Modern Good Reads discussion

I once read a comment that writers keep writing the same book. I suppose that's more true for some than others.

some writers do keep writing the same book. But someone like Michel Houellebecq can make it different each time to keep it interesting.

I like A.M.Holmes' 2 books I've read so far, but suspect her others are all set in the same world so would I read a third? Not sure...

And it depends on what that world is. There's a reputedly very fine writer called David Lodge but since he only ever sets his books around English Universities, I have no interest in reading him.

I guess it just comes down to personal preferences

Dianne wrote: "Marc, I think that's the bottom line in everything we read - personal preferences. And Carl, I've heard the same thing. Maybe that's why I often get tired of some writers after a couple of books. A..."

Nice Work I'm pretty sure is set in a University

Dan Brown in my mind is one of the worst offenders of this, there's a guy, there's a girl and there's a code of some kind. Now to give credit where credit is due he does do some research for his settings but the plot is always the same.

Jeffrey Ford (one of my favorites) doesn't write the same book every time and that's likely at least partly why he's not more popular.

Dean Koontz wrote pretty much the same book (with exceptions, of course) for years. This repetition of themes and structure became his brand. I don't read him much anymore. But, when I did, I knew what I was going to get. And I think many people find comfort in that.

Dianne wrote: "Yes, I agree, and therein lies the problem for an author. To continue with a very marketable plot or write something entirely different. Have a feeling I know what his agent and editors are telling..."

No I won't take that bet...lol

Does it not come down to one thing only? Money...too many writers follow the tried and found profitable route, so many also keep the continuation of a plot going and stretching it into oblivion. Yes Dan Brown is one of them, but lets be honest, if you look at the money, why not, let the storm abate slow but steady. Readership will decline and the author must find a new protagonist that walks a different route to bring success. Arthur Haley wrote so many books of the same ilk, he just changed the names and locations, from Texas to Hawai. We always have to remember these are our opinions only, Dan Brown wont comment on it here, so we can read his books or abstain. After all he is probably more successful than all our commenters here.

Now that I think on it, Dan Brown being a more successful writer than me does make my opinion valueless.

Dan Brown makes millions off of every book he puts out and while I seem to pick on Dan Brown a lot, I doubt I would do any different in his shoes. That's an awful lot of money to turn down. Like I said he does do a lot of research into his settings and I did find that more interesting than his plots.

I think authors often have particular emotional preoccupations (like the mother/adult children relationship Diane cited). If a theme keeps recurring in an author's work, that suggests that writing about it hasn't actually helped them resolve it!

Writing a similar format over and over may be a different issue, and I think is more likely to be driven by commercial imperatives. Or it may just be inertia. You've found you can do something quite well, you're getting paid to do it, why change? A lot of people reach a point in their careers where they value security over the excitement of a challenge and authors are probably no different.

Kate wrote: "I think authors often have particular emotional preoccupations (like the mother/adult children relationship Diane cited). If a theme keeps recurring in an author's work, that suggests that writing ..."

Thanks for drawing those distinctions. You're spot on. An author returning to certain themes again and again is not the same as writing to a formula. It's more exploratory and obsessive, I think.

Dianne wrote: "Yes, I agree, and therein lies the problem for an author. To continue with a very marketable plot or write something entirely different. Have a feeling I know what his agent and editors are telling..."

So true. I got a lot of requests for a sequel to one of my books, but I wanted to write other books. Those did not sell very well. As soon as I wrote another book in the popular series, sales picked up. Talk about writing the same book, that book was the same story from another character's perspective.

Authors often work through issues in their own lives while writing their books, and they often don't even realize it. I didn't realize that I was dealing with loss, specifically the loss of my brother at a young age, until it was pointed out to me by author friends. Many mystery authors, particularly those who write cozies, gloss over the feelings of loss experienced by the family and friends of the murder victim, but I put all that in my books. Everyone, even the snarky guy that most folks in the small town hate, is loved and missed by someone.

Gregor wrote: "Now that I think on it, Dan Brown being a more successful writer than me does make my opinion valueless."

Your opinion absolutely has value, no matter what you are discussing. Just because someone is a famous author doesn't make them more important.
:) Just had to say that.

E.B. wrote: "Gregor wrote: "Now that I think on it, Dan Brown being a more successful writer than me does make my opinion valueless."

Your opinion absolutely has value, no matter what you are discussing. Just ..."

Ha! Thanks, E.B..

It is different opinions that create a constitution. It is a different opinion that has us discuss it. So any opinion is worth to consider. So I think about it, then I chose the more advantageous for me....and all of you do the same.

We, most of us writers do write for the demand of the reader. Others like myself write of what we know. Self help books are the biggest sellers because everyone has a need. The many subgenres really confuse me at times. Lets look at paranormal romance, does the writer not limit the appeal to a reader? Or the so often repeated Vampire theme? Obviously not, because wherever you look you will find a connection between those two themes. So while one is fanatical in devouring all Paranormal he will also swing into the romance and the loving Vampire story. I read many different books, some Indie, some of the tried and true Authors. I write of War and Crimes, all thrillers, forget the crime-thriller, it is all connected. We build with our writing a platform of readership, the ones that do not like a author will not buy his book, so we just let every writer experience his demise or hopefully his success.

Dianne wrote: "The more I write and the more I read, I realize how many types of books, call them sub-genres if you will, there must be to have something which appeals to someone. Writers are panned for books whi..."
I see that a lot. Those types of reviews are often helpful to me when looking for something new to read. If a reviewer wrote, "This book would be okay if I liked romantic fantasy, but since I like hardcore fantasy it was not for me," that is helpful for me.
Although it might have been a 1-star review, I think it is helpful for potential readers and is actually helpful to the author as well. Those comments help the target audience chose to buy sometimes.