When I was 13, I finished reading David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest. I'd read most of Chuck Palahniuk's fiction that had been published at the time, as well. I was a fan of Douglas Adams. I understood the importance of originality, and abhorred fanfiction.
Youth is no excuse for literary ignorance, especially if you're getting published.
(Sorry for dropping such a bomb of pretension, by the way)
I have no idea what this One Direction is, but it was a thread exactly like this one that made me look up 50 Shades of Gray. You're not getting me this time.
Publishers are some sneaky bastards.
[sup]and are apparently better at economics than most[/sup]
Who reads more books, men or women? Women. Who is utterly enthralled with romance? Teenage girls. Who can't into literature? Answer that yourself.
These publishers have found a wide market that A)Will consume in copious amounts anything including romance, famous people, or attractive boys. And B)Don't care much about how well written/made/etc. the thing they are consuming is (as long as it includes one of the previous things).
I actually found out about it from some fanfic thread here on the Escapist months ago. I love the bastard to death, but I wished he'd keep to a damn schedule.
KILL IT! KILL IT WITH FIRE!
[sub][sub]and with autoplay you demon![/sub][/sub]
And on another note, this makes me sad but it also doesn't really affect me. There are already 5 billion books I will never want to read in my life. I can add one more to that list.
As for the person whose life's work was passed over for this fanfic, we truly feel for you. This is a terrible sign for the publishing industry. Just plain sad.
I wouldn't go so far as to ask what books have done to deserve such treatment...
I would, in fact, ask what it is that trees have done to deserve this though.
Just think, somewhere in the world there is an oxygen factory living out its old life being cut down. Then as it turns its tree head and sees its tree friends meeting the same fate, it will wonder why this is happening. Then after some process it will have a fanfic, piggyback book printed on it, while other, more privileged trees are being turned into such things as toilet paper. Then it will wonder just where in life it went wrong.
I was hoping it would at least be her Mary-sue on the entirety of One Direction so we can at least get some polygamy/harem style stuff going on and get some real controversy. These fanfics are all so boring
You know, if it wasn't a self-insert and a romance, I might read it. It could have been a horror story with lots of drama and angst and maybe a budding love story thrown in there....
Excuse me...I think this just inspired me to go re-read Battle Royale.
I'ma go back to the soothing thread where e'eryone be all classy and such...
OT: I guess its okay for fanfiction authors to dream that they will some day be recognized and given validation.
Its a shame that the chosen have been regarding current pop culture. I guess it's what sells, but from a personal perspective, guh...
I don't see the problem, this is just equivalent to porn, you aren't supposed to treat it as literature or take the author seriously, so don't. Good for her that she is making some money off something she probably enjoyed writing.
Okay, first of all, what's this about a "current" obsession with boy bands? Boy bands have been an obsession since the goddamn Beach Boys; sounds like some publishing exec needs to stop living under a rock.
Also, I don't see why this is something to be depressed or upset about. Its just giving the people what they want, no different than DOA Beach Volleyball or Expendables 2 or The Human Centipede. If you're going to be bothered about anything, be bothered by the fact that there are people who want this stuff.
Oh no, I long ago made peace with the fact that corporate suits (generally speaking) behave like soulless money-making machines and have no regard for quality in art, entertainment, or culture in general as long as it makes money. They give the people what the people want and the people give them what they want (lots of money). I got that.
What bothers me IS the fact that this is what the people want: re-packaging popular culture into homogenized tripe. Meanwhile, an associate of mine who tries his damnedest to write something meaningful, and has to go through the rigors of SELF-publishing, is watching the sales of his book practically dry up before they even started, because he doesn't have the resources to promote it. If you're curious, please check it out, the e-book is only $3.00 USD: http://www.amazon.com/The-Zeroes-Patrick-Roesle/dp/147004188X
I don't NEED anything to hate. See the above response to DanDeFool. It's very frustrating to see fanfiction get picked up for "literary" success by big publishers when there are plenty of writers and aspiring writers who try to say something deeper and more meaningful in writing, but are ignored in favor of stuff like this.
Yeah, it is kind of frustrating, but here's the problem. Experiencing a piece of art that is deep and meaningful is hard work.
Really, it is. Think about it. How did you feel the last time you finished reading or watching something that was genuinely deep and meaningful? You probably felt a little exhausted (emotionally, that is). Maybe you needed to take a couple hours to really come to terms with what you just experienced. You took a long walk, and stared at the sunset.
That is the exact reason why "deep and meaningful" doesn't move units. People can't handle those kinds of experiences often enough for really literary stuff to be successful in the mainstream; they've got too much other shit to deal with. When people reach for media, most of the time, they just want to tune out and slide into a world that's comfortable and enjoyable. They don't want to take on even more emotional weight from some outside source that doesn't give a damn about them. They don't want to have their paradigm suddenly shifted underneath their feet while they try to catch their breath from a long day. They don't want to realize that their entire life is a hollow, empty farce when it's already hard enough to convince themselves to get up in the morning. They want to forget about their troubles for a while, so they can recover their strength and get back to dealing with their own goddamn problems.
And by the way, when I say "they", I include myself. This is why I never got into "literature". I don't need to read about child labor during the industrial revolution, or how the slaves suffered under the lash of their white bastard owners. I don't need to hear about all this crap I can't do anything about, when it's hard enough for me to stay on top of the stuff I'm immediately responsible for. Not every damn day, at least. Maybe not even once a month. I consider myself an uncultured rube when it comes to literature; some people can tolerate more of this stuff than I can.
Now, on the other hand, there are plenty of talented authors that are writing works that are entertaining in a non-literary way, and are being passed over in favor of this crap as well. Personally, this still doesn't bother me that much. Why? I rationalize it the same way I rationalize porn. I go to porn for something very specific; it doesn't have to deliver quality on any other level for it to be worth my time/money. Similarly, I imagine women who enjoy this stuff are going to it for a very specific (and perhaps, a very similar) reason.
Do I have to justify porn's existence on a serious artistic level? No. Similarly, people who enjoy books like "Twilight" and "50 Shades of Grey" shouldn't have to justify it either, as long as they're honest with themselves about why they want it, and don't expect anyone else to take it seriously.
Yeah, it is kind of frustrating, but here's the problem. Experiencing a piece of art that is deep and meaningful is hard work.
Really, it is. Think about it. How did you feel the last time you finished reading or watching something that was genuinely deep and meaningful? You probably felt a little exhausted (emotionally, that is). Maybe you needed to take a couple hours to really come to terms with what you just experienced. You took a long walk, and stared at the sunset.
well theres "deep and meaningful" and then theres "a certain level of quality" <-50 shades fails on that level...which is actually kind of scary in how it could "lower the bar"
its not just a bad book...its a certain level of bad that really shouldnt be acceptible in professional publishing
This changes NOTHING. Let the normals have their entertainment. Centuries ago, it was gladiator combat, TODAY it is football, and fan fiction. No big deal, does not change science.
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