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STATUS: Fighting the flu. Kristin—0 Flu—10 I’m getting my you-know-what kicked.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? NOTION by Kings of Leon
As you can imagine, the first week back in the office after being gone for 2 weeks is a bit chaotic. In fact, today I didn’t even make it there thanks to being sick. I really had no desire to pass this lovely illness on to Anita or Sara. If I don’t have a fever tomorrow, maybe I’ll go in but I’m thinking it will be more like Wednesday.
As promised (since blogger is no longer acting up) I can finally share pics from the Bologna Children’s Book Fair so you can get a visual—a little snippet of what it was like to be there. Besides, this is all my brain is capable of doing at the moment.
Here I am sitting at my table in the Agents Center. Behind me is Riley Ellis from 20th Century Fox Studios.
Out to dinner. Author and Agent comraderie! Starting from left: me, clients Sarah Rees Brennan and Ally Carter. Next to Ally is Cassandra Clare's husband Josh, Cassie Clare, Maureen Johnson and her agent Kate Testerman. Cassie's agent Barry Goldblatt is taking the picture.
Jamie Ford's HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET, an Italian bestseller, in the front window of the main bookstore in Bologna. That was so cool to see in person.
In the Agents Centre. From left: me, Irene Calpe of Versatil Spain. Next to her is Sarah Rees Brennan. Irene is Sarah's Spanish editor for THE DEMON'S LEXICON. Standing next to her is Consuela, Editorial Director of Versatil.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? KIM THE WAITRESS by Material Issue
Well, I do foresee a few problems with blogging this week but I will try my best. I will be spending the majority of my time in the Agents Centre and it does not have wifi. Yes, you read that correctly. Nor can I plug my computer in for the internet. It just doesn’t have it.
And the hotel’s definition of “high speed” internet greatly differs from mine. Working on my network is physically painful it’s so slow. I’ve also looked around for an internet café and geographically they are not handy. So we’ll muddle long as best as possible. In good news, the vino rosso is lovely and the formaggio even more so.
So this morning I’ll be heading over to the Fairgrounds around 11 a.m. to visit the Agents Centre and have my table assigned. I spent 2 weeks trying to figure out when they would send me my table number. At London, you get your assignment when you registered. Finally an agent friend took pity on me and mentioned that the table doesn’t get assigned until the fair begins. Aha. Seems a little inconvenient for the people trying to meet with me but when in Bologna….
Today is the SCBWI Bologna Symposium. I’m participating in a first pages agent panel. This is the workshop where the conference volunteer reads the first page of a variety of submissions and the agents then comment on it.
Hey, writers wanting to be gluttons for punishment is international! Grin. Seriously though, just remember that no matter how an agent responds to your pages today, this is not the make or break moment of your career. The greatest thing about writing is that you can grow and mature in your ability.
Since the fair hasn’t actually begun, I have very little to report but I do have two fun pics to share:
From a bookstore on Via dell’Indipendenza, the Italian bestseller, which is currently sitting at #7 on the list, IL GUSTO PROIBITO DELLO ZENZERO:
The Forbidden Taste of Ginger. Look familiar? Yes, it’s the Italian version of Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet.
And four ladies take a Venetian Gondola by storm. I must say Antonio looks distinctly unimpressed.
From left, author Sarah Rees Brennan, her friend Natasha, and me. Ally Carter snapped the pic. I have other great shots but guess who forgot to bring the cord for her camera so I could download the pictures off of it….
12 Comments on Bologna Children’s Book Fair—Day One, last added: 3/25/2010
You lucky thing! Enjoy the food, Bologna is the nation's food capital. I've never been to Bologna, but if it's anything like Venice then you'll have a wonderful time (when you can sneak out of the conference).
Oh what fun!!!! I know the lack of wifi stinks but that only succeeds in making our mouths water all the more for details of your trip! And the food...
I'm along for the ride. Haven't been on a gondola in 25 years! Been all over Italy backpacking, but not to Bologna. Enjoy and thanks for sharing. This will be my first vicarious conference!
Hi Kristin, Kay Rush here. An American ex-pat-author-journalist who spent most of her adult life in Italy. I read about you in Agent Query and was about to send you a query letter for my two (published in Italy) novels and then I came upon your blog...and there you are! In Italia! If you eat meat, make sure you try the lasagne al forno and ragu Bolognese. Kay Rush (Internet in Italy: if it were up to Berlusconi,the Internet would be censored as it is in China)
How did we ever survive before high speed internet?!
How quickly we got used to it. I never touched a real computer until I was around 20 and the "web" didn't make an appearance for several years after that - and many years after that before high speed, but still if a page takes more than a second to load I'm grumbling about how slow it is!
Wish I was there too - or anywhere but here where it's 10F today and windy. I'm still deciding on a birthday trip for my birthday in December - maybe go to something like this!
STATUS: It’s late and I have lots to do tomorrow. Still, I had a fun evening.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? WHEN YOUR MIND’S MADE UP by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Even if you are a successful writer, you can still just be a fan. Tonight I attended the Stephenie Meyer event (hosted by the Tattered Cover) with my assistant Sara, Ally Carter, and Ally’s good friend Beth. All three are huge SM fans and of course were delighted to meet Stephenie (and Elizabeth, if you are reading this, huge thank you for the backstage passes. I owe you the Gallagher Girl book #3 ARC!)
It’s amazing to attend a book signing where the fans scream before the event begins—to be in a crowd where readers are palpably excited about books. That in and of itself made attending the event worthwhile.
But that’s not what I really want to blog about. While at the event, all four of us got to talking and my author Ally Carter had an interesting observation that I thought was worth sharing.
When books are as successful as THE HOST and the TWILIGHT series (or say, for instance, the Harry Potter books), there is often a focus (by aspiring writers) on whether the books live up to their popularity—whether they are worth all the hype. Writers tend to focus on their own opinions about whether they like or dislike the books rather than what they should be paying attention to which is what they can learn from books that have captured such attention.
Books are popular for a reason. Trying to put your finger on that “why” could potentially teach you a lot about your own writing.
Now of course everyone has an opinion and all those opinions are certainly valid but what I’m getting at is this: Even if you dislike a popular book, try and see past that opinion to the “why” behind why devoted fans love it so much. You might just discover something that could take your writing or your next project to the next level. It might not but that “why” is certainly worth contemplating.
28 Comments on A Lesson To Be Learned from Popular Books?, last added: 5/21/2008
My niece and I are waiting... for the Breaking Dawn event that will be at Borders in August - now that's a serious fan.
Paprika said, on 5/20/2008 2:08:00 AM
That's a very good point. I think a lot of aspiring writers tend to be bitter towards successful ones out of jealousy. Especially in a case like Stephanie Meyer's, where her trip from non-writer to ultra-popular, best-selling author looks incredibly fast and easy on the surface (although it probably wasn't really as easy as it looks--it never is...). But you're right that it's MUCH more productive to try to learn from successful writers than to get all bitter and sulky because they're on the NYT bestseller list and you're not (yet).
Anonymous said, on 5/20/2008 2:34:00 AM
I think the 'why' is definitely worth contemplating.
I have known others to think that would be 'selling out' but so far they seem not to have sold anything, yet alone 'out'.
I have also known beginners to answer that 'why' as though it were a catalytic motivation rather than a structural element.
Say you identify 'Harry Potter' as a magical fantasy myth that allows children to interact with adults as equals. So is Narnia, and a half a dozen others that I can't recall at the moment. Do not write a mfm with kids vs adults!
However, if you just happen to be writing a kid's story with a little magic, a land away from adults or midway between them, then it would be of definite use to employ some of some of the forms already proven and true, so that the 'why' that so many people seem to be interested in is also answered.
And if you want to be a rebel, remember it's easier to break laws you know than laws you are ignorant of. Besides, ignorance is no excuse, so better a sheep than a lamb and also the difference between a rebel and a petty criminal.
wplasvegas (not anonymous, I just have somehow po'd goggle blooger and I don't know why)
This is why I read Eragon. I wrote my thoughts about it at Fantasy Debut and got a bit of flack for posting a mostly-positive review. It was important to me to figure out why this story was popular. I'm not sure I succeeded, but it assuaged my curiosity.
But I also think that the "why" is not exactly discernible. We can all put forth theories, but in the end, I'd rather worry about my own writing then try and figure out why something else is popular, when that question seems unanswerable.
Some writers obsess too much about over what the current trend is, and then try and mimick it. But it doesn't seem to work out though, not quite in the same way.
Interesting comment. One thing Kristin doesn't mention is that a lot of best sellers aren't that well written (Da Vinci Code, anyone?), and yet they sell well because they are good stories. I think it's fair to say that while it's important to hone your craft, craft is no substitute for story telling.
Anonymous said, on 5/20/2008 7:41:00 AM
I think too, certain bestsellers can become a sort of peer pressure situation within the kidlit community.
If you're the "only" one who hasn't read the Twilight books, etc,, then that in and of itself makes you different. It's easy to give in and buy them, to fit in, which perpetuates the sales.
Same thing with adults and something like The Davinci Code -- I've yet to find a single person that really loved the book, yet it seemed everyone read it just so they could chime in on how badly written it was.
Anonymous said, on 5/20/2008 8:14:00 AM
I agree totally and have two good examples from real life ...
I'm not a James Patterson fan, but to ignore his successful formula in commercial books is silly. He has something to teach all of us about pacing, accessibility, flow and plot -- not to mention promotion.
And while I didn't get involved in the controversy surrounding the DaVinci Code's religious theories, I thought on a purely technical level, the book was a very, very well constructed thriller, and there's something to be learned from that also.
I am reading The Host right now for that very reason, to find the "why." It is not a title I would have chosen to read for pleasure. Writers need to keep abreast of what's out there, not to follow a trend they wouldn't naturally be a part of, but to heighten their awareness and grow with the industry.
Often my sister writers will tell me they don't care what the trends are; that they are going to write the book they want to write whether or not it's what's selling. And that passion is necessary to see the process through. But there's more to it than that.
As Karen Wester Newton stated above, a lot of the bestsellers aren't that well written. But they're bestsellers. So we're back to the "why." High concept helps. And just think...if you can come up with a high concept book and write it well, then you're ahead of the competition. I just wish it were as easy as it sounds!
Something similar goes on in the minds of reviewers/critics, I think. Many of them seem to assess a book in light of how they, the critics, would have tackled the same topic or plot the author has selected. (Or, worse, they use the review to discuss why the author should have selected a different plot or topic.)
A more useful approach -- more useful to a reader, at any rate -- would lay out something up front like "I think, based on the following evidence, this is what the author meant to accomplish with this book." Said evidence to be followed by an assessment of how well the book hits the mark.
Sure, this would make book reviewing harder for the reviewers. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. :)
I'm reading the Host Right now. As the person above me wrote, It's not something I would normally pick up.
The big BUT here is, I work in a book store and need to keep myself up with what's hot. No one else in the store really wanted to read it (or could take the time for a 600 plus page book)... so I thought I'd be the one to read and share.
I'm actually really loving it. I've put it in my staff pics and share it with people who read everything from classic Lit to Sci-Fi to Womans fiction.
It's *not* the writing that has hooked me. the book itself is overly long and many pieces could have been tightened or removed to speed the pace of the book. Several things are repeated to good effect, but others are simply stating the thought in another way.
In this case, it's the humanity behind the story. I Love books that make you think about different things. This book really makes you think about humanity.
It's the story itself... which any author, new or established, rough or polished in their craft, can strive for. That in itself is very motivating.
Okay, this is Just Me and my opinion and certainly not the word of any almighty diety, agent, or editor...
The popular books appeal to a broad range of readers. Harry Potter wasn't just a YA book, it had enough darkness that it drew in adult readers. The Gallagher Girls series isn't just a teen romance, it has suspense, action, mystery.
The popular books can be picked up and enjoyed by about 80% of the population.
The cult classics, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld, sell well (he's a top UK seller) but it isn't "popular" because the genre only appeals to a rabid 10% of the population. But they are rabid fans who will buy anything Discworld related. The same for Star Wars, the mech series, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Terry Brooks, and Louis McMaster Bujold.
For a writer this means that what genre you want to write will determine whether you become the super-popular author who dominates the NYT even if you don't edit (although no good agent would let their author try that stunt) and being the Cult Classic who has a devoted following but not the recognition status.
I'm biased, I like the genre books, I like sci-fi more than anything, and that's what I'm comfortable writing. I don't ever expect to have a fan base like JKR. But, provided I live through edits, I may get a small group of devoted fans. Maybe. I have to convince an agent I'm worth the trouble first.
Even if it's not of stellar quality, if it's entertaining then people put up with what may be wrong with it. For instance, the Sunburn Song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-QJ2dwObJk
These guys wouldn't win American Idol, but you'll watch the whole thing and probably email the link to others because it's really entertaining. (the link is via my blog).
Oh!! I love Stephanie Meyer. I'm reading The Host now, as a matter of fact.
Anonymous said, on 5/20/2008 9:52:00 AM
This is great advice, Kristin.
I have to admit I read Twilight and so didn't get why it was wildly popular vs. the mountains of other vampire books. I read it really, really wanting to like it because, hey, I *like* seeing success like that. I cheer those writers on because they drag people who don't normally read into bookstores and leave them wanting more. YA writers should be throwing rose petals in the paths of JK Rowling and Stephanie Meyer.
But... I just didn't get Twilight (loved Harry Potter though). Average, boring girl meets Gary Stu perfect vampire. Hundreds of pages of unresolved sexual tension ensue. Girl is almost killed. The end. No particularly new or interesting take on vampires. Characters were blah. The plot was... there... sorta. The narrative read like better-than-average fanfiction. I was completely turned off by the POV character because I thought she was weak and boring and stupid. And I am starting to think that may be it -- people really related to that character's averageness and voice, whereas I... just didn't.
The Host sounds really interesting, and I'll probably pick that one up even though I didn't care for Twilight.
I've noticed in the (unpublished) writer's community that it can be quite hip to trash the most popular novels. Some people sneer at the quality of the writing and rattle of a list of "rules" that were broken per page or something like that.
It all comes across a bit like sour grapes. And I want to be clear, obviously you can dislike a popular book. But, they are popular for a reason. Why don't we try to find out why?
I'll admit I was one of those jealous of Stephanie Meyers...until I read the books.
Of course there are flaws, but I got an understanding of why it is so popular. She really speaks to her audience--teenage girls who are insecure, who are going through all that sexual tension, who are still dreaming of prince charming. She hit the nail on the head.
Then older women, who still face some of the same things, got hooked in too.
That's a lesson right there--knowing your audience. Reading Twilight taught me a lot as a writer, and now I'm a bigger fan than I ever planned on being, even if I still can't stand Bella, lol.
Renee, I've got a feeling that some of the nastiness when it comes to hugely successful books boils down to this: the perception of two separate sets of "rules." One for them, one for me. The wildly successful author can break any rules she wants, while the rest of us are told to toe the line.
I've seen this in my niche market. "You can't have a divorced hero!" Then the fabulously talented Patt Marr comes along & does exactly that, and it works.
And this wasn't said after the speaker had read my book. Nothing of that nature. It was just a rule. End of topic. No discussion, please.
This honks off unpubbed writers, and rightly so. Wouldn't it be better for the overall discussion if the rule-givers say instead, "Yes, she broke this rule, and it worked because..."?
Anonymous said exactly what I thought after reading the Twilight series. I also felt that the protag was dangerously narcissistic and a bad friend.
However, my daughter, who is smack in the demographic the books are aimed at, loved them. She couldn't really articulate why except that for all the faults, which she recognized, the books were a good read.
Emily said, on 5/20/2008 11:22:00 AM
I recently read Twilight, and it really helped me put my own writing into perspective. I've tried so hard to follow all the rules, yet here is a book where it is nearly impossible to find "said" as a dialogue tag, every emotion is overexplained with purple prose, the romantic interest is a Gary Stu, and there is absolutely no plot in sight for the first 300 or so pages.
Yet it helped me understand that it really is all about emotion; whether we as writers manage to tap into the emotions of our target audience. The average reader will not comb the book for POV switches, weird dialogue tags, the amount of times "gasped" was used, or scenes where the MC looks in the mirror to describe herself. The demands to correct those "mistakes" have been born out of the relatively small, language-obsessed circle of writers and writing professionals, and I freely admit to being one. But those things do not matter to the reading public, not one bit - Meyer's books have definitely proved that.
So, why fret so much? :-)
Anonymous said, on 5/20/2008 11:58:00 AM
I think what so many people don't get is that the story itself is what people remember, and the writing is just the vehicle that delivers the story. It's not at all about trends, it's about delivering on expectation. When a reader picks up a book, they hope they'll get 'lost in the story', that it will so captivate them that they'll read it in one sitting, and the ending will be worth waiting for.
What do the big breakout books have in common? Killer story structure....the book delivers on the reader's expectation or exceeds it. When it exceeds it, word of mouth happens. A few books that come to mind that are still at the top of the bestseller lists are The Kite Runner and Water For Elephants. Both books have a somewhat similar story structure, where everything 'connects' at the end...that ripple effect when the book ends, and the reader is completely satisfied and tells their friends 'you need to read this.'
Twilight has this too, two teens who cannot be together, yet can't stay away from each other, characters that ring true, flawed, and normal, and a hero to lust after.
I have to agree with Emily. I am a Twilight fan to the nth degree, and the emotion factor in Twilight is off the charts.
When Bella is depressed, I'm feeling a little down. When she's happy, I'm right there with here, and when she's terrified, I'm afraid to turn the page.
SM has a way of toggling that emotion button throughout the entire story, and I can't wait for Breaking Dawn!! My calendar is marked :o)
lizr said, on 5/20/2008 1:04:00 PM
Thank you so much for saying this.
In addition to my original stories, I write fanfiction based on a very well-known young adult novel (the original author is aware of our writing and is both supportive and encouraging). Many of the writers on the site, though, aren't just young (many are 13-14); they are inexperienced and, well, not very good writers. Yet :).
When I see a story with horrendous writing that's got dozens of reviews telling the author how wonderful it is, though, I read the story trying to pinpoint what it is they like about it. It sure isn't the grammar, heh heh, and there usually isn't much of a plot; but over time I've noticed a few specific aspects that draw a lot of readers in.
While this is on a different end of the spectrum from a published novel, the thing I've figured out is that it isn't always just the writing that does it, especially when you're looking at readers who don't have a good grasp of writing themselves. Sometimes there's something less technical, less rule-related, hiding right there on the surface.
I read Twilight for exactly that reason- I wanted to see what all the hype was about, and figure out why it was just so popular. And I found I had a greater appreciation for it by reading it with a critical eye, dissecting it to see what was so appealing. As I read it, I constantly thought about how this part was too wordy, this part a little too purple, and other things from a technical point of view, but when I actually finished the book, I found that I liked the story for what it is. It brought me back to being a teenager and the intensity of the feelings I had then and all my wistful daydreams and I smiled and wanted to read more. It really does all lie in the story, even if the story is not particularly original, and shows that even if your book is grammatically perfect, it needs to have some spark if it's going to appeal to a mass audience.
Anonymous said, on 5/20/2008 5:09:00 PM
I'm sorry but whatever SM has to say, I really am not interested in hearing it; just can't get past the level of the prose -- which is awful in any given paragraph. I read the excerpt for The Host which up on her official website and life is way too short to wade through material like that.
I don't know if all writers are like this, but I have to try really hard to read a novel just for the story. I find myself critiquing it as I would while revising my own manuscript...
A lot of writers/readers fell for the hype of a fantasy book (we're talking a few years ago). He was supposed to be the latest and greatest, story is great, blah blah blah.
Except, from reviews I've read, his characters are one dimensional (women who are witches are all evil; gorgeous, normal women have non-existent IQs; all magical men are gorgeous, smart, etc.). I can't remember his name offhand, but I think a lot of people in the fantasy community really got p.o.'d big time because of all the hype.
Which is one of the reasons why I tend to stay away from those hyped to the hilt.
For instance, I didn't get a copy of The daVinci Code until last year. I turned the pages like crazy; and I decided that despite the wooden characters, it had me interested to the very end.
So of course I had to blog about it:
http://tinyurl.com/4ro8oy
because I figured Dan Brown had something to teach me about making my novel into a page turner - something that readers wouldn't want to put down.
Of course, I still haven't analyzed it, lol, but I'll get around to it some day.
CIO, the companion website to CIO magazine, talked to me a few weeks ago about what people who only know how to search Google are missing out on, especially in a business/market research fashion. Here’s the article: Six Techniques to Get More from the Web than Google Will Tell You.
I don’t talk about it much lately, but when I was fresh out of library school I did some work doing market research and other miscellaneous stuff for a recruiter who worked a lot for Amazon.com and it was fascinating to look at the questions she’d ask to try to help them find the right person for the job. I had a sort of sideways approach to some of the topics we researched and that seemed to help her find good people. I like getting to talk to people about the importance of primary source material and the difference between going to a library’s list of good links on their website and talking to the librarian (in person or over IM) directly. I have mixed experiences talking to reporters but I was really happy with how Margaret Locher, an MLS holder herself, represented the things that Ann Cullen from Simmons and I told her.
3 Comments on How to “Get More from the Web than Google Will Tell You”, last added: 11/27/2007
How to “Get More from the Web than Google Will T said, on 11/27/2007 11:20:00 AM
[…] by Ken Fujiuchi on November 27, 2007 via librarian.net, talking about this […]
Search tips for the internet « Regis University E said, on 11/27/2007 3:41:00 PM
[…] you’ll find some repetition in this article with some of our previous posts, but librarians Jessamyn West and Anne Cullen provide some great tips on searching for information on the […]
DG-kult » Comment on How to “Get More from the said, on 11/27/2007 9:28:00 PM
[…] Check it out! While looking through the blogosphere we stumbled on an interesting post today.Here’s a quick excerptyou’ll find some repetition in this article with some of our previous posts, but librarians Jessamyn West and Anne Cullen provide some great tips on searching for information on the […] […]
In the Agents Centre. From left: me, Irene Calpe of Versatil Spain. Next to her is Sarah Rees Brennan. Irene is Sarah's Spanish editor for THE DEMON'S LEXICON. Standing next to her is Consuela, Editorial Director of Versatil.
You lucky thing!
Enjoy the food, Bologna is the nation's food capital.
I've never been to Bologna, but if it's anything like Venice then you'll have a wonderful time (when you can sneak out of the conference).
Oh what fun!!!! I know the lack of wifi stinks but that only succeeds in making our mouths water all the more for details of your trip! And the food...
Thanks for sharing with those of us wishing we could be there!
I think the universe is telling you to take it easy and enjoy the wine and Gondola rides :)
Have fun!
Oh my. Sounds like you are in quite the technological conundrum. But you are also in Italy; this negates the tech problems.
Have fun! I'd be too terrified to get into a gondola by the way. I wonder if I'd have to buy two seats, similar to air plane regulations. Hmmm.
Between the sparse network connectivity and last week's news about emailed contracts, it sounds like paper is making a comeback.
Do they still use carrier pigeons in Bologna? (Grin)
OMG It's my dream to be able to go there with all of you someday :D
Guess I better keep writing!
Have fun and keep us updated (despite the awful connection >_>)
Thanks for sharing whatever you're able. I always enjoy when you share your experiences at conferences.
I'm along for the ride. Haven't been on a gondola in 25 years! Been all over Italy backpacking, but not to Bologna. Enjoy and thanks for sharing. This will be my first vicarious conference!
The man in the back (Antonio?) looks so funny! lol
Hi Kristin, Kay Rush here. An American ex-pat-author-journalist who spent most of her adult life in Italy. I read about you in Agent Query and was about to send you a query letter for my two (published in Italy) novels and then I came upon your blog...and there you are! In Italia! If you eat meat, make sure you try the lasagne al forno and ragu Bolognese. Kay Rush (Internet in Italy: if it were up to Berlusconi,the Internet would be censored as it is in China)
How did we ever survive before high speed internet?!
How quickly we got used to it. I never touched a real computer until I was around 20 and the "web" didn't make an appearance for several years after that - and many years after that before high speed, but still if a page takes more than a second to load I'm grumbling about how slow it is!
Wish I was there too - or anywhere but here where it's 10F today and windy. I'm still deciding on a birthday trip for my birthday in December - maybe go to something like this!
Have a great trip!