Claire G
Full Member
- Oct 26, 2022
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Yes, I would agree with that, Claire. The whole Discworld concept is brilliant, but the stories leave me pretty cold. I have read 7 and only one or two chimed. But being honest, even they gave me a sort of irritated feeling as they went on. I found myself longing for the end and thinking "could this not have been at least 25% shorter?"@Jonny Pratchett was clearly a genius but I've never been engaged by his stories either. I just couldn't bring myself to care about the characters.
Absolutely.Over the past month I have just revisited the entire Hitchhiker's Guide series. Never grow tired of it. Sublime.
There are some things which are simply a given.For those fascinated by bodies in a suitcase ... (and I'm one of them) ...
There've been a couple of instances in Italy in recent years. Usually one body per suitcase.For those fascinated by bodies in a suitcase ... (and I'm one of them) ...
The stuff you point out is not supposed to be different in YA. Setting is hugely important. Historical fiction is not that common in YA (perhaps how they got their publisher) but readers use it as a point of learning so want historical detail and accuracy.I recently finished Postcards from Valhalla, by Danny Weston. It's YA fantasy, and I include it here for those in that genre, though I don't exactly recommend it.
I read it for possible worrying overlap with my Dark Gothic WiP (no problem, very different), and interest in the publisher, UCLan Publishing (forget that, no unsoliciteds). For my purposes, it offered useful pointers as to what not to do – though I accept that in YA much may be different.
The story, edited from UCLan website:
'Viggo is 15, living in Edinburgh with his mum... His older brother, Magnus, has (just) gone missing on Shetland. Mum, (frantic, plans) to go and search for him. Five years ago, Viggo’s dad, Jonathan, ... disappeared (there). He's now ‘missing presumed dead.’ Viggo (opts) to go to Shetland with Mum – but from... (the off he's).. troubled by visions: armed warriors, mythical creatures and Viking longships.'
My main problem was Weston's almost total absence of detail, in a setting that must be heaving with it, and atmosphere – to the point where I wondered if he had actually visited the (real) places he names. [My setting is fictional, though I am trying as far as possible to nail the historical and geographical things. Also the fierce and changeable weather, a significant feature of life in the Northern Isles but hardly touched on by Weston.]
A bit of a spoiler:
The action winds up (predictably) with Viggo finding a portal on the real Shetland island with "the most Viking remains outside Norway" – haven't managed to check that one out – which are, however, tantalisingly undescribed. The ensuing Battle between Good and Evil is about as gripping as the back page of The Beano, though my 12-yr-old self might not have found it so.
It's never explained why a family of Scots living in Edinburgh should give their sons Nordic or Scandinavian first names, though maybe it's implied. And for a story about Vikings to dismiss Jarlshof, 4,000 years of continuous human occupation – ''The Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse settlements in Shetland are one of the most important and inspirational archaeological sites in Scotland," Visit Scotland – in a couple of sentences...
I tend to start out from the point of view of 'this is a published author, after all, it must be me just not getting it'.The stuff you point out is not supposed to be different in YA
I tend to start out from the point of view of 'this is a published author, after all, it must be me just not getting it'.
The Frugal Wizards Handbook
A good lesson in world building, then. the world does matter, but it doesn't overcome boring characters and narrative arcs.I'm struggling through William Gibson's Neuromancer. Third attempt in 5 years and gotten further than previous attempts, but still stuggling to enjoy story about an amazing world filled with uninteresting characters.
Probably true, though with this one I think you've already learned the primary lesson: don't be boring.Probably a familiar story - I want to finish it because I feel like I should. Not the best reason. A part of me thinks that reading some of the classics in a genre is necessary homework to write effectively in that genre.
Absolutely. In my much younger days, I used to treat it as if there was some kind of badge for persevering with the unreadable. (Mind you, at least a couple of things on the university syllabus defeated me: Tristram Shandy and Spenser's Faerie Queen. And I did once hurl a Norman Mailer paperback across a room.)These days, i'm more along the life is too short track
Definitely a plus. Sadly, the main two I'm using are, although very successful, not the best written. The subject is quite niche, so the choice is not wide.Possible comp for my own WIP, although that's not why I read it, but feels like a bonus.
Difficult isn't it? I've yet to take the plunge with querying agents, but the whole comps thing bothers me. There's that contradiction of what might be thematically similar but the writing is a different vibe, and the writing style that you feel is kindred, but the story isn't. Agents want to know how to sell it, i.e. what would appeal to readers who buy such-and-such. But yeah, I don't think I could bring myself to comp with writing I think is poor or a book I couldn't finish no matter how successful.Definitely a plus. Sadly, the main two I'm using are, although very successful, not the best written. The subject is quite niche, so the choice is not wide.
And here is a question for us generally, re comps:
Which is better, a couple of comps that are close-ish, also well-known/successful, but not good examples of writing, per se?
or two or three less well known, better written (i.e. fair to good) novels which are, however, comparators in only one or two respects?
I wouldn't comp bad writing either, but I would choose comps that the prospective agent/publisher is likely to know. I also research their client list to see if any of those would make a good comp (which has introduced me to stories I'd never otherwise have read, some of them great.)Difficult isn't it? I've yet to take the plunge with querying agents, but the whole comps thing bothers me. There's that contradiction of what might be thematically similar but the writing is a different vibe, and the writing style that you feel is kindred, but the story isn't. Agents want to know how to sell it, i.e. what would appeal to readers who buy such-and-such. But yeah, I don't think I could bring myself to comp with writing I think is poor or a book I couldn't finish no matter how successful.
Yes, me too. Discovered some great reads from looking at client lists. And it works the other way round. Having enjoyed the Karl Geary book, I saw who his agent is in the acknowledgements and have added her to my 'wishlist' for when I get around to querying.I wouldn't comp bad writing either, but I would choose comps that the prospective agent/publisher is likely to know. I also research their client list to see if any of those would make a good comp (which has introduced me to stories I'd never otherwise have read, some of them great.)
I read this trilogy ages ago and for the life of me I can’t remember any of it. So that tells you something I guess. I mean I do have a bad memory, but I can usually remember at least how a book made me feel. And all I remember was that the cyber-ideas were interesting. I think Gibson throws a bit too much into his stories with multiple threads and chars and lots of ideas. Which is fine, but it makes the stories go wide, not deep.I'm struggling through William Gibson's Neuromancer. Third attempt in 5 years and gotten further than previous attempts, but still stuggling to enjoy story about an amazing world filled with uninteresting characters.