David Brian's Blog - Posts Tagged "konrath"

Just before we get started, some news: I have finally gotten round to putting a page on Facebook. The plan is to keep it updated regularly, and with as many interesting snippets as I can.
So, if you are on Facebook, then feel free to come and say 'hello!'
I could sure use the likes.:)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/David-...

Right, let's get started. I was participant in a somewhat heated conversation at the weekend, and it threw up some rather interesting points of view.

I was at a bar-bq, enjoying the onset of an early English summer (a rarity to be cherished). The conversation originated around the book Draculas (Crouch, Konrath, Strand, and F. Paul Wilson), and then descended into a frenzied attack aimed at all indie authors.

Thankfully, I love a row. Especially when my opponent is a clown (no offense is meant towards any real clowns, especially those sexy female ones!)

Anyhow, I only recently finished reading Draculas, and was talking to a young lady who is currently partway through the book.

Our conversation was overheard (eavesdropped you might say) by a gentleman who, until recently, lectured at a prominent university, and who only joined our discussion because he thought we were talking about Stoker's Dracula.

You'll just have to try and picture his contempt for our enjoyment at reading, as he put it, "this 'pulp' novel". Strong words indeed, and even more so considering that up until this point he hadn't even read any of it!

Now, rightly or wrongly, my young companion encouraged him to read the Amazon sample pages for Draculas. This turned out to have been a bad move as it just reinforced his 'hack' assessment.

His vitriol was then turned on me: I have 'no idea of the true aspects of literary talent' (Yep. No idea what that means.), and I 'swim in the same cesspool as the rest of the indie hacks'.

But here's the thing: My educated friend was completely missing the point. Yes there is plenty of dross in the indie market. But there is also a sizable portion of mind-numbing-crap churned out by the literati lauded, writing elite.

I don't consider myself a writer of highbrow literature, and I'm guessing neither do Konrath, Crouch etc.
What we are, what we aim to be, is storytellers. And if some highbrow chump wants to class us as 'pulp hacks' then so be it.

Do you ever actually look at the New York Times Book Review? Do you check out the Booker Prize nominated books? I doubt the majority of readers could give two hoots about these lists.

Sure, they offer visibility. But they also tend to offer a certain type of read.

I believe there is a real pool of talent swimming, undiscovered in this vast indie ocean. They may not have the style of a Gunter Grass, or that ilk. But is that such a bad thing?
I don't want to spend umpteen paragraphs reading about Aunt Molly's attempts at baking the perfect shortbread. Or the intricacies involved in adjusting the length of cousin Sally's petticoats.

Halfway down the first page I need to be interested enough that I want to know more. By the third page I want to be captured, hook, line and sinker.
I want to be entertained!

Draculas is a rip-roaring, tour de force in vampire entertainment. If you are looking for a novel full of literary depth, then this ain't the book for you. But if you are willing to be grabbed by the short and curlys, and dragged, kicking and screaming along a ride of blood soaked terror, then this is the kiddy! It's precisely as the authors intended.
High octane!
Fun!Fun!Fun!

I was forced to verbally bitch slap the nutty professor, and before he skulked off he told me that he intended to write a novel of his own, but he hadn't as yet been able to find the time.
He's been retired eighteen months. I wonder, how does he suppose the rest of us manage?

A writer friend, who has achieved far greater success than I, and who also works as a journalist, tells me that as a junior intern he was taught to work towards the four W's: who, what, when, where.
As an author it becomes the five W's: Why - the 'why' being an essential addition.

It's okay to keep your readers guessing, but avoid confusing them. Each page should be either thought provoking or action packed.
Better still, both.
Anything that makes the reader want to carry on turning the pages.

And try to keep your segues smooth. There is nothing worse than having to back-read in order to figure out what the hell just happened.

Thanks for reading. See you on Facebook!:)