luxken27 | The 10 Most Harmful Novels for Aspiring Writers

Ironically, I think I've picked up about 7 of those 10 novels at different points.

The only one I've actually made it through was Lord of the Rings. Several Mary-Sueish RP characters were inspired as a result, but I'm pretty sure that only qualifies as hazardous if you're against childhood geekiness.

Also: I like the userinfo revamp. :)

Edited 2010-05-17 18:54 (UTC)

My userinfo? LOL :P

Yeah, I've read several of the books on this list, but I can't say they are ones I ever set out to mimic when I started writing myself. There is some merit in copying while learning...but I'd have to agree with his assessment, in that nobody should try to ape Tolkien or Rand (or Salinger or Kerouac...)

LOL, I userinfo jump a lot. I ended up on yours and it was all, "*doubletake* OH NOES, Sesshoumaru went away!" ;)

If we're talking about certain themes, I can see why people might want to mimic some of these works. Stylistically speaking? Classics they may be, but these are the books that can make mandatory English classes painfully boring. (Steinbeck as well comes immediately to mind.)

Or maybe I'm just an over-picky reader? IDK.

LOL, I userinfo jump a lot. I ended up on yours and it was all, "*doubletake* OH NOES, Sesshoumaru went away!" ;)

LOL! The code was starting to bother me, so I just decided to scrap it. Besides, now that I'm *truly* multi-fandom, I guess I felt the urge to incorporate more of that into my bio. Or something :P

Stylistically speaking? Classics they may be, but these are the books that can make mandatory English classes painfully boring.

You won't hear me disagreeing! :P But then, what is high school English, if not painful? You either already like to read, and hate having to read stuffy stuff like this to analyze it, or you hate to read and...well, you hate having to read stuffy stuff like this to analyze it.

Of course, I hated having to read things I enjoyed for the sole purpose of analyzing it, which is why I didn't become an English major, so maybe I have no room to talk :P

You either already like to read, and hate having to read stuffy stuff like this to analyze it,

Haha, I'm definitely in this camp, for sure. It probably wouldn't be so bad if they just gave out the assignments for the whole book and let us go at our own pace, by X deadline... but, noooo, some moron somewhere got the idea that we should all read it together!

I always ignored the "don't read ahead!" rules and did just that. Especially during popcorn-style reading. Ughhh, I hated that.

I hated having to read things I enjoyed for the sole purpose of analyzing it, which is why I didn't become an English major

And this is why I'm dubious about the prospect of majoring in either English or Writing. Why make what's supposed to be fun hurt?

Have you taken an English class where you've had to do just that? I have. And it sucked. I was like, "why are you making me ruin this perfectly awesome reading experience by forcing me to read 'from xxxx perspective'?" Maybe that's fun for some folks, but not for me. I want to get what I get out of it, not spend all my time searching for what someone else gets out of it.

Bleh. My freshman English class in college, we read travel stories and sci-fi, and I never hated anything more. I was convinced my professor didn't understand the concept of reading for fun, especially considering the material we were covering? Is what most people read for fun! *facepalm*

Fortunately, I've been spared that particular experience. Actually, I feel like I've had it in reverse: hating the books I've had to read in order to analyze, only to pick it up years after the fact and realize that it's actually a reasonably enjoyable story. The Giver and Tuck Everlasting come to mind. (Nothing from high school English though.)

Your professor probably thought analyzing books was fun, lol. Stranger things have happened. :)

Indeed - literary criticism exists for a reason, after all.

I think she taught those particular genres because it was what she enjoyed analyzing in her free time. Oh, the joys of tiny liberal arts colleges...

The list is interesting. The author seems to be saying that some of these books are popular but bad, and therefore you shouldn't write like them. Or they're popular and good, but you still shouldn't attempt to write like those authors wrote until you're as good.

I just reread Catcher in the Rye. I liked it the first time. I loved it this time. It's good writing and an interesting book, even if you hate the protagonist. However, this book also inspired a lot of other people who think they're Holden to write a lot of self-indulgent books. But they're no J.D. Salinger, so they can't even come close. The same could be said of LOTR.

I have to say that I haven't read most of the books listed. I've made attempts at some of them, but always got bored.

The author seems to be saying that some of these books are popular but bad, and therefore you shouldn't write like them. Or they're popular and good, but you still shouldn't attempt to write like those authors wrote until you're as good.

*shrug* What I got from it was - these are authors you shouldn't attempt to copy when starting out yourself, because their styles are so...different. And he injects his own personal feelings about the authors into the matter as reasons why you shouldn't copy them. I agree with some, disagree with others (and, I have to admit I love it when MeFi gets their hate on for Ayn Rand :P)

I just reread Catcher in the Rye. I liked it the first time. I loved it this time.

I'm probably the only person on the planet who didn't care for that book when I had to read it. I find it hard to relate to the protagonist, so its hard for me to move beyond that. I like stories with emotional depth, not just pretty prose.

Actually, I just liked the prose the first time. It was this time around that I really got why Holden was so unhappy. There is a surprising amount of death in the novel. Holden's younger brother, who he truly adored, died only a few years prior to the events of the story and Holden is still reeling from it. However, in his circles and in his family, it's proper just to go on with your lives and not really talk about it.

To me, Holden finds people "phoney" whenever they start going on about how X, Y, and Z are important when, to him, death is the only thing that really deserves so much time and attention. He just can't see how getting A's, going to the "right" college and getting the "right" job is so damn important when great kids like his brother can die suddenly.

This last time I read it, I just kept wanting to give Holden a hug. I just felt so sorry for him. Even though there were still times I felt like I needed to whack him with a newspaper, I realized that the poor kid was in the middle of a mental breakdown and maybe needed a little slack.

Well, I'm not going to argue with you about it, especially since its been at least 12 years since I read it. I just remember not liking it, and finding it unrelateable. It seems to be one of those divisive novels - you either love it or you hate it. There's no middle ground.

I've read six or seven of them...I don't think any of them are major influences of mine, although I'd secretly like to write a Sam Spade type fic, but don't think I have what it takes to pull it off...LOL.

I know trying to find good fantasy that wasn't too derivative of Tolkien's universe got hard there for a while, but some of that owes it not just to LOTR, but the influence of Dungeons and Dragons which derived a lot of its characters from Tolkien....

Personally, seems a rather smarmy self-superior article to me. But what the hey, me and Pink are fighting about story lines right now, and I'm in a grinchy mood.

Personally, seems a rather smarmy self-superior article to me. But what the hey, me and Pink are fighting about story lines right now, and I'm in a grinchy mood.

You should read the MeFi thread then, because a lot of folks agree with your assessment. I just thought it was interesting food for thought, especially considering all the brouhaha going around about fanfic writers and their supposed inability to be creative because they're writing derivative fiction...

I've only read 2 of the 10 - LOTR and Catcher in the Rye. Tolkien suffered from major word vomit and a complete lack of a sense of humor, but otherwise, it wasn't bad. You can tell he really poured everything of himself into it. But I still liked the movies better. (At least I get to look at gorgeous men! LoL.) The only thing I want to emulate there is his sales record and maybe his rabid fan following. :P I detested Catcher in the Rye, probably for no reason that would be new to anyone.

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books ever though. I can admit that I probably carry that feeling of angst-filled romance to every story I write, but I'm not stupid enough to try to copy it.

Anyway, interesting article. Although I get the sense that it's more about recognizing that some really genius people wrote some really quirky books that should be enjoyed but left to themselves. It's less about the actual books. Messing with Jack Kerouac is just unwise! (Although I loved the Capote quote, lol.)

I detested Catcher in the Rye, probably for no reason that would be new to anyone.

LOL now I know why we get along so well! :P

lthough I get the sense that it's more about recognizing that some really genius people wrote some really quirky books that should be enjoyed but left to themselves. It's less about the actual books.

That's what I got out of it as well, though there is something to be said for copying someone else's style as you work to develop your own voice. Its probably just wise, however, to pick someone a little less...unique in their voice as you go down that path. Hell, I started out by writing "extra" BSC books when I was 8!

LOL now I know why we get along so well! :P

I know, right? :D It seems like that book speaks to some personality types more than others, and I am not one of those types, lol. It's probably a personal problem, but one that I can accept!

Hell, I started out by writing "extra" BSC books when I was 8!

Hehe. That's rather adorable. And yeah - no distinct voice to those. :P I can't remember who the first influence on my voice was, but I do know that you can tell when I've been watching British television. All the characters suddenly catch a case of dry wit.

Hehe. That's rather adorable.

You have no idea. I mainlined those books from age 7 to 13. I was so entrenched in their world, that I still have a hard time differentiating between Stacy on Kids Inc and Stacey McGill from the BSC. Where do I go when I need inspiration/help on my KI fic? My stacks of BSC books.

BTW, they've held up amazingly well over the years. I laughed till I cried when I plowed through the first three a few weeks ago.

Mostly what I copied from those books was the structure of the story, not necessarily the style. They were all very formulaic, so it was very easy - and probably helpful, in knowing how to put together a plotline in a way that made very basic sense. I evolved from there, of course, but it was a pretty good base to start from.

I do know that you can tell when I've been watching British television. All the characters suddenly catch a case of dry wit.

LMAO - same here! Although, its more like, I watch murder mysteries and then churn out fluff *facepalm* But its all very British in origin! <3

Edited 2010-05-18 02:23 (UTC)

BTW, they've held up amazingly well over the years.

I'd totally take one of the 30 or so that I owned and read it again, but my mother got rid of them a long time ago, lol. Along with all my R.L. Stein books, I might add. She thought they were stupid - she's usually really good about asking before giving away things from my childhood, but those are gone. :P

I can imagine they'd be helpful. Because they're so simplistic, all the elements and how they work together are clear.

its more like, I watch murder mysteries and then churn out fluff *facepalm*

Hehe. Embrace the Britishy fluff! :D

I'd totally take one of the 30 or so that I owned and read it again, but my mother got rid of them a long time ago, lol. Along with all my R.L. Stein books, I might add. She thought they were stupid - she's usually really good about asking before giving away things from my childhood, but those are gone. :P

>.>

<.<

Well, you know they are reissuing the BSC books, right? And that Ann M Martin just wrote a prequel to the series (that I have but have not yet had the chance to read)? So...you know...if you really wanted to...you could get them again :P

I wasn't much for RL Stein when I was a kid - I read Christopher Pike instead, LOL. His books were so much more "grown up"!

So...you know...if you really wanted to...you could get them again :P

LoL. Don't tempt me!

I should probably wait until I have money to spare though. ;) Darn money. Always the reason I can't buy whatever the heck I want.

I wasn't much for RL Stein when I was a kid - I read Christopher Pike instead, LOL.

Omg! I'd totally forgotten about that guy! Yeah, I read him too. I truly believe that RL Stein made more of a mark on my memory because of those book covers of his - all uniform and trying to look creepy. Advertising works, I guess, lol.

LoL. Don't tempt me!

I should probably wait until I have money to spare though. ;) Darn money. Always the reason I can't buy whatever the heck I want.

This is why God invented libraries. (And birthdays.)

I'll let you know how the prequel goes once I get the chance to read it =) I've also got an SVH book to read and review, so maybe one of these days I'll actually get around to doing that! :P

It kind of amuses me that this article lists The Lord of the Rings as "harmful" to writers (seriously, who doesn't want to be the next Tolkien?) but touts The Great Gatsby as good. If there was ever a book that made me want to never read (much less write) anything ever again, it was The Great Gatsby. Ugh.

I'm pleased to say I never had to suffer through that book during my required reading years. I guess there is something to be said for the horrible education available in the south, after all! :P (Though The Scarlet Letter was no picnic, either...)

Oh god, The Scarlet Letter actually made me hate the English language. -shudder- I don't think there was a single thing about that book that I didn't despise.

The Great Gatsby wasn't required reading... I just foolishly chose it at random off a sign-up list of novels to do book reports on. -sigh- If only I'd known better...

Well, I haven't read any of the ten but I happen to love two of the good but dangerous ones. I guess the moral of the story is read but find your own voice. (?)

Exactly! MeFi can overthink tentacle porn if given half the chance...

It was not rocket science, that's for sure. Sometimes, simple is best! LOL OMG!! I need brain bleach now!!

I am guilty of being influenced by LOTR when I was young, but lucky enough to get away from it's influence pretty fast. I have not read a lot of the others on the list, skimmed a few maybe...

Very interesting though, thanks for posting...

You're welcome! =) I love sharing the meta, what can I say?

We have all be influenced by what we've read, its just a matter of, to what degree do you allow that influence to be noticed and shared with others through your own work? Eventually you have to find your own voice...

Steinbeck is missing from this list. Seriously, anything by Steinbeck = Do Not Want. He is horrendously long winded and dark and pointless IMHO. Grapes of Wrath in particular. Pretty much everything else is the same too.

Well, it is just one guy's opinion...though frankly, I'm shocked he read (or attempted to read) "Love Story"...

Oops, sorry if I came across as accusatory, I know it's not your list! XD That'd be silly of me to blame you for it. I haven't heard much about "Love Story" (or of it even lol). "On The Road" I feel must have taken some dedication as I really couldn't put myself through that to begin with D:

I haven't heard much about "Love Story" (or of it even lol).

You probably have, and just didn't realize it.

O-O *insert clever comment* So I have XD

I've only read The Catcher in the Rye. Sadly, I'm not an aspiring novelist, despite the degree in English Lit.

LOL I don't know that you should be despairing about not being an aspiring novelist because of your degree...not everyone who takes a degree in English lit want to write! Some prefer to criticize :P

lol...I'll stick to writing mainly when told (for papers), and being told by profs "You right really well!" :)

When I say I was an English major, the response I typically get is: "not all English majors can write well..."

At least I'm one who can, I suppose. It made seminary a bit more bearable. :)

The 10 Most Harmful Novels for Aspiring Writers

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