Monday 18 July 2011

The Right Way to Write

Image courtesy of Photos8.com

I've just read an interesting article in the New York Times on typos.

Echoing the writer's view, I'd agree that for some writers, it's all about the story, while for others, it's more about the words.

In the dim and (thankfully) distant past, I've had occasion to (or the misfortune of) reading some pretty scathing reviews on works by popular authors, most notably James Patterson, Dan Brown and Jeffery Archer. The tone of the reviewers was snooty, supercilious, patronizing (to the reader) and ultimately infused with a sense of "we know good writing and this ain't it!" It was very much a case of a narrow metropolitan elite, grounded in a very narrow interpretation of literature, broadcasting their views on what is 'good literature'.

The operative word here is: their.

I think there's a strange sense, predominently in the 'arty' side of culture, where mass appeal is seemingly a bad thing. I'm probably comparing oranges with pears, but it doesn't appear to work that way with consumer products, e.g. The iPhone.

Just to declare an interest in this debate: I am an unashamed populist.

I love commercial fiction and taut, concise, descriptive language with short words and minimal exposition. Perhaps this is due to my former career as a journalist who had to crunch things down to the essence.

Back to the reviewers/critics: Comments ranged from poor plotting, poor spelling, poor characterization, etc. I think it is poor form to slate a book in its entirety, especially given how much effort someone has put into it.

It's so much easier pulling things down than building them up. Thank God critics are rapidly becoming a spent force.

Criticism, whether good or bad, should be left to readers.

Reportedly, James Patterson was criticized by another bestselling author Stephen King for being a "terrible writer". Patterson's response: "I am not a great prose stylist. I'm a storyteller. There are thousands of people who don't like what I do. Fortunately, there are millions who do."

Get writing.

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