Nathan, regarding your anon judgment, King Solomon would be so proud.

And I do like Dan Brown because sometimes you just want to sit down and plow through a book. His books are fun. It's as simple as that.

"It's not like I watch The Bachelor in th...

2009-09-18T14:53:21.836-07:00

"It's not like I watch The Bachelor in the hopes of finding deep meaning and spiritual enlightenment!! That's just a bonus."

How many times have I laughed on this blog? I'm going to have to start a Nathan Bransford quote wall in my room.

On another note, I'm starting to wonder if holding on to my novel until brighter (or at least different) days wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Nathan, Thanks a lot for mentioning our GENRE WARS...

2009-09-18T14:49:03.037-07:00

Nathan, Thanks a lot for mentioning our GENRE WARS contest! I really appreciate your support! I also wanted to mention that the proceeds from the anthology will also be donated to a reading/writing charity or non-profit.