...you read a book by an author who you've never read before.
You love it.
They have a second book or maybe if you're lucky a back catalogue of books and you want to rush out and buy them all. That first read was so brilliant, so captivating and all consuming, a book the likes of which you haven't read and enjoyed so much in a long time that you want to devour anything else by this writer.
You purchase one, two or more of the other books available and select one to read first. With quivering hands you turn to page 1 and begin with trepidation and lots of expectation.
You finish the first chapter, intrigued enough to continue but if truth be known, you're a little underwhelmed but you persevere. It's going to improve and how could it not if it's written by the writer who was able to produce the other work that you just LOVED!
Chapter 2 turns into 3 and so on until you get a hundred odd pages or so in and realise that it's taking you an awful long time to finish this book. You aren't taking it in your bag to work so you can read it on the train, you reject it as your bedtime reading in favour of the hardback you've been meaning to start or you find yourself flicking through a magazine.
Some time passes.
Eventually you finally admit to yourself that it's just not that good. In your opinion, of course.
Sadly it's not quite your cup of tea but because you so enjoyed the other piece you presumed that anything else would equally as good. More of the same but different. Different but better.
It's sooooo disappointing when this happens but it got me thinking about my own writing. How do writers or even musicians, artists etc. manage to keep working and growing personally and professionally whilst satisfying their audience. It must be tough if you've made a name for yourself as a bonkbuster writer and then you decide you quite fancy writing something completely different.
Possibly it's not even as dramatic as that. Maybe it's just that I fear that I won't want to churn out the same book which is a variation on a theme but am aware that this may then impact on readers.
Oh the things I worry about on chilly London days when I do not have such problems and indeed won't ever be any nearer having these things to worry about until I get on with finishing my rewrite and finally subbing.
You love it.
They have a second book or maybe if you're lucky a back catalogue of books and you want to rush out and buy them all. That first read was so brilliant, so captivating and all consuming, a book the likes of which you haven't read and enjoyed so much in a long time that you want to devour anything else by this writer.
You purchase one, two or more of the other books available and select one to read first. With quivering hands you turn to page 1 and begin with trepidation and lots of expectation.
You finish the first chapter, intrigued enough to continue but if truth be known, you're a little underwhelmed but you persevere. It's going to improve and how could it not if it's written by the writer who was able to produce the other work that you just LOVED!
Chapter 2 turns into 3 and so on until you get a hundred odd pages or so in and realise that it's taking you an awful long time to finish this book. You aren't taking it in your bag to work so you can read it on the train, you reject it as your bedtime reading in favour of the hardback you've been meaning to start or you find yourself flicking through a magazine.
Some time passes.
Eventually you finally admit to yourself that it's just not that good. In your opinion, of course.
Sadly it's not quite your cup of tea but because you so enjoyed the other piece you presumed that anything else would equally as good. More of the same but different. Different but better.
It's sooooo disappointing when this happens but it got me thinking about my own writing. How do writers or even musicians, artists etc. manage to keep working and growing personally and professionally whilst satisfying their audience. It must be tough if you've made a name for yourself as a bonkbuster writer and then you decide you quite fancy writing something completely different.
Possibly it's not even as dramatic as that. Maybe it's just that I fear that I won't want to churn out the same book which is a variation on a theme but am aware that this may then impact on readers.
Oh the things I worry about on chilly London days when I do not have such problems and indeed won't ever be any nearer having these things to worry about until I get on with finishing my rewrite and finally subbing.
6 comments:
Ah! You've just captured what is curently scaring me a bit - the thought that readers will love my first book and be horribly disappointed by my second! You see it all the time in Amazon reviews "I read book 1 and loved it and was expecting to absolutely adore book 2 but I was so disappointed. What was the author thinking?" etc etc. No one wants to be a one book wonder but it's a genuine fear. I'm just going to do my best not to think about it! Luckily for me book 1 won't be out when I'm writing book 2 so I won't have any reviews/feedback to sway me but I don't know how authors of multiple books cope - their readers constantly comparing their new book against their 'best book ever'. I think the answer is to never log onto the internet or read your reviews!
I think you're right Cally, don't read your own reviews! Easier said than done no doubt.
You most definitely WON'T be a one book wonder. The important thing is that you love the story for Book 2 and that you're guided by your editor and agent as to whether it will be the knock your socks off follow-up that you (and your readers) will be looking for.
It's a conundrum, isn't it? How do you give your audience enough of the same that they're still hooked, but different enough that they're not bored?
Luckily this is not something I'll have to consider until I've finished one book, sold it, and started another ~ and that's unlikely to be in the near future!
To be fair, it's not so bad if you read their most recent book first. At least then maybe their NEXT book will be better. But if you love their first book and it's the best thing ever... but then their second and third books suck... that's not an author you're going to carry on with. Viz: Kate Long, for me. I LOVED The Bad Mother's Handbook more than I can say. Didn't like her second and didn't bother with her third after flicking through in Waterstones - it looked even worse. I doubt I'll bother with her again.
I'm currently reading Stephen King's On Writing and he mentions that it's a little depressing that everyone thinks he wrote his best book 20 years ago. And if someone as successful as him thinks that's depressing - ! (It's funny actually - I am really enjoying it and it makes me want to read his books but I am too much of a scaredy-cat!)
Hi CC, I'm aiming to be back to write a proper comment later in the week, but for now it's Novel Racer admin - I would have emailed you but couldn't find an email address. We're guessing you didn't see Liz's recent post on the Novel Racers asking for people's intentions for 2009. Please could you have a look at the post here http://novelracers.blogspot.com/2008/11/race-2009.html and leave a comment to let us know what you'd like to do? Or if you'd prefer to let us know 'off the record', feel free to email me at the address on my blog. Thank you!
well put... its like having eaten an excellant dish at a restaurant, deciding to order it again and find second time around it is bland..I live in the constant shadow of a small voice which says quietly.. who wants to read your rubbish anyway ...
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