It’s been a while since we’ve had a Saturday Sound Off (and it isn’t even Saturday) but this seems to me to be the ideal venue for this, and since this is Earth Day and we’re talking record print runs and what is and isn’t being published, perhaps I can stretch it enough to claim an environmentally-friendly disclaimer for posting this mid-week.
“Lazy reader.”
I remember when an author used the term on a discussion list. The backlash was intense. Now, in context, this author had actually called out people who didn’t like certain types of books, and wasn’t too subtle about inferring they’re lazy.
Today, the discussion begins on Declan Burke’s Crime Always Pays blog:
Now, I love ya Dec, and you’re certainly entitled to your opinion. I have no problem with that at all. In fact, I have my own opinion, and I’ve stayed as far away from any Dan Brown offerings as possible. I’ve never read TDVC and have no plans to. (This all goes back to someone giving me a copy of The Bridges of Madison County some years ago, and the fact that reading it made me sick.)
But does that mean that you’re wrong if you read it and enjoyed it? Are you lazy if you’re already pre-ordering the new Dan Brown book?
No, it doesn’t. Look, it’s clear there are different levels of writing. Sit down and read some Faulkner, and then read some Anne Perry or Sandra Ruttan and try to tell me otherwise. I’m okay with not being Faulkner. It doesn’t make me irrelevant, and it doesn’t mean people who read my books are idiots. Fiction is, by its nature, entertainment. It’s therefore a commodity driven by tastes and interests of the reading public. More people are going to pick up a romance than a western these days. A large part of what drives the reading public, who are choosing to indulge in a book in their free time instead of watching TV or playing video games or going to a movie, is their interests.
Can we really fault readers for that?
As I inferred in the comments over on Declan’s blog, I may consider The Wire to be the superior art form (and there’s no doubt that the story, the writing, the acting, is all superior to anything I’ve seen on network television to date) but there are days I want to watch Survivor instead. That doesn’t mean I’m a moron, or even lazy. It might mean that I’ve had a very stressful day and I’m looking for a different type of stimulation from my entertainment.
It’s very easy to take shots at Dan Brown, James Patterson and John Grisham. A lot of people seem to feel that they’re on such a level they don’t care at all about the writing, the craft, or what anyone else in the business thinks of them, so they’re the standard pinjatas and punching bags pulled out every time people want to point a finger at the lazy readers out there.
But you know what? I’m going to think auto industry right now. Nobody’s obligated to buy anything as a consumer. Even something that’s arguably a necessity – a vehicle – has competition, and it may be really trendy and environmentally friendly to buy a little smart car, but if you’ve got two kids, can only afford one vehicle, and you’re in the market, you need something bigger. Tack whatever labels you want on a vehicle: if I can’t fit my family inside it, I’m not interested.
So whose fault is that? Mine for having kids? Or the auto makers, for not producing a bigger vehicle that’s affordable and environmentally friendly? The answer seems clear. If you want to compete you have to be relevant, and you have to meet the needs of the consumers. It’s that simple.
We can all point fingers at publishers and say they aren’t giving new writers enough time to break through, they’re only interested in the big commercial successes, etc. etc., but at the end of the day publishers have to balance the books. They have to be able to sell their product. And if they can’t Washington isn’t going to bail them out or appoint a Book Czar: the publishing industry will go the way of the dinosaur.
So maybe, just maybe, we should lay off a bit, and maybe we, as authors, have to take a look in the mirror first. Last night, there was an ad on TV for a movie called Fighting. And I have to say three seconds in I knew I had no interest whatsoever in seeing a film about street fighting. Does that make me bad? Lazy? A moron? Wrong?
If you want to make a living as a writer, if you really want to sell to that level, then you’re going to have to write about things a lot of people are interested in. Nobody’s going to give you a free pass if you write about watching paint dry, or your addiction to chewing your fingernails (unless it’s really, really, really funny).
Kenny Chesney once said that he got ideas for his songs from reading women’s magazines. If you want a lot of people to read your stuff, write about what they’re interested in. But if you write about what interests you first, and you know it’s a niche market without high sales potential, then don’t blame readers if you aren’t a NY Times Bestseller. Every single person out there is entitled to their interests, and while what interests one person may bore me to tears, that doesn’t make either of us wrong.
Just different. And that’s really not such a bad thing, is it?
Now, in saying all of this, I’m also reminded of the hubbub several months ago about Anthony Zuiker’s planned interactive book. I may not think much of Zuiker’s attitude towards books, but I find myself wondering why it is that people are so negative about a commercial product. Zuiker’s material isn’t going to replace books for me. His reasons for reading aren’t mine, and what he seeks from his entertainment isn’t what I’m looking for.
But does that mean what he’s doing doesn’t have a place? As I said several months ago, in the ensuing discussion, I think it has a different market.
Truth is, Zuiker simply expressed himself poorly when he talked about this project. If he’d said he was going to bring an interactive experience to books in the hopes of getting more TV viewers to reading, I wonder how many people would have hailed him as the saviour of the book industry. And that’s actually what he’s doing. By bringing on a talented author to work on the project, Zuiker’s interactive novel has the potential of drawing new readers to the crime fiction genre.
I’ve had a lot of months to think about my own reaction to that announcement, and although I could see the potential for opening up a new market, I was short-sighted. In this day and age, with so many thing competing for our time, money and attention, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing to have different approaches to storytelling.
In the past year, I’ve adjusted to being a parent. What started with a 50/50 custody split is currently full-time. And with the guidance of my partner – who’s been down this road – I’ve had to start to retrain my brain and alter my reading habits. I may not like short chapters in theory, but when you’re trying to squeeze in some reading between baths and bedtime, short chapters are great, and if shorter chapters enables more people to keep reading during the crazy years of raising young children (a time when many adults don’t read much) then they’re a good thing, and the education professional in me who’s railed against short chapters as a byproduct of our ADD generation will just have to admit I’m wrong.
To date, I’ve only written what I’ve been interested in, and been happy to let the chips fall where they may in terms of sales. And though I’d love to sell well, when I read the responses to Declan’s post, I find myself wondering at what point your success makes you a sell-out in the eyes of others. Laura Lippman has made the NY Times bestseller list… Is anyone calling her a lazy, formulaic writer? So why is it Grisham’s readers are morons, and Laura’s readers aren’t? I don’t see anyone calling Michael Connelly a hack…
The biggest problem with these discussions, and general sweeping statements, is that they risk sounding petty, like the bitter sentiments of those who’ve tried and failed. And the problem there is that we’re again sidetracked from real issues, like how to build a readership, how to read the potential reading public so that the people who are interested in your material can find it, and how to keep adults reading for pleasure.
You know, if Zuiker’s interactive book expands the market, then it’s a great thing. (And considering recent revelations I’ve been privy to, I’m actually looking forward to checking it out.) And if the money publishers make off Patterson and Dan Brown enables them to take risks on new authors, then who am I to complain?
Or have I missed the point, which is to blame the readers (or the publishers) so that I don’t have to feel responsible for growing my own readership, or writing something people might actually want to read?
Declan Burke is a big Proust fan then? A few hundred pages before brekkie,eh?
Well, let’s not pick on Dec (though I take your point). I remember the author who called readers lazy on Dorothy L, and it certainly wasn’t Dec, and it was really ignorant. It’s one thing for people to voice an opinion on their blog, that people choose to come and read, and quite another to go on a discussion list dominated by readers and call them names.
It is always disheartening when talented authors stop publishing, for various reasons. If US sales were the determining factor alone, there might not be James Sallis books to enjoy. I do know people who’ve stopped or lost contracts. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad writers. And there’s something to be said for the fact that publishers determine success by creating hype around a product and making it the “it” book. They’re capable of doing that. But they aren’t going to do that for the next textbook written on the American Revolution. They aren’t going to do it for The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Watching TV. And would we expect them to? Of course not. So we have to ask ourselves what sets one book/series/author apart. If you can offer your publisher a commercial hook, you’ll give them more to work with. That’s just a reality.
I certainly wasn’t picking Dec – who is a much better writer than mr Brown. But, aren’t all sales good for the industry? If enthusiasm for the written word is on the wane then surely anything that keeps people reading is a good thing? And there’s hype and there’s hype. Almost everyone I know who read TDVC actually enjoyed it unlike the may people with unfinished copies of, say 100 years of solitude, who would rather stick needles in their eyes than read on!
Sorry Paul – there’s just always a risk that when I write something like this, the odd person will take it personally. Not to say that you’re odd… well, you know what I mean, right?
I think your question about whether or not all sales are good is the real question, because if some people think buying certain books makes readers dumb, well, I guess they wouldn’t agree.
All I know is, we’ve struggled through the “I hate reading” stage this year with our son, and we were willing to try anything to turn that around – comics, graphic novels, whatever. Ultimately, he found his thing in ghost stories. I really don’t care what he’s reading (as long as it’s age-appropriate content) as long as he’s reading, so if Zuiker’s interactive books or Dan Brown’s conspiracy theories keep him reading for years to come you’ll get no complaints from me.
Too true! (And I’ve been called worse than odd before!)
I find myself wondering if this is just the literary equivalent of country artists who hate new country because it doesn’t sound like country to them and has that cross-over “pop” appeal. Does mainstream appeal automatically make something a lesser art?
Excellent article, enjoyed it thoroughly. I’m totally for everyone getting to read what they want. If books don’t work, try audio. (that worked for dad!)
Fiction not your thing? Try some non-fiction. Travel, biographies, humor!
Shoot, I don’t even care if people don’t read so long as they let me read what I want!!!
Thanks Maria. You know, I haven’t gotten into audio yet. I tend to zone out. The only time it worked for me was on a driving trip, but I hope I can get into it. I’d cover a lot more books then!
I’m not much for audio myself, but my husband is a listener type. I have started doing the audio thing on trips. I’ve actually found that I enjoy short fiction in audio the most–and there’s a lot of podcasts out there to choose from so the selection is plentiful and cheap!
In my reading groups audio is pretty popular. A lot of them seem to have an audio book going and a regular one going. Depending on what they are doing or where they are at, they have access to one or the other.
I’ve kind of de-evolved (but up) in to the everything is everything attitude.
I understand why some would have issues with the fanbase of those that are successful, but none of the reasons speaks well of the people with issues.
I always like pointing to people like Neil Gaiman who is a bestseller, has movies adapted into film, writes comic books – and yet nobody is going to front like he isn’t bringing the skills.
Re: Podcasts, Crimewav has had some good stuff on lately.