Ursula LeGuin pressured to write more like Harry Potter

BeccaPrice · 08-02-2012, 05:02 PM

Quote:

In a recent interview, Le Guin was asked if publishers ever pressure her to produce more conventional stories. And she replied:

Quote:

"Within the last few years only, on my three fantasy novels Gifts, Voices and Powers. I had, as always, good editors to work with at Harcourt, where they were published, but there was an increasing pressure to make them more like Harry Potter—there's just no getting around it. And since I write a very, very different type of fantasy and different type of literature from the Harry Potter series, there was no way I could go along with that. I just had to resist it. But, you see, that's very late, and it's happened as publishing was beginning to lose its sense of direction and its purpose, and get very confused by corporate pressures on all sides."

full article here.

JSWolf · 08-02-2012, 05:32 PM

Why would we want poorly written books in the style of Harry Potter?

frddgls · 08-02-2012, 05:33 PM

Do you think Ursula Le Guin's books are poorly written?

QuantumIguana · 08-02-2012, 05:57 PM

She's been successful with her own style. If she tried to imitate Rowling's style instead of using her own, I don't think the result would be as good.

cfrizz · 08-02-2012, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

She's been successful with her own style. If she tried to imitate Rowling's style instead of using her own, I don't think the result would be as good.

And it sounds like she is smart enough to know that. Good for her.

JSWolf · 08-02-2012, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frddgls

Do you think Ursula Le Guin's books are poorly written?

Yes I do. I've never liked her work. One thing she tends to do is way overdo descriptions.

frddgls · 08-02-2012, 07:43 PM

I hadn't noticed that about Le Guin's writing. She is a writer I choose to reread.

Andrew H. · 08-03-2012, 12:04 AM

I think LeGuin is a much better writer than Rowlings, so I'm glad she was able to resist.

carld · 08-03-2012, 12:44 AM

I don't know, her take on Harry Potter might actually be pretty good. It wouldn't be anything like Harry Potter of course, but it might still be pretty good.

charlesatan · 08-03-2012, 01:51 AM

Le Guin has a vast repertoire. On one hand, she wrote Left Hand of Darkness, which isn't exactly the most readable of texts. On the other hand, she wrote A Wizard of Earthsea, and while it has a more general appeal, is very unlike Harry Potter.

But for the most part, Le Guin strikes me as someone mainly writing for adults.

AndrewH · 08-03-2012, 02:03 PM

"Like Harry Potter" is a very vague statement. Monomyth hero journey coming of age story? Tangible magic system with power words (Alohomora, Expeliarmus, et al) being shouted left and right? British urban fantasy setting?

taustin · 08-03-2012, 02:44 PM

"Publisher wants long time writer to write more like the best selling franchise ever." Film at 11:00.

"Ursula K. LeGuin feels put out that what she writes isn't more mainstream, and her publisher wishes it was." Film at 11:05.

Yawn.

(And mind you, I agree she's a good writer, and that she should stick with what she does best. But really.)

kennyc · 08-03-2012, 03:11 PM

As long as she doesn't write like Jonah Lehrer she's probably good.

Jozawun · 08-04-2012, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why would we want poorly written books in the style of Harry Potter?

Quite right, we've already got them, they're called "Harry Potter".

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08-02-2012, 05:32 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,145 Karma: 144284184 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Why would we want poorly written books in the style of Harry Potter?

08-02-2012, 05:33 PM	#3
frddgls Connoisseur Posts: 69 Karma: 44857 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Forma, iPad, Samsung Galaxy A20	Do you think Ursula Le Guin's books are poorly written?

08-02-2012, 05:57 PM	#4
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	She's been successful with her own style. If she tried to imitate Rowling's style instead of using her own, I don't think the result would be as good.

08-02-2012, 07:43 PM	#7
frddgls Connoisseur Posts: 69 Karma: 44857 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Forma, iPad, Samsung Galaxy A20	I hadn't noticed that about Le Guin's writing. She is a writer I choose to reread.

08-03-2012, 12:04 AM	#8
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	I think LeGuin is a much better writer than Rowlings, so I'm glad she was able to resist.

08-03-2012, 12:44 AM	#9
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I don't know, her take on Harry Potter might actually be pretty good. It wouldn't be anything like Harry Potter of course, but it might still be pretty good.

08-03-2012, 01:51 AM	#10
charlesatan Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 3799024 Join Date: May 2012 Device: iPad	Le Guin has a vast repertoire. On one hand, she wrote Left Hand of Darkness, which isn't exactly the most readable of texts. On the other hand, she wrote A Wizard of Earthsea, and while it has a more general appeal, is very unlike Harry Potter. But for the most part, Le Guin strikes me as someone mainly writing for adults.

08-03-2012, 02:03 PM	#11
AndrewH Fanatic Posts: 553 Karma: 1234566 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver, WA Device: Sony PRS-T1, & Kobo Mini	"Like Harry Potter" is a very vague statement. Monomyth hero journey coming of age story? Tangible magic system with power words (Alohomora, Expeliarmus, et al) being shouted left and right? British urban fantasy setting?

08-03-2012, 02:44 PM	#12
taustin Wizard Posts: 1,358 Karma: 5766642 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Nook	"Publisher wants long time writer to write more like the best selling franchise ever." Film at 11:00. "Ursula K. LeGuin feels put out that what she writes isn't more mainstream, and her publisher wishes it was." Film at 11:05. Yawn. (And mind you, I agree she's a good writer, and that she should stick with what she does best. But really.)

08-03-2012, 03:11 PM	#13
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,891 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	As long as she doesn't write like Jonah Lehrer she's probably good.