tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post7822007918174672124..comments2023-09-23T04:56:51.617-07:00Comments on Forensics & Faith: What Style of Couch Are You?~ Brandilyn Collinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04771812607327238979noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-65047656672331457542010-02-23T10:03:41.612-08:002010-02-23T10:03:41.612-08:00I agree with his words, but that list! Alas, I cou...I agree with his words, but that list! Alas, I could have laughed out loud. Especially at #7. The original three are far superior.<br /><br />The top ten movies as voted on by regular people over at thebest100lists.com includes:<br /><br /> 1. The Godfather<br /> 2. Casablanca<br /> 3. The Shawshank Redemption<br /> 4. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King<br /> 5. Star Wars<br /> 6. Titanic<br /> 7. Forrest Gump<br /> 8. Schindler's List<br /> 9. Gone with the Wind<br />10. Citizen Kane<br /><br />Now that's a list I could be proud of. The web site goes to 100, so here are the three on both lists.<br /><br /> 6. Titanic <br />12. The Dark Knight<br /> 5. Star Wars<br /><br />(I guess I'm not exactly going in the direction the post was meant am I. ;) )Daniel Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12214334186482741716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-16102073060322352552010-02-23T09:35:00.468-08:002010-02-23T09:35:00.468-08:00Oops. Here you go (?) help Mr. Question Mark find ...Oops. Here you go (?) help Mr. Question Mark find his home.Jessie at Blog Schmoghttp://www.blogschmogme.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-59492147807457109422010-02-23T09:32:46.912-08:002010-02-23T09:32:46.912-08:00To illustrate Jim and Nicole. I just attended a bo...To illustrate Jim and Nicole. I just attended a book club meeting where we read a New York Times best selling book (christian) that absolutely tanked. I told my husband it was an F and if it weren't for the great premise I would have put it down 30pg in. <br /><br />I did not share that agressively with my group. 9 out of 10 LOVED it! <br /><br />When I pointed out what I didn't like about the writing... chapters and chapters of back story, slow beginning in a supposedly thrilling novel, slow middle...many, many supporting characters who were one dimentional... they agreed on every count but just couldn't get over the great story.<br /><br />"Oh yeah," they'd say, "I skimmed the first 1/3 of the book but DID you READ the END!" <br /><br />Ugh! They simply didn't care about the poor writing. Who can argue with New York Times BEST SELLER?<br /><br />Well, now I feel better I finally got to vent. :) <br /><br />But seriously, as an author, what does that mean? Write compelling characters?<br /><br /><br />Okay- I thought I was done but it reminds me, when the main character died toward the beginning of the book I didn't even CARE. So it can't be in the characters.<br /><br />I'd say if you write to the populations biggest fears, hang ups, dreams... then you've got a compelling story no matter who you insert. I don't know, I could be wrong. :)Jessie at Blog Schmoghttp://www.blogschmogme.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-15508493294398920292010-02-23T07:14:30.935-08:002010-02-23T07:14:30.935-08:00I agree whole-heartedly.I agree whole-heartedly.Lynn Squirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493660128797850584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-65523076380394098262010-02-22T14:45:28.665-08:002010-02-22T14:45:28.665-08:00I've blogged about "the average reader&qu...I've blogged about "the average reader" and the publishing industry being "out of touch" with them. It's true. Many of the book-buying readers do NOT notice craft. When I, as a writer, start talking technical, craft-y stuff, their eyes glaze over. They'll read the gamut of novels from well done to sappy and horribly written and love them all. <br /><br />The follow-up to this is usually: But if you put forth the best crafting of the story, they might not be able to discern what's good/better about it, but they'll appreciate it so much more. Sorry, doesn't really fly. <br /><br />I've given not-so-good (not mean) reviews to published novels with not-so-good craft, and, wow, readers who love the novels tend to get irate.<br /><br />For "the average reader" it's all about whether or not they like the story.Nicolehttp://hopeofglory.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-59604218580507271952010-02-22T13:35:56.539-08:002010-02-22T13:35:56.539-08:00Oh how many came from great authors? Was even one ...Oh how many came from great authors? Was even one a book first? Something to think about.SilverBillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06269543274584180576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-5297815358374982452010-02-22T12:48:05.077-08:002010-02-22T12:48:05.077-08:00I completely agree. Look at the Twilight series. S...I completely agree. Look at the Twilight series. Spurned by writers, editors, and the literary community, but embraced by the average reader. <br />The question is how do we get editors, agents, and publishers to look at stories that don't meet their "sophisticated tastes"?Niki Turnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10419436634375255412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-51292374984570517522010-02-22T08:31:51.159-08:002010-02-22T08:31:51.159-08:00There is always another generation coming along be...There is always another generation coming along behind and to them everything is again original. I find my grown kids think most things are original although I've seen the same plot a hundred times. They still enjoy it. So, I don't know if the originality of the plot matters as much as the quality of the writing. I know as a writer, I want to think I'm original but... <br />Eccl. 1:9 "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."Barbara Ellen Brinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02399673948043371966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-29897988800653134732010-02-22T05:45:08.127-08:002010-02-22T05:45:08.127-08:00I've never seen Avatar or Titanic, but E.T.? W...I've never seen Avatar or Titanic, but E.T.? Who can't love that movie? I've never been good at naming favorites of anything. There are a ton of movies and books that I love and all for different reasons. I suppose, if I were to pick one movie, I would probably say <i>Them</i>. I mean, who can't like a movie about big ants, but if you we really look closely at why we love a story, I don't think the typical writer is going to disagree much with the typical reader. We may choose a different "favorite," but that could be because we are more aware of the stories that are out there. If we just look at whether a story is good or not, you won't find much disagreement about the best stories.Timothy Fishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06554064732811895577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-65583968302536276812010-02-21T22:59:55.880-08:002010-02-21T22:59:55.880-08:00I agree, except for Titanic. Totally love it, and ...I agree, except for Titanic. Totally love it, and would freely admit to it. But I see the point. It's been drilled into our heads that we must do our best about everything - plot, language, characters. So when we see some of the bestsellers that don't necessarily have all of those things, we scoff and say they could have done better. But public - or the majority of it - wants entertainment not literally satisfaction.Dollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08144739453424963436noreply@blogger.com