tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861802527677757801.post9214763990428070678..comments2023-05-22T10:00:52.144-04:00Comments on On The Job Writing: On JealousyMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02072250052178202167noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861802527677757801.post-50177130345487651452012-07-10T13:48:39.430-04:002012-07-10T13:48:39.430-04:00Right. I think this displayed two sides of the sam...Right. I think this displayed two sides of the same jealousy coin. One with (to put it nicely) controversial success. The other with pretty universally agreed success.<br /><br />On one hand, it helps to know that you don't have to as good as Rothfuss to sell books successfully. If I thought I had to compete against Sanderson, Rothfuss, Martin, and others... I'd hide in a corner and cry. Maybe someday my craft could rival theirs, but I'm at a vastly different point in the journey. (Also, I agree they work their butts off and it shows.)<br /><br />As far as 50 Shades goes... I have to believe my writing is up to par (if not better) than a good number of currently on-sale books. I hesitate to disparage anyone that's completed a novel, since I know how much work it takes, but I think most could agree (likely including Ms. James, herself) that there's a big different in craft between what she wrote and some of the greats out there. It is not my cup of tea, but obviously it did something right.<br /><br />It would be easy to decry the sales as pure "luck," and in doing so give room for jealousy to grow. The analytic part of me chimes in: what I should take from the success is that I don't have to be a Rothfuss to sell books that people enjoy reading. It can be a confidence boost.<br /><br />Sometimes I need a reminder of that. If people simply enjoy my books, then mission accomplished. As long as I stay true to the mission, the sales will follow. Aim for enjoyment, work toward mastery... not the other way around.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06496367364680009076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861802527677757801.post-42421255241651672072012-07-10T11:41:02.314-04:002012-07-10T11:41:02.314-04:00Agh.. Fifty Shades. As a woman, I can maybe make y...Agh.. Fifty Shades. As a woman, I can maybe make you feel better? I do not have an ounce of desire to read that book. Perhaps maybe so I can quote it and make people feel uncomfortable with it's absolute awfulness, but other than that: nothanksnotachancepleasedontwavethatuglythinginmyface. It's hard to work out what will be the next big thing and how it gets there, but it's safe to say a lot of them do end up being utter tripe. <br /><br />And as for the Pat Rothfuss jealousy, join the queue but at least understand the hours of revisions and edits that man goes through to adapt his novels' readability! That makes me feel better. You know, knowing that he's human and all. :)Hannah @ Dragons and Whimsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00669527928501514046noreply@blogger.com