50 Shades of Grey

Can't say that I am at all interested in reading this series, I mean if I want good erotica, I know where to find it. I do have many work friends who are reading it though, mostly they are 40 or over, and single, or under 25 and loved the Twilight series and neither group have ventured far past the romance genre in their reading exploits so they would not know what a well written book was if it jumped up and bit them. It does however make me want to write a supernatural BDSM series that goes viral, just so I can fund my dreams of overseas travel..
 
The amount of people at work who have read or are reading this is unbelievable. It doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. Was talking to a friend who tried reading it, she couldn't get past the first two chapters. her verdict was it is badly written the grammar is diabolical and if she wants erotica she will re-read the Kushiel Legacy series.
 
Isn't that the whole plot of Vampire Academy or something of the sort?
You're right...it did not fail.
 
The part of 50 Shades that sort of rips me is that this kind of thing, this interest in BDSM, etc, has been an something of an undertone on the Net for a few years now. Look at the several BDSM "worlds" that exist on Irc. Observe the fact that nearly half of all the sex sims on Second Life are Gorean. Now admittedly, other people, people who could actually, demonstrably WRITE, like Jacqueline Carey, were doing it, and while having more than small success, were not making publishing history. However, they were actually intelligent people writing thoughtful stories. This person realises that all you have to do is take the deeper meaning OUT and you've got your million(s).

It's like DaVinci Code. Not one person who ever read Holy Blood, Holy Grail, never said at one point. "Boy, I wish I could make a story out of this, but Baigent and Lincoln will surely sue for plagiarism if I do." It took Brown to realise that yeh, they could, would and did sue, but they wouldn't win, because he was making a fiction book and they were saying it was true.
 
Just seen this: http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/how-rich-is-e-l-james.html Makes you sick to the stomach. Not only that something that badly written can become so popular, but that these articles keep promoting self-publishing and how easy it is and how more people should do it. As if we really need a whole load more crap out there drowning out all the good stuff.
 
For those who dislike 50 Shades of Grey, might I recommend 50 Sheds of Grey?:

https://twitter.com/50ShedsofGrey

It's slightly racey now and then, but in a very satirical (and not explicit) way.
 
Mouse said:
Just seen this: http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/how-rich-is-e-l-james.html Makes you sick to the stomach. Not only that something that badly written can become so popular, but that these articles keep promoting self-publishing and how easy it is and how more people should do it. As if we really need a whole load more crap out there drowning out all the good stuff.
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Doesn't make me sick. Makes me think how much money that publishing house can now invest in its other authors, or new authors.

As for promoting SP....well, it has worked for some people. Ofc often the articles fail to say just how hard it is, or that the people raking in pots of money are outliers (in teh same way King and Rowling are outliers in trade publishing). At least this article notes that you actually have to have a novel that's quite good*, and then work hard, and that you aren't likely to make your fortune. I've seen some that basically say 'Bung it up on kindle and you'll be a millionaire!'.


*And before anyone says that Fifty Shades is bilge or whatever....it became popular because of word of mouth to start with - people saying 'OMG you have to read this!'. Much the same as Twilight etc. You or I may not like it (I can't say, I've not read either of them) but those authors did something right, tapped into something in their readers, giving them what they want out of this sort of book. Good for them, is all I can think, because giving people pleasure in reading - that's doing it right, isn't it?
 
I looked at a library copy and managed to read the first few chapters, confirming the presence of yet another serving of low brow fodder cultivated by another hack writer.

Now back to something vaguely similar in theme, my recent procurement of the excellent Decadent Reader (by far the best of its kind available in English), featuring fiction and 'fantasy' from fin-de-siecle France. Huysmans, Maupassant and Mirbeau are all there including some never-before translated gems but plenty of other significant contributors as well Yeh!
 
I also haven't read it, but I know a few people who think it's really good. That being said, these are not people who usually read. They were just interested in it because of all the hype. I've not decided yet if I'll be reading it.
 
I was given Fifty Shades of Grey as a present, and as appreciative as I am of the thoughtfulness shown to me by someone taking the time to shop, purchase, wrap and present the gift...being burnt at the stake might have been a less torturous alternative to reading Fifty Shades. I found it to be one of the most pointlessly verbose book I've ever had the displeasure of reading, pages of description that added nothing to the book. I could only describe E. L. James' writing as being more simplistic and dire than Stephanie Meyer's (don't hurt me Twilight fans!).

But then, what do I know? I'm lucky if I'm able to string more than four coherent words together!
 
Sapha said:
I was given Fifty Shades of Grey as a present, and as appreciative as I am of the thoughtfulness shown to me by someone taking the time to shop, purchase, wrap and present the gift...being burnt at the stake might have been a less torturous alternative to reading Fifty Shades. I found it to be one of the most pointlessly verbose book I've ever had the displeasure of reading, pages of description that added nothing to the book. I could only describe E. L. James' writing as being more simplistic and dire than Stephanie Meyer's (don't hurt me Twilight fans!).
Click to expand...

Funnily enough it started out as Twilight fanfiction.
 
Cayal said:
Funnily enough it started out as Twilight fanfiction.
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Really? I had no idea. Thanks for that tidbit, Cayal.

It is easily seen that E. L. James took Stephanie Meyer's writing influence to heart...
 
Sapha said:
Really? I had no idea. Thanks for that tidbit, Cayal.

It is easily seen that E. L. James took Stephanie Meyer's writing influence to heart...
Click to expand...
I've heard. I've not read either.

As an aside, I love Tassie.
 
Only just seeing this now- wish I'd noticed it, because I've been ranting about this thing for weeks. This may have been covered in the 10 or so pages before me, but my main concern is how this will effect the direction of publishers. Already with their backs against the wall, obviously they're on the lookout for clones, which makes all of our chances diminish. "Oh, Sci-fi and fantasy isn't selling anymore."
 
Reading this months Empire magazine told me that the directors of the Social Network are looking/being considered for the film of 50 shades of Grey, and also some actors/actresses who are wanted/interested in it...oh dear...making a soft bondage porn movie for the mass market...(goes and chuckles over her lunch)
 
Soft bondage? Is that an (unnecessary) euphemism for fluffy handcuffs?
 
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