This morning I went to the library to brouse through the discarded book section in hopes of finding some good books to add to my grandkids' library in Nana and Papa's playroom. I found some fabulous childrens' books (story time happens every time that the grandchildren come over to visit), but I did not find one decent adult book.
There were many bestsellers on the shelves, and while the writing style of some of them is decent (even if they are formula writers), they are seldom great. Great books are timeless. We can enjoy Huckleberry Finn, Alice in Wonderland and Anne of Green Gables even as adults but is the latest popular crime novel likely to withstand the test of time? Not likely. It's just the flavor of the month. It sells, and hey, there is nothing wrong with that, but it's really not a case of great writing and unlikely to make it to English 101 at any university.
I guess that it all depends on your goals. If you plan to sell thousands of books and are content with that, go for it but if you want to sell thousands of books and keep selling books for generations, put some effort into the writing. Strive for excellence. The writing process will be lengthy. You will need numerous readers before the book is ever published. It is very important that what you write is actually what you meant to say. You simply cannot edit your own work so you need numerous other points of view that will give you interpretations of your writing. It's amazing how your own brain will fill in the missing gaps even when you are not aware of the deficiencies, but when other people repeat back to you their interpretation of your written words you might be amazed at the miscommunications.
Anyway, be the very best that you can be because once your words are in print, there is no changing them. They are out there, potentially for all time.
Now, the grandkids are here so I'm off to choose a great book to read to them.
Denise
www.inktreemarketing.com
www.publishacookbook.com
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