If JK Rowling Cares About Writing, She Should Stop Doing It

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Thank goodness there's always a few willing to elevate themselves above their mortal contemporaries in order to safeguard the flickering embers of literacracy.

What? Too deep. Watch out

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

What? Too deep. Watch out

Sorry. Moment of weakness!
What I meant to say was ...

Spoiler:

Derp.

[Namekuseijin]

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

the ending is so true

but hat guy is just a leftist preaching in favor of the unwashed masses

[Namekuseijin]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

What? Too deep. Watch out

XKCD guy is a poet, hands down

[meeera]

Originally Posted by hardcastle

It's not about ONE PERSON. It's about the industry. If Rowling's continued success keeps people interested in books in general, they stay relevant and maintain better profits.

It's not just about people getting interested in books in general, though that's important too. Rowling's books alone bring in enormous amounts of money to her publishers - money that can be used to pay advances on more books and to subsidise a whole bunch of debut and low-midlist authors.

[Tarana]

Was the post perhaps meant to be satirical and we all missed it?

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Was the post perhaps meant to be satirical and we all missed it?

No, it's what happens when what you write isn't subjected to serious professional editing. If Lynn Shepherd had submitted the piece to a major newspaper instead of Huffington Post, they would have protected her from herself.

We're in a similar boat here, albeit in a smaller pond. I'd hate to be judged by my dumbest post.

[Tarana]

I'd hate to be judged by my dumbest post.

Here, here!

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

We're in a similar boat here, albeit in a smaller pond. I'd hate to be judged by my dumbest post.

Fair point, but then again, I don't try to make a living from writing, so I could probably be excused for making some dumb posts, can Shepherd?

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

No, it's what happens when what you write isn't subjected to serious professional editing. If Lynn Shepherd had submitted the piece to a major newspaper instead of Huffington Post, they would have protected her from herself.

I don't know about that. A lot of newspapers today are at the same level as the Huffington Post - or lower.

If the author of that article meant it to be sarcastic, then she was unable to disguise her underlying envy. If Rowling stopped publishing today, there is no guarantee that Shepherd's books would get a second look or have better sales than they are now having.

It ultimately comes down to whether or not people find an author's books interesting. If they do, then they spread that information by word-of-mouth and online posts, if they don't then the author's works fall by the wayside.

Rowling managed to catch a genre wave and have a good ride from it. Her books turned a lot of kids and adults into readers. I'm not going to knock that, because that's good for the industry as a whole, if not particularly for Lynn Shepherd.

I haven't read Rowling's books and have no interest in doing so, so her forays into the fantasy and crime fiction arenas haven't impacted my life, my wallet, or my reading choices one way or another.

I would imagine that a lot of authors might be jealous over Rowling's almost obscene success but are afraid to come out and say so - so Shepherd probably said what a lot of them might be thinking: "why her and not me?".

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

I would imagine that a lot of authors might be jealous over Rowling's almost obscene success but are afraid to come out and say so - so Shepherd probably said what a lot of them might be thinking: "why her and not me?".

I suspect you might be right. Only I don't believe it's fear that keeps them from coming out and saying so. I believe it's common sense. Nothing good could come from it.

[mrscoach]

What I get from writers and others who downplay the Harry Potter series as "just a kids book" is that they feel it is easy to write a child's book, that a story can just be thrown together and printed up. What Jo did was take her knowledge of things ancient and/or mythical and craft a story with enough back information to fill boxes. She didn't just rely on her own memory of myths, but did research as she went.

Jo had the entire series planned before putting pen to paper (I guess she wrote her notes first, but you know what I mean), and left herself notes on where to put clues in each book. She crafted backgrounds on her characters, some of which were very minor but she still knew their history.

And, while marketed as a children's book, she did not set out to write a children's book. She KNEW the story and theme was going to get darker.

Maybe if more authors took the time to get to know their own stories before typing them up more readers would read them. Instead they complain that they didn't get lucky or that someone is blocking their way. I say they need to grow up and spend more time honing their storytelling skills to write something I want to read.

Another writer responds to Ms. Shepherd's missive.

An Open Letter to JK Rowling: Please Don't Stop Writing - Mark Pryor.

Yes, a HuffPo letter again.

[LovesMacs]

I wonder how many people will refuse to read Lynn Shepherd's work just on the basis of her letter. Me, I'm no more or less likely to read it than before, i.e. not very likely considering all the titles already out there.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by LovesMacs

I wonder how many people will refuse to read Lynn Shepherd's work just on the basis of her letter.

We have short attention spans. I don't think it will matter. I was surprised to find that I've actually read one of her novels.