tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post3523834317611040905..comments2023-10-26T11:34:38.322-04:00Comments on Ask Allison: On Improvement, Part TwoAllison Winn Scotchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06820208316115681320noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-7557813772689304332008-02-24T16:40:00.000-05:002008-02-24T16:40:00.000-05:00Hi Allison,I didn't think it was possible, given t...Hi Allison,<BR/><BR/>I didn't think it was possible, given that Emily Giffin's second book was going to feature such a spoiled and obnoxious heroine (from her first book), but I actually liked Something Blue even more than the first, Something Borrowed. <BR/><BR/>Elin Hilderbrand is great. I've read a few of her books, and my favorite is Blue Bistro. Elin sets her books on Nantucket, and one of my best friends lives there with her chef husband, so it was especially fun for me to recognize so many of the sights and sounds, and just the overall feel of the restaurant world...she did such a great job of bringing to it life.<BR/><BR/>Pampamclhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03272373376910975546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-70458822803055304982008-02-21T23:18:00.000-05:002008-02-21T23:18:00.000-05:00Hi Allison,Thank you for mentioning me on your pos...Hi Allison,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for mentioning me on your post today, what a thrill!<BR/><BR/>I'm seconding Kristi and Tammi, their point about the pressures of 'churning' out books according to a publisher's schedule is spot on. I too can think of a series author who started so strong and then just seemed to produce the same book over and over later in the series.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, I recall Ann Patchett mentioning how her own writing had grown over the course of her books. Just this fall I read "Bel Canto" for the first time, (in fact, I'm going to write a post about it on my own blog tomorrow). <BR/><BR/>Now, that I think of it, I read it after I read "Run" a book she actually wrote after "Bel".<BR/><BR/>First I would now like to go back to read her earlier books, and as Allison posits, I believe I will find that Ann has developed as a writer.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, I honestly think "Bel" is a better book than "Run". But that may be that it is 'the one' that one great book of a writer's career, against which all other books in her career will pale against.....<BR/><BR/>But that could be the subject for another post by Allison....is there such a thing as 'the one great book of a writer's career'????<BR/><BR/>Alllison, sorry for the long post, but your really do writer thought provoking blogs! <BR/><BR/>Thanks!<BR/><BR/>-Suzanne.suzanneelizabeths.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14304462740451230118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-25897988670879090132008-02-21T08:04:00.000-05:002008-02-21T08:04:00.000-05:00Hey Allison...I was probably the one who recommend...Hey Allison...I was probably the one who recommended it, yes? I named Barefoot my top fiction pick for 2007 (http://bookaweekwithjen.blogspot.com/2007/12/best-and-worst-of-2007.html).<BR/>I've read most of her books, interviewed Elin and written about her, too. <BR/><BR/>From our interview, she struggled with breaking out of a genre format box. Her first few books were a little thriller-ish, and she worked to break out of that with The Love Season, which I also recommend (it's not as mushy as the title suggests).<BR/><BR/>She's got a new one coming out in July. Stay tuned!Jen A. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03972184369212889517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-6563856659450533592008-02-20T08:23:00.000-05:002008-02-20T08:23:00.000-05:00do you beleive it is a good idea to publis a book ...do you beleive it is a good idea to publis a book to the netWilliam Wrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01607578747397933031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-47914817570191199352008-02-19T17:54:00.000-05:002008-02-19T17:54:00.000-05:00Lately I've seen a trend among authors who are wor...Lately I've seen a trend among authors who are working to improve their craft. I love that. Those in many other professions are expected to go to conferences, collect continuing education hours, etc. As a writer you may not be forced to do so, but it seems that there must always be room to improve on one's craft.<BR/><BR/>As for my first couple of novels, I never even bothered to try to have them published. They were just not that good, and I had learned so much from just writing them that I got out of them what I needed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-14769480635187649662008-02-19T17:14:00.000-05:002008-02-19T17:14:00.000-05:00I seem to agree with Kristi. An example for me an...I seem to agree with Kristi. An example for me anyway would be James Patterson books.<BR/><BR/>I absolutely loved his early stuff - before any movies - before Alex Cross became known. They seemed richer.<BR/><BR/>Now, they seem to fit a formula and I've been turned off by reading them.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, there are those who do improve or stay so original that I always read them. Like Elizabeth Berg or Jodi Picoult.bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01500014712284794881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-18917441475766760762008-02-19T17:03:00.000-05:002008-02-19T17:03:00.000-05:00I fully agree with what you had to say at Writer's...I fully agree with what you had to say at Writer's Unboxed. I like to think anything I write--even when it's already out in the world--is a work in progress. A novelist friend, who has a bunch of books under his belt, pointed out a quote from Louis de Bernieres recently: " One shouldn't just churn out a book. Try to write your best possible book." I think when a second book isn't as good as the debut it may be that the writer forgot why they are writing in the first place. Not to write a book, but to write their "best possible book." Scary, yes? But so much more fun.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16797266760033169663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-4299256962736531332008-02-19T12:04:00.000-05:002008-02-19T12:04:00.000-05:00I'm surprisingly on-the-fence here having read gre...I'm surprisingly on-the-fence here having read great debut novels that are followed by average 2nd and 3rd books and then there's the vice versa experience. Who really knows why?Larramiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14788910637361812265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-82352951802220795962008-02-19T08:38:00.000-05:002008-02-19T08:38:00.000-05:00Hi Jen!!! I totally know exactly what you mean. K...Hi Jen!!! I totally know exactly what you mean. <BR/><BR/>Kristy-good point. Yes, I do think this happens, and it's always unfortunate...I wonder if it's the fault of the author or the fault of the publisher who is pushing him/her to get out the next book?Allison Winn Scotchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06820208316115681320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-28970589713254009812008-02-19T06:05:00.000-05:002008-02-19T06:05:00.000-05:00To be honest, more often I notice the opposite tre...To be honest, more often I notice the opposite trend. Early novels (and the debut novel is often the third or fourth book the author has written) are often better than what follows IF the author gives in to the pressure of a publisher to start churning out books fast while their name is still hot. Or the publisher want you to do a series, with time lines requiring a book every two months. Quality takes time, no matter where you are in your career. The more you learn, the longer it takes to get a novel up to the level you want it--but the less time agents and publishers want to give you to write it. Plus you are also expected to take out writing time to publicize, blog, give speeches, do book signings, etc. Not sure what the solution is yet!Kristi Hollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01480214912307187314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31033821.post-46725356196856258822008-02-18T23:49:00.000-05:002008-02-18T23:49:00.000-05:00I can't speak for other writers but personally, pl...I can't speak for other writers but personally, please add me to Team Learning Curve. At this point, I can't even look at my first book. There are so many things I did wrong in putting it together and I want to re-write every bit of it. <BR/><BR/>The flip side is because I write non-fiction, I realize I'm never going to be able to recapture the raw honesty of the first memoir. <BR/><BR/>My hope is as I become more technically proficient, readers won't mind my holding back a bit on the self-disclosure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com