To all you aspiring writers out there

The Good Guy · Dec 18, 2014

Do any of you read bad books and spend time on it so you get an idea of what bad writing is? In other words if you come across a book, read the first couple of paragraphs and already think it's bad do you think to yourselves it's worth a read so you can remind yourself what bad writing is?

I remember king mentioned how he closed a book and stopped reading it because of how poor the prose was. And I don't remember him mentioning about wanting to spend time to read bad books. Or did he? do you know if mentions at all in On Writing about reading bad books?

GNTLGNT · Dec 18, 2014

The Good Guy said:
Do any of you read bad books and spend time on it so you get an idea of what bad writing is? In other words if you come across a book, read the first couple of paragraphs and already think it's bad do you think to yourselves it's worth a read so you can remind yourself what bad writing is?

I remember king mentioned how he closed a book and stopped reading it because of how poor the prose was. And I don't remember him mentioning about wanting to spend time to read bad books. Or did he? do you know if mentions at all in On Writing about reading bad books?

...no I don't...to many good ones out there to waste the time...and bad is way to subjective to define...

no bounce no play · Dec 18, 2014

I lose interest in stories that are overly descriptive which is something other readers seem to like. I like how SK allows readers to visualize without forcing a visual.

skimom2 · Dec 18, 2014

Not on purpose (I've had to struggle through a few in reviewing). Reading bad books (poorly written--'bad' in subject matter is subjective) has no real benefit to a writer, I don't think, except to maybe nudge you toward bad writing habits instead of away from them. Better to read the good stuff

blunthead · Mar 12, 2015

blunthead · Mar 12, 2015

blunthead · Mar 12, 2015

blunthead · Mar 12, 2015

blunthead · Mar 12, 2015

Dana Jean · Mar 13, 2015

blunthead said:

THIS IS ME EXACTLY.

blunthead · Mar 13, 2015

Dana Jean said:
THIS IS ME EXACTLY.

This is one of the reasons I edit my posts so routinely. And I still post major mistakes.

drinkslinger · Jul 16, 2015

blunthead said:

This is exactly what I was taught by a very talented creative writing prof. Sage advice!

paper_is_sweet · Jul 17, 2015

The Good Guy said:
Do any of you read bad books and spend time on it so you get an idea of what bad writing is? In other words if you come across a book, read the first couple of paragraphs and already think it's bad do you think to yourselves it's worth a read so you can remind yourself what bad writing is?

I remember king mentioned how he closed a book and stopped reading it because of how poor the prose was. And I don't remember him mentioning about wanting to spend time to read bad books. Or did he? do you know if mentions at all in On Writing about reading bad books?

So...I teach 6th grade English...I get *paid* to read bad writing and try to fix it. Sometimes, it's pretty painful. I can't actually imagine someone doing it on purpose, in their spare time.

Although, I have finished all the "big deal" YA books that have been popular with my students in order to get a sense of the types of reading that interest them. The entire "Twilight" saga should have qualified me for combat pay...
:blarf:

ZNPaaneah · Aug 1, 2015

The Good Guy said:
Do any of you read bad books and spend time on it so you get an idea of what bad writing is? In other words if you come across a book, read the first couple of paragraphs and already think it's bad do you think to yourselves it's worth a read so you can remind yourself what bad writing is?

I remember king mentioned how he closed a book and stopped reading it because of how poor the prose was. And I don't remember him mentioning about wanting to spend time to read bad books. Or did he? do you know if mentions at all in On Writing about reading bad books?

He said one of the benefits of bad writing is that it encourages you that you could do this.

I have a habit of turning off bad movies a short way into it. My wife gets upset but I tell her what is going to happen because the writing is so formulaic and telegraphed. In my opinion if I don't care about the characters or if I can't stand the dialogue I will shut it off. Superficial characters, lousy dialogue, predictable plot -- can't stand that.

On the other hand I just recently watched a new style of bad all the way to the end. In this movie there appears to be a major "plot twist" that completely catches you by surprise. But the reason is that they have lied to you. You are under the impression that the protagonist is the villain, and you come to this conclusion because they tell you through flashbacks of his memory. The plot twist is that the writer lied to you for half the story and now he is telling you a different story.

Pucker · Aug 7, 2015

Unless the badness manifests itself almost immediately, I'm one of those people who will slog on, but not out of any desire to understand bad writing.

I understand bad writing alright. I've been doing it for . . . well . . . a long time.

I'll slog on through dreck just on pure stubbornness. It's probably that last vestige of Calvinism that no native New Englander can really get out of his system.

"Damn! This is so bad, it's just got to be good for me!"

SpazzTheBassPlayer · Aug 19, 2015

The Good Guy said:
Do any of you read bad books and spend time on it so you get an idea of what bad writing is? In other words if you come across a book, read the first couple of paragraphs and already think it's bad do you think to yourselves it's worth a read so you can remind yourself what bad writing is?

I don't write (although I have often daydreamed of it) but I sometimes do read bad books: I have a "guilty pleasure" of reading poorly written sci-fi, mostly of the "dimestore paperback" variety that was published between the 1950s and 1970s by various small book companies. Its like the literary equivalent of watching a B-Movie (usually worse)...In some ways, I get a multi-dimensional source of entertainment: Between the hokum of the story itself and the lack of writing skill....Sometimes the writing is so bad that it is pleasantly painful

muskrat · Aug 20, 2015

skimom2 said:
Not on purpose (I've had to struggle through a few in reviewing). Reading bad books (poorly written--'bad' in subject matter is subjective) has no real benefit to a writer, I don't think, except to maybe nudge you toward bad writing habits instead of away from them. Better to read the good stuff

As usual, I must politely disagree. Reading bad writing, especially bestselling crap like Tween-lite (Twilight) can be a heck of a boost to an unpublished writer's self-esteem. Of course, I'd never read the WHOLE book (not when I could just as easily drive toothpicks into my eyeballs) but just knowing--KNOWING--you're better than that can help keep one's spirits up.

That, and I read a lot of old pulp, most of which is dreadful, yet I find the occasional gem of an idea buried in all that crap--which I'll pluck for my own, thinking, "This cat had the right IDEA, he just needed a different approach."

Walter Oobleck · Aug 20, 2015

Even the best have written a line or more that is enough to keep most poets curious. I read a post here in the past about Lisey's Story. Paraphrased, Scott was frying bacon in his underpants. I know I read the line, probably more than once, before I read the post here on the board that highlighted that nugget. So I'd hazard there are times when even the best (talkin editors and the like, a writer's readers, so forth) fail to recognize the bad when their eyes are glossy with love and affection. Whud she see in him, as the song has it. Commence theorizing.

skimom2 · Aug 20, 2015

muskrat said:
As usual, I must politely disagree. Reading bad writing, especially bestselling crap like Tween-lite (Twilight) can be a heck of a boost to an unpublished writer's self-esteem. Of course, I'd never read the WHOLE book (not when I could just as easily drive toothpicks into my eyeballs) but just knowing--KNOWING--you're better than that can help keep one's spirits up.

That, and I read a lot of old pulp, most of which is dreadful, yet I find the occasional gem of an idea buried in all that crap--which I'll pluck for my own, thinking, "This cat had the right IDEA, he just needed a different approach."

I get what you're saying but I think that reading too much bad writing (not all pulp writers were bad writers, btw) lends a better chance of picking up bad habits by osmosis--lol. This is especially true of inexperienced writers who are still finding their own style. EVERYONE apes at the beginning--EVERYONE (any new writer who thinks they're completely original makes me laugh). It's how we learn. So if you're apeing garbage, there's a chance you're incorporating swill into what will eventually become your 'style'.

Pucker · Aug 20, 2015

muskrat said:
As usual, I must politely disagree. Reading bad writing, especially bestselling crap like Tween-lite (Twilight) can be a heck of a boost to an unpublished writer's self-esteem.

The knowledge that you can write better than some who have been published can certainly be uplifting, but I think it reinforces the idea that if you long to be published (as you and I), writing the actual story is the easy part.

To all you aspiring writers out there

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The idiot is IN

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Just moseyin' through...

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Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return

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We all have it coming, kid

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keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going

Just moseyin' through...

We all have it coming, kid