At the news Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James was publishing a writing guide, I tweeted the following because I am at at least a little bit of a dick:
A writing guide by the 50 SHADES OF GREY author is like a cookbook written by Ronald McDonald. bostonherald.com/entertainment/…
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) March 11, 2013
And it was a ha-ha-funny tweet admittedly tasting of the vinegar tang of sour grapes because E.L. James has sold an eye-bursting number of copies of her book. I think by now everyone on the planet has at least three copies even if they don’t realize it. In truth I laud James for her success — I mean, shit, it’s out there, it’s selling, who am I to say she doesn’t deserve it? The joke for me is that just because the book sold well doesn’t make it the watermark for good writing, and so — well, blah blah blah, I’m explaining the joke, which of course kills it.
Regardless! A few folks tweeted or commented that it’s horrible she sells so well and what chance do they have of getting published and life sucks and the publishing industry is a cabal of vampires and we’re all fucking doomed so fuck it and let’s all just cry into our pillows.
Stop that.
Stop that right now.
You’re looking at the wrong thing.
You’re saying, “This crap over here is popular and that’s bad.”
Who cares? Who gives a jiggling jar of koala cock about that? Crap is frequently popular. (See earlier joke: Ronald McDonald.) It takes nothing away from your work or your chance of producing that work either on your own or when working with a strong and friendly publisher.
That one series of books is a lone floater in a very big pool of water.
Lift your gaze.
Look at your bookshelves.
I look at my shelves, I see books from years past and from this year and I see books that haven’t even been published yet (’cause I’m lucky like that) and you know what? They’re incredible! Great authors are producing great content and publishers are fucking publishing it. Who cares about some other book series? Books don’t really compete against one another. The 70 jizzillion people who bought the Fifty Shades books weren’t likely to buy your books anyway and if they do, great, yay, confetti, applause, puppies, ponies and popsicles for all.
Nothing in those books takes anything away from you.
Keep writing. Eyes forward. The popular kids are always gonna do what the popular kids are always gonna do. It’s a big world. Lot of readers. An infinite Internet. Keep writing.
To conclude? A point made by a very wise man who would’ve been 61-years-old today:
DON’T PANIC.
deanfortythree says:
I feel the same way about 50 Shades as I do when people gripe about athletes being overpaid- I will never grudge someone making money (via honest means). So her book is crap- I wish I could write crap that made me filthy rich. I’ll make the jokes and bash it all day long, but how much does it really affect me? Not in the least.
March 11, 2013 — 12:27 PM
Vanessa North says:
*applause*
March 11, 2013 — 12:28 PM
churnage says:
It’s easy to find excuses not to write. Just write. Every day. That’s how you finish. That’s how you succeed.
March 11, 2013 — 12:30 PM
mwschmeer says:
Great point. Books don’t compete with each other, but with the vagaries of time.
How many of those 70 million copies of SoG will end up at the thrift store or Friends of the Library donation bin next year? How many of the digital copies will be deleted from the device once they have been read? What is the re-read value of these books? Nil, baby, nil.
What pisses me off is that books like SoG occupy the public consciousness and take attention away from other, better written works.
But, of course, the public likes crap, as you pointed out. Maybe writers need to start doing 2-for-1 $19.95 infomercial that point out how miserable life is without THIS BOOK IN YOUR HANDS!
March 11, 2013 — 12:30 PM
Patty Blount says:
I had this kind of WTF reaction when one of the Jersey Shore cast members got published. And I tweeted that to an #askagent session. The agent who replied responded in a way that changed my mind forever. She reminded me that publishers are businesses – first and foremost. If they can see a potential for profit with no risk, why shouldn’t they take it? Celebrities sell. It doesn’t mean our stuff is crap and we have no chance, yada yada yada. If anything, it means we have a better chance because publishers are making money on these projects that can be invested in other projects — like ours.
March 11, 2013 — 12:32 PM
terribleminds says:
Bingo!
March 11, 2013 — 12:34 PM
Taylor Emblen (@Taylor_Emblen) says:
That, is bloody marvellous 😀
March 12, 2013 — 6:50 AM
smithster says:
Well said sir 🙂 I had similar thoughts about Twilight, particularly book 3 (so I read them all so shaddup) which in my mind should have resulted in firing of editor if there even was one. I gots me some standards, dangit, and I’m not going to publish shyte just to get published. My soul would not rest easy.
March 11, 2013 — 12:32 PM
Laura Libricz says:
I think it was you who said something like it’s great when publishers make money on stuff like that because then they have money to publish some of the more obscure stuff. What really makes me laugh: I read somewhere that they give bondage seminars for writers.
March 11, 2013 — 12:33 PM
Cat York says:
<3 and love the Adams reference.
March 11, 2013 — 12:36 PM
CJ Jessop says:
Thank you. Just what I needed to get out of a wallow. 🙂
March 11, 2013 — 12:37 PM
marlanesque says:
Came here for the koala cock. Was not disappointed.
March 11, 2013 — 12:40 PM
Melinda VanLone says:
*cheer* *double cheer* Triple cheers for using the words “Don’t Panic” today 😀
March 11, 2013 — 12:43 PM
Colleen Lindsay (@ColleenLindsay) says:
Chuck –
I totally agree. I am thrilled that E.L. James is successful, and that she has clearly written something that has tapped into what so many readers were looking for. Great storytellers aren’t always great writers, after all. Why begrudge her the success?
I think people are getting upset about the wrong thing here.
March 11, 2013 — 12:44 PM
terribleminds says:
Amen to that.
March 11, 2013 — 1:10 PM
Gayle says:
+1
March 11, 2013 — 1:43 PM
Gayle says:
Colleen –
You said in four sentences what it took me four paragraphs to say. 🙂
March 11, 2013 — 1:45 PM
Misa Buckley says:
It’s not the sales, but the readership. However your point still stands.
Now thoroughly kicked up the ass, I shall stop moping, pull on my big girl pants and beard the fuck on.
Thank you.
March 11, 2013 — 12:45 PM
crossedstars says:
Also, it means that there’s the possibility for a book–nearly any book, if it’s lucky and the timing is right–to sell that well. It means the market is healthy. Don’t knock that, celebrate it.
March 11, 2013 — 12:47 PM
Gayle says:
Well said, crossedstars.
March 11, 2013 — 12:58 PM
terribleminds says:
+1
March 11, 2013 — 1:10 PM
Gayle says:
But here’s the thing. It is possible, believe it or not, to understand that books like FSOG and Twilight and a thousand others are not written well AND to still relate to the characters, or at least get lost in the fictional world they live in. Yes, the fictional worlds are often silly, goofy and unintentionally funny, but it wasn’t until I reread (or tried to reread) FSOG and Twilight (I couldn’t get very far with either the second time arond) that I realized that they were pretty bad.
So maybe we should focus on how you write a story that gets people to fall so deep into the world you’ve created that they don’t even see the mistakes the first time around. When I tried to reread FSOG I actually laughed at myself. But I never once hated on James for writing HER book. The way she wanted, for an audience she understood.
For those writers out there who were so offended by the books’ awful writing that they couldn’t get past the first page, lucky for you there are thousands of other books out there for you to read. Read and enjoy them without dismissing the writing of others.
And then there’s koala cock.
March 11, 2013 — 12:56 PM
Dale Eldon says:
This is the thing about me, and a lot of writers I know, we don’t compete against each other. We build each other up, and do for the other whatever it takes to keep the words flowing. Us writers should stick together, this isn’t American Idol where there can only be one.
March 11, 2013 — 1:07 PM
Mags says:
Thousands of middle aged women, who hadn’t read an actual book since highschool, bought and read 50 Shades. Not only did they read one book they read three and now maybe they will read other books. Maybe they will read your book! Well maybe not yours, but someones.
March 11, 2013 — 1:08 PM
Karoline Kingley says:
Precisely. If anything, because there is so much crap getting all the attention, it should motivate good writers to produce substantial content. Maybe we can change the trend.
March 11, 2013 — 1:14 PM
danielrdavis says:
Heh! I joke every once in a while that maybe I shouldn’t try so hard to write the best I can. I might get picked up then. 😉 But in the end, I could never do that to myself, or my writing.
March 11, 2013 — 1:42 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Well said. Haven’t read the 50 Shades book(s) myself because, let’s face it, the internet is full of literary porn and you can read it *for free*. Some people love writing that stuff and they’ll do it for nothing more than a bit of feedback. So I don’t see the point in paying for a book o’ porn — like you say, the fact that it’s been published doesn’t mean it’s good. Quantity has never equaled quality. Just look at the batch of pop-stars from the last decade or two, and their media-manufactured personalities.
But complaining that you’re never going to get published just because one or two demographics buy book porn is like saying the future of non-super-hero movies is doomed because the recent Batman trilogy did so well and everyone wants to be Christian Bale. It’s just one genre. It’s not going to destroy literary diversity any more than Harry Potter did. Though I hear it’s capable of destroying braincells…
March 11, 2013 — 1:15 PM
Emily Wenstrom says:
Ha, and keep your towel close.
This philosophy won’t be comforting for those looking to be the next EL James (at least in terms of her popularity), but I tend to believe that truly great art WON’T be loved by everybody. Really good art won’t strike a chord with everyone.
So, far as I see it, don’t worry about everyone. Worry about your niche. … and yes, don’t expect to get rich.
March 11, 2013 — 1:16 PM
Evan says:
Agree, BUT: The Guardian has reported that FSOG has been nominated for the National Book Award.
AAARGH!
March 11, 2013 — 1:16 PM
Casz Brewster says:
*cheers* *herky jump*
Just told my husband I love you.
:: keeps eyes forward::
But if that ridiculousness wins a NBA, Ima gonna have to curb stomp some Brits.
March 11, 2013 — 1:25 PM
Aubyanne Meletio Poulter says:
EL James is an insult to all that is right with transgressive fiction. And on Adams’ birthday, nonetheless.
Incidentally, your blog’s getting into my head, Chuck. You were in my dream last night. Yes. Specifically, I was taking your class, my father suddenly appeared in my car, and said, ‘Hey! Let’s go see your Mom and [lots of people I dont know] at [place that doesn’t exist].’ To which I said, ‘OMG, DAD?’
It wasn’t until I was stuffing my face that I went – OH MY GOD CLASS. (Something I never – E-VER – actually did during my actual schooling, mind.)
Then I felt like a total douche.
So I went back to the campus, was promptly told to get the appropriate professor’s contact information in the kitchen. (Yes, the kitchen.) So, I made my way back to THE COOLEST SCHOOL CAFE EVER (seriously) and found in the back, which was presumably ‘the kitchen’ a machine that printed contact sheet cards of some kind. I input the necessary information, or gave it to the woman manning said machine, and … it printed …
… this big, larger-than-greeting card sized single cardstock … thing. (I have no idea what it was – but it cost $2.99). It wasn’t the contact card I was supposed to have. More like a commercially printed ‘autograph card’. To which I thought, ‘WTF is THIS going to help me with my final?’ and the woman extended her hand. ‘That’s $3.12.’ I blinked at her: ‘Plus tax.’
Yeah. So. Uhhh … right.
Don’t get me started on ELJ, though. Do-o-o-o-n’t do it. Although, I think I MAY have found a rather awesome way to subvert this nonsense in my own project. (‘Cause some things were around long before 50-fucking-shades).
Picture this …
Hiddleston’s Loki per Whedon’s ‘Avengers’. (Because, again, some things were around before other things – and I can’t gut everything I friggin’ do because somebody had production power at the time I did not. We all think it’s rather amusing, actually; but then your ‘erugent’ let’s-enslave-humanity’ type gods really do come in only a few flavours – and they’re like chunky chocolate chip and rocky road, y’know?)
So … so … (I’m still cackling maniacally with this one) at the whole, ‘call me master’ thing, (which actually wasn’t mine, but one of my writer’s … from the original material in ’06 we’d just unearthed this year. Of course, upon its rediscovery, we thought OH NO WE CAN’T POSSIBLY … and, subsequently: FUCK YES LET’S DO THIS – because that’s just how we roll.) So. Lampshade Brigade to the rescue, as she’s already a seasoned snarker, she launches into full mockery. Of course. Specifically, ‘Very well, Mr Grey. How would you like me to – ‘
And all damned hell breaks loose, because he’s a terribly powerful dark sorcerer type, and finds this HORRIBLY OFFENSIVE. (Like I said: just think of how Marvel!Loki might take ‘such insolence’.)
But what else can you do when you have an awesome recipe for a triple chocolate layer cake and some bozo (Ronald McDonald, indeed!) comes along and publishes a surface-similar one – but substituting guano and dog-shit? It’s tough when someone’s come along and taken a wrecking ball to your genre before lots of good folk had the time to shine.
I don’t know any other way than subversion – do you? Has this happened to anyone else? Any other TF’s in the hizzouse?
March 11, 2013 — 1:44 PM
Amanda L. Gordon says:
I’m not sure I understand how E.L. James is “an insult to all transgressive fiction,” as you mentioned. Did she enjoy some crazy unbelievable success for something that started out as Twilight fanfiction? Um, yeah. She’s *still* sittin’ pretty in the top 20 of the NYT bestsellers list (all 3 titles in the series, actually).
But I don’t agree that makes her an insult to anybody. Do you have the right to not like what she’s written? Of course you do. But she’s opened the doors for readers to scores of authors who write erotica and erotic romance who have been toiling away for years in relative obscurity except on websites like Ellora’s Cave. Readers scanned what she wrote and thought, “This can’t be the best there is to offer,” and they were right.
And, little recognized fact, the inspirational fiction market TOOK OFF at the same time E.L. James’s books were released. So her works have (and continue to) influence other completely unrelated areas of the market.
It’s just a sign that people are reading more, and they’re reading beyond what just shows up on bestseller lists (like a gateway drug). And in this humble reader’s opinion, people reading for enjoyment should never be an insult.
March 11, 2013 — 7:21 PM
Aubyanne Meletio Poulter says:
Personal opinion, and I respect yours as well. But the sad truth is that there’s wide-scale mortification going on here with a side of merciless fury. And, I hate to break it to you, erotica sales haven’t changed. Those who were buying hardcore BDSM fiction prior to continue to do so after. They’re very different markets. Is the mommy porn market diving into the hardcore erotica market now? … No.
The one damned upside I’m seeing is that it might kill off the ghost of Breen still whispering in the ears of most studio execs. If that happens, I’ll simmer down.
But right now, nobody’s being bought, everybody I know sees it as an assault to the genre, and I’m still fuming over this:
‘So, tell me about him.’
‘Oh, uh, sure. Well, he’s your average billionaire CEO of a holdings company – ‘
‘Like Christian Grey!’
‘ … No. Not at all.’
I wanted to say that our guy has depth and realism despite the surreality of it all. That the fact I went with a holdings company was the same reason I think anyone does. It’s hardly the focal point of his story. (How much do we really care about Wayne Enterprises?)
It’s all about framing. Successful marketing and PR types know how to make cultural frames work for rather than against them. 50S has been a huge black mark on the overall frame.
The snippet above is sadly common. I grow really tired of having my guy, who has NOTHING to do with bloody Christian Goddamned Grey (except he wins in the ‘I had it rougher than you, so STFU’ department) being instantly compared because of the words ‘CEO of a holdings company’.
So I can’t do much else but subvert and undercut at this point. Fortunately, I’ve gotten very good at subversion.
March 11, 2013 — 9:07 PM
Tia Kalla (@tiakall) says:
“Great storytellers aren’t always great writers, after all.”
I totally agree with this. I think that Stephanie Meyer, as an example, is a great storyteller but not necessarily a great writer.
The upside of 50 Shades selling like McFillers is that erotica and BDSM has quite abruptly become “okay” to talk about in the mainstream. The authors that have written good erotica now have a better chance to get their own turn in the bestsellers’ list.
March 11, 2013 — 1:45 PM
Aubyanne Meletio Poulter says:
I’m … not so sure that’s a good thing. 50 Shades clones, that is.
March 11, 2013 — 11:07 PM
Jenny Lloyd says:
The antidote to envy – and who wouldn’t envy E.L.James – is aspiration and determination to be the best you can be in your chosen field. Don’t measure your success against others, and don’t let others set the benchmark of what is good or bad writing. Think of it like this – if poor writing can succeed then yours sure as hell can. Believe, believe, believe in yourself and be your own champion. Love and success to you all!
March 11, 2013 — 1:51 PM
Kyla says:
Thanks for making me laugh this morning. The subject line of the email is still making me grin. And ya, can’t let this sort of thing get in the way. Besides, I suspect it is a lot harder to write effective, market-zinging crap than it looks from the outside. I am not interested in attempting it, but, just sayin’.
*still chuckling here*
March 11, 2013 — 1:52 PM
Molly Dugger Brennan says:
I have two points to make about E. L. James. One, the blog post I wrote about her book was one of the most popular I’ve posted and got me a noticeable number of new readers (Fifty Shades of Grunt) so I appreciate that. Two, if the publisher has made gobs of cash off this series and the Jersey Shore Snookie books (that stuck in my throat for a while) then maybe they’ll be able to risk some money on my work. Maybe these big sellers that aren’t as well written as I would like do serve a purpose for me. Maybe they’ll give the publishers enough profit so they’ll take a chance on my stories. It could happen.
March 11, 2013 — 2:04 PM
barbararuth says:
Y’know, I envy the money somewhat. (Hey, who couldn’t use money?) The audience? Well, in an abstract sense. I want an audience, don’t know that I want that audience. But for me, the actual work of writing a book of that type would be boring as heck, probably more boring than the day jobs I fantasize about quitting.
March 11, 2013 — 2:07 PM
Joe says:
Back in 2007, this was in the news: “Lynne Spears’s (Britney’s Mom) Parenting Book ‘Delayed Indefinitely’ after news hit that 16-year-old Jamie Lynn is pregnant with her boyfriend’s child.”
March 11, 2013 — 2:12 PM
deborahblake1 says:
Very well put. Quit yer whinging and go write your book. Don’t worry about what else anyone else is writing and/or getting published. Just do your best and then hope for a bloody miracle.
March 11, 2013 — 2:27 PM
susielindau says:
I must be one of the last people to own a copy ANY copy of FSOG. I think of FSOG as Five Seconds On Google.
Bad movies make millions and more are being made all the time. Low brow has been around forever, starting with traveling carny shows. People get their undies in a twist over all kinds of things and I can see where some may even use it as an excuse for writing an awful book.
From what I understand, it was the content and genre that got everyone’s attention.
March 11, 2013 — 2:29 PM
Remi Jones says:
As the target audience, a middle aged woman, I purposely didn’t read the book. I’m curious about it though. What exactly set it apart from the other erotica out there?
Fun fact about the book. It saved a town.
http://www.policymic.com/articles/12440/50-shades-of-grey-trilogy-how-christian-grey-used-erotica-to-save-a-small-maine-town
Great Post CW. I like the way your mind works. Have a very nice day.
March 11, 2013 — 2:34 PM
seanpatrickreardon says:
Great advice!
March 11, 2013 — 2:51 PM
Sarah Z. says:
I have never been tempted to read the twilight books or FSoG, although Five Seconds on Google sounds like a great game show. My best friend read them, she enjoyed them, but then admittedly, we have different tastes. She reads books she likes to call bubble gum for the brain. There is no ground-breaking, Earth shattering truth in her reading pleasure, just escapism from her daily grind. I, as an amateur writer, have a completely different view on things I read. I read like a writer. I am looking at plot structure, characters, language, ability of the writer to suck me in. If I know something is poorly written ahead of time, I’ll stay away because I know myself. But I don’t begrudge her the bubble gum. But I agree with Chuck’s tweet. Unless her writing guide is all about how to turn your fanfiction into crack for sexually repressed or bored women. Somehow I doubt it though.
March 11, 2013 — 3:03 PM
marlarosebrady says:
thanks for sharing chuck! Your cynical optimism always awakens a realistically magic hope inside me. Thank you! Started reading Unclean Spirits, the publisher gave me an advance, advance copy. I will let you know when I finish and write the book review. So far I am loving it. I love your writing style.
March 11, 2013 — 3:12 PM
Jim Johnson says:
Keep writing, yep. Keep writing, keep submitting, keep self-publishing, whatever it takes. Some writers should stop sticking their nose up in the air at other writers and apply said nose to the grindstone.
March 11, 2013 — 3:21 PM
Cassandra Benedicte Rabbich says:
As someone who has read 50 shades (I said read, not enjoyed) I can kind of see how the book might appeal to some women. I used to work for a publishing agency that did the whole new author package deal if you pay for it and the amount of crap that I saw pass through to the other end because the author could afford to pour the money into it was amazing. What was more amazing was that the very first book I edited which was written by an illiterate factory worker who just happened to love cycling, was the most sold book about cycling in Denmark that year. It was bad on a level of him not being able to string a sentence together and wanting to include both racism and bathroom details (I got him talked out of both of these things) and he still managed to sell a lot of books because he found an audience. Just like E.L James has found her audience. Hopefully any just published author can find their own audience that might be able to see through the mistakes that they make. Thing is, taste is different, and we shouldn’t measure our success level against someone like Mrs. James who was clearly lucky enough to strike gold first time around.
March 11, 2013 — 4:03 PM
kat7562 says:
For good or bad, I am going to applaud E.L James for mustering up the courage, and putting her pen to paper. She has done what so many of us would love to do. Hit the lottery!!! With that being said, thank you for that post, it definitley made me smile!
March 11, 2013 — 4:08 PM
louisesor says:
Gotta agree with y’all.
March 11, 2013 — 4:28 PM
Bozo Buttons says:
This sort of sour grapes has been going on forever. Let’s not forget the words of Mickey Spillane:
“Those big-shot writers could never dig the fact that there are more salted peanuts consumed than caviar”
The book found an audience, and that’s great. One could argue that when a book hits it big, it not only gets it’s deserved audience, but it also gets a large portion of people who just got caught up in the hype of the thing. So, some portion of the sales went to people who, out of curiosity, bought the thing, and maybe didn’t like it too much. Is that what you want? Buyers who are unhappy readers?
You could also argue that some particularly malleable readers decide they liked the book simply because it was popular, and they didn’t want to be left out. Is that what you want? Readers via cultural obligation alone?
If a book brings joy to a lot of people, without inspiring them to cause harm to others, how can anybody complain? Don’t envy somebody else’s success. Go find your own. If you can’t find your own, at least enjoy the pursuit. If you can’t enjoy the pursuit, you’re in the wrong line of work. The work is the only part of the deal that is guaranteed. Furthermore, if you don’t enjoy writing it, the readers probably won’t enjoy reading it.
March 11, 2013 — 5:23 PM
Nathan Boole says:
Another positive thing about 50 Shades’ popularity: although we all may (legitimately, I think) hate E.L. James in that impersonal, goddamn-that-lucky-bitch-whose-blank-did-she-blank-to-get-published kind of way, we should love her success.
Her book was basically single-handedly responsible for Random House being able to give all their employees huge bonuses last year (whoopee for them!). But what it all really means is that PEOPLE ARE BUYING BOOKS.
Furthermore, the money her book has poured into the publishing industry means that the people who work in publishing houses, specifically editors, people who I am forced to believe are smart, mainly discerning folks who KNOW 50 Shades is bad, can buy more of the books they WANT to buy.
So I’m grateful to E.L. James (that lucky etc etc) because she’s making room for the rest of us. Also a million, million even shittier copycat books, but let’s not talk about that. I hope they make money too.
–Nathan
March 11, 2013 — 5:30 PM
Christi Williams says:
I have to agree with Nathan. Just think of all the books (better written!) in a similar vein that 50 Shades and Twilight have launched. Look at the opportunity if you write YA, vampire, BDSM, erotica, and on, and on….
March 11, 2013 — 5:53 PM
Katherine says:
I have to admit that the book entered my hands, but didn’t stay there long enough to finish it (my choice as it WAS that bad). But I agree that shouldn’t be reason for others to not keep trying to write your best. She hit a niche market at the right time. I hope to one day have a published book under my belt, but regardless know that my best efforts put forth when writing are my own hallmarks to judge myself by. That is the most important thing. If other folks think its good too and want to throw a little cash my way, well then WOOHOO for me. Until then, I am just a writer practising my trade and slogging at it the best way I can.
Thanks for the inspiration to keep at it Chuck!
March 11, 2013 — 6:39 PM
dianadomino says:
He he….jizzillion.
March 11, 2013 — 7:02 PM
Tim Pratt says:
Indeed. And the money the publishers make from blockbusters like these means that editors have more money to invest in writers who are writing work that’s not so commercial.
March 11, 2013 — 7:55 PM
terribleminds says:
+1.
Hell with it: +1000.
— c.
March 11, 2013 — 8:01 PM
elizabethvail says:
50 shades had a readership to start. A massive one in comparison to what most first time authors do with their first book. It was only a matter of time before she succeeded the way she did. I’ve read plenty of what I consider “crap” in the last two years and these were books that have sold very well, some best sellers. Good on her for smacking the industry upside the head and making it some money.
Everyone has to eat, even publishers.
We all know that the publishing industry is a business and that is the bottom line. Chuck has told us that a million times, and so have other published authors. I’m not published yet, so I’m not experienced there and have to learn though others, however, I am very well educated in the music industry. From what I’ve read, publishing houses are very much like record labels. Actually, publishing is a part of the entertainment business. I’ve not see no one address it as such though.
March 11, 2013 — 8:17 PM
elizabethvail says:
have to learn *through* others
March 11, 2013 — 8:22 PM
Aubyanne Meletio Poulter says:
Hey, that intrigues me.
Do you think there’s actually a sort of backdoor into publishing via a readership installed via, say, ebooks, an online following, free material, self-publishing, etc.? I ask this because a few of my friends (one who’s a very, very talented writer) has spent the last several years writing in an obscure niche of fan-fiction. Thankfully, he was able to play with the initial concepts until he found an even better original product. (As anybody with some ingenuity can do with fan-fiction.) It’s great stuff, he enjoys writing it, but just as easily bemoans the fact he’s not published. (Professionally, he writes screenplays; nothing has sold as of yet. It’s amazing stuff – just not marketable right now.)
Now, he’s got a readership in this particular niche at the moment. Are you saying there’s some good evidence that part of (I’m not saying all) of her success came from the fact that it started as Twilight fan-fiction, and, as such, had a readership? That’s actually quite cool, if so, regardless of how bad the material.
March 11, 2013 — 11:17 PM
elizabethvail says:
Yes that is what I’m saying. Her beginning readership came from there. I read fan-fiction and through the world of fan-fiction word got around about Master of the Universe – which is what 50 shades was named as a FF. It was all the rage and there wasn’t a fan-fiction forum that you went on, that didn’t talk about the story. Twilight has a huge fan base, this is true, but I’d bet my left toe that it has an even bigger FF fan base, just under Harry Potter and Star Wars actually in third. In my 15 years of reading various types of FF and being a part of that community I’ve found that Twilight has the biggest adult, female readership and from some of the actions I’ve seen in that fandom, those women are nuts about their fan-fiction and highly protective. They will skew you for flaming any of their favorites, including 50 shades.
I think if he has a readership there, that is awesome and fan-fiction is a great way to gain one. E.L James was only able to keep that readership because she turned MOTU into FSOG. If she would have written anything that was actually original and good, she would have lost several of them.
People, like me, go to read fan-fiction for a reason. Those reasons don’t include anything about it being written well and the stories all being good. It’s because FF is various views, parody and alternative story lines with our favorite characters. Most of the time, as fans of specific stories and character, we congregate with the writer about why they chose to duo Harry Potter with Superman and was there really a need for Harry Potter at that point?
So if your friend is going to go that route to build his readership, good luck to him, but beg him to pay the world Fiction some mad love and publish something that is his own creation and true to him.
March 12, 2013 — 4:40 AM
Aubyanne Meletio Poulter says:
Have you ever heard of Kino’s Journey? (Thank you for answering so completely, by the way.) It’s a Japanese story – manga and anime. Imagine an androgynous girl who rides a sentient motorbike across the universe. (I say universe, because she’s always encountering different ways of life. She’s a big fan of her culture’s own ‘Prime Directive’ sort of thing, so it’s always a powerful story – much as it was with Trek – when the decision had to be made to go against the principle and assist, or do nothing, and accept the consequences.)
It’s personal to him, I think, due to his Trekkieness running deep (he was on Voyager several times, too). So, as stories are wont to do, it emerged from a side story, and he found himself in the throes of a powerful tale about family, redemption, and independence. Now, combined with (would you believe, Stephen King’s Christine?) he’s got something that I feel could really go somewhere. He’s been trying to decide if he should keep that under wraps, and ‘keep writing Kino’ or actually begin writing the story that emerged from his writing it. I’m thinking he should give his fanbase a taste.
(Shameless plug for the curious as to what the heck I’m talking about. But this man lives for his readers. Really. His face lights up like Christmas.
http://m.fanfiction.net/s/6378884/1/Old-Haunts )
It started as an exercise, to give you an idea here. He wrote each story featuring a classic horror author, starting with Shirley Jackson and most recently, Richard Matheson. The exercise was to learn how to write in these authors’ voices, in an attempt to truly hone his own. Something great just happened to come of it.
Incidentally, he’s the one playing our Big Bad. He loves the chance to openly mock 50S ‘in defence of all those authors who have toiled over their pages while producing good literature’.
But he still hyperventilated with Gottfried’s reading of it. I believe the words in between astounded was laughter is, ‘Oh, God in Heaven, I am un-DONE.’
He’s quite a character. But, y’know, we writers. We collect them in the flesh whenever we can. Check out his work, if you’ve got the time. You’ll be pleased.
March 12, 2013 — 12:53 PM
Aubyanne Meletio Poulter says:
And to respond to this directly:
‘E.L James was only able to keep that readership because she turned MOTU into FSOG. If she would have written anything that was actually original and good, she would have lost several of them.’
Go-o-o-od, no. I must disagree with you one-hundred-and-eleventy-one per cent here. But that requires me divulging how I came into contact with all of this nonsense.
I was asked to be a guest on a talk-show last year on how 50S compares to actual BDSM. Initially, I thought it was a reference title. I had NO clue it was a novel. So, as I’m tracking it down the naughty way (hell, yes, I was going to torrent that shit) I came across it – AND the original fan-fiction that it was. Got ’em both. I was one of those annoying overachiever types in school; no matter what it was, I was going to KNOW my material damn it.
And, oh, God, it all went to Hades with a Hitachi from there.
The absolute worst part was how I could ACTUALLY SEE how it could’ve stayed ENTIRELY true to the original premise – and NOT SUCK. Of course, I have other gripes about the whole damned thing. I’ve BEEN the chick who has no grasp of her own attractiveness and doesn’t give a shit about the opposite sex because it’s just not that interesting. And is suddenly bowled over by her own hormones. And has NO CLUE what to do with it.
So, that? That’s actually quite close to home. THAT I can buy. Shit, I can EVEN buy a dude from out of nowhere who’s all classy and sexy-like that goes ‘I WANT YOU NOW’. (I’ve, uh, been there, too.) And he ain’t in his twenties full of little ‘idiosyncrasies’ designed to give ‘character depth’.
I’ve KNOWN Grey-types. And the damned publication of that book did nothing but give them even more of the go-ahead and go forth and cause MORE problems. Not to mention unearthing and grooming a whole new generation of them that are ENTIRELY clueless – God help us all.
I think what gets me – and yes, this is just a pet peeve – is that James has NO fucking CLUE what she’s writing about, but she did just enough research to pull it off and be dangerous. It’s a crap story with zero basis in reality, for which my disbelief could NOT be suspended. And I’m not talking about the horrid writing in and of itself. The flat, unbelievable characters – the utter ludicrousness of Grey, who, I’m supposed to like, right?
Right, so, this isn’t what that was about. This is about how it COULD have been fine. Even good.
The relationship was completely unbelievable. IF it was about ‘converting’ the present fanbase to a paying readership, she could’ve kept the immortal angle – or went with something similarly fantastic. Deep, soul-based relationships whose tormented sexual interactions involve levels of BDSM? Shit, I’ve been doing that since ’97. I’m sure dozens – maybe hundreds – of other writers have been doing the same.
AU versions of Edward and Bella types getting freaky ‘Secretary’ style? I might be down for that – if it’s not written like a trainwreck. Why? Because I BELIEVE that Mr Man is going to be falling all over himself because OH MY GOD IT’S HER. And SHE’s going to be going on her own serious head-trip because she has NO idea WHY, but HE just makes her FEEL in ways she’s never really known before. Voila. Conflict. Intense, erotic conflict: she’s feeling it, he’s totally feeling it, and we want them to get together and live kinkily ever after.
She could’ve done it. Instead, she wanted to stay in Chickadee’s head, so we have this merciless droning of OH MY GOD WHY IS THIS HAPPENING. To which I’m agreeing emphatically: ‘WHY IS THIS FUCKING HAPPENING? I DON’T BUY ANY OF THIS.’
Going between both of their POVs, as she did in the original material (what I saw of it) would’ve been fine.
Shit, I know this works. I’ve done it myself. Frankly, neither of the characters know why the hell they’re so drawn to each other (though you’ve got more of a Lecter/Dodgson and Starling/Alice thing going on, to be honest – I’m a twisted bitch, I confess) but my readers seem to adore that about it.
So. Right. I’ve ranted enough.
When material could’ve been good, I get even more pissed when it’s bad. REALLY bad. Then it just seems lazy. And people eat it up with a ladle? It becomes a cultural phenomenon? OH GOD WHY?
/end rant.
March 12, 2013 — 1:43 PM
darksilvertree says:
I think this may be the greatest post in WordPress history…even though I not so secretly wish every copy burned.
March 11, 2013 — 9:47 PM
Troy L says:
Hehe, “floater”
March 11, 2013 — 9:59 PM
Steph Auteri says:
When I told my husband that E.L. James was publishing a how-to book for writers, and then explained why this was ridiculous, he merely responded:
Will her book tell you how to sell lots of books? Because she’d got that down.
Touché jerkface.
March 12, 2013 — 10:15 AM
Aubyanne Meletio Poulter says:
Step 1: Write fan-fiction featuring subversion of the original material.
Step 2: Change names and tweak.
Step 3: Present to publisher.
Step 4: Make fucking bank.
Step 5: Wipe your ass with C-notes.
Step 6: Piss off world with easy success.
Step 7: Write how-to book.
March 12, 2013 — 1:47 PM
dwdjohnson says:
This post made me feel immensely better. Thank you. At the same time though, knowing she could get her words past the publisher’s velvet ropes gave me a lot of hope that I could to.
March 12, 2013 — 4:57 PM