h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was given a book a couple of years ago by an English or Irish writer - can't remember her name atm - who has written something like 85 novels in the past few years. My friend gave it to me because he said he knew I enjoyed reading. Another friend, upon hearing which book it was, said it was like giving me a tin of dog food because they knew I enjoyed eating!

But I did actually finish that one. At the time I was attempting to write a novel of my own and had read somewhere that one can actually learn a lot from badly written books.

az

That's true, az. I have a whole load of ideas for novels buzzing around in my head. Sometimes, if I'm not enjoying a book, I try to figure out what it is that's spoiling it for me. Sometimes it's the author's style, sometimes it's the characters (e.g., not realistic, poorly developed, etc.). You can learn as much from analyzing a book that you *don't* enjoy as from analyzing one you do.

I liked Raskolnikov - he had no redeeming features, and he was soooo arrogant. A protagonist (can't really call him a hero) that I could really love to hate.

I got the Brothers Karmazov for Christmas. Still trying to muster up the courage to try it.

hi Cheerful Dragon,

A couple of years ago I bought Stephen King's book called On Writing. Although I am not a fan of his I found this book very interesting and informative. And he also said that you can often learn a lot more about writing from reading a badly written book than by reading the great classics.

az

Erm...like reading a Stephen King book, fr'instance?

RF

Well, I think he even admits that he writes for the money. And because he does this he isn't prissy about this being considered 'art'. He also admits to writing one or two books totally under the influence of either drugs or alcohol or both and how these books ended up being total crap. I did find his book about writing quite interesting.

He also gives very practical advice for would-be writers and tells them how to go about getting their stuff published.

As I say, I don't like his stuff myself but he is much better than the 'dog-food' woman.

az

I believe the 'dog-food' woman is in the top 15 richest people in the UK - but I still cannot remember her name!

az

Ah! JK Rowling!

Kidding! She's *the* richest woman in the UK!

I wonder if this mystery woman knows she's known as "the dog-food woman"?

RF

A work collegue once lent me a Jackie Collins novel on the theory that I needed to widen the range of books I read
I never did read it.

No, I think she is Irish, perhaps Colleem somebody-or-other?

az

whoops, or even Colleen

az

Could it be Colleen McCullough? I've never read her books but I know she wrote The Thorn Birds, which was turned into a mini-series starring Richard Chamberlain.

Nope, I remember her. It is some old broad in the UK or Ireland who has written about 45 novels since she quit schoolteaching at age forty-something.

I think she is in her eighties now and is really stinking rich.

az

Colleen McCulloughs series of novels on republican Rome wasn't bad. She may not be literature but she does research her subject fully and not take massive liberties with events and personalities.

No, the 'dog food' lady isn't Colleen McCullough. I think she is even a dame. Aaarrgh. Wish I could remember her name, though I may end up insulting any fans here by having called her the 'dog food' lady.

az

She doesn't wear a hairnet as well, by any chance?

RF

I mean really, how many 80-something female authors are in the top 15 (okay, maybe 20) wealthiest people in the UK?

az

JK Rowling
Elizabeth Windsor

er...

That's it.

RF

If it was Barbara Cartland shes dead now but she wrote umpteen formulaic romances and made a lot of money.

JK Rowling is not 80+ years old . . .

az