Apr 28, 2008
People will want to read whatever you tell them not to, so…
Like this post?
If [you’re] annoyed that someone out there is reading a book [you] don’t like, then here’s a suggestion: Write a better book.
* * * * *
© 2012 Abuyo. All rights reserved.
Are you going to write one, Abraham?
Instead, what I think I’ll do is half-write a whole bunch.
Sounds like you have some half writing experience. Any chance DG would give you a sabatical?
In any case, here are Eight Title Tips for you:
1. 22,000 words
2. An Appropriate Southern Travelwear Guidebook
3. I Got To Rock The Party!
4. Living With A Wife Who’s More Respectible Than Oneself
5. Behind the Scenes: An Inside Look at Desiring God
6. It’s Normal!: A Very Short Discussion Of What It’s Like To Be The Son Of A Famous Pastor
7. Earthquake Reporting – Tips and Tricks
8. Of Baptists and Pipe Smoking
(also a short book)
What if there is already a better book out there and nobody is bothering to read it?
Is criticism nullified, then, because the critic has a clear but limited point about some work and may not be gifted or inclined to write a like-genre work to swipe readers from the other tome?
hahah…jamsco, great list!
but hey..isn’t that what your dad is doing?
Frank – If there’s a “better” book out there that no one is reading it might not be a better book. It might just be a self-serving book written to reaffirm people in their own already-held beliefs without actually reaching out to anyone outside their camp.
I’m not saying that’s always the case, but it definitely should be considered as a possibility.
As far as criticism is concerned, I wouldn’t say it’s completely invalidated but it makes the critic look like an armchair quarterback.
Jake:
I am grateful that popularity does not determine whose opinions matter most, or which ought to be valid or invalid. The same goes for books.
I hope you can see why.
Read Uncorrected Proof..it’s showing at the BEA. U.P. is this year’s book.
reminds me of the controversy over William P Young’s,
“The Shack.” i read it before the Reformers told me not too.
not TO uggh
Frank,
No, that kind of criticism isn’t nullified. It’s just not as effective. The most effective way to be negative about something is to affirm it’s opposite. (I feel a post brewing.)
Karen,
You’re right. That’s the book that the guy I quoted was talking about. It’s on my to-read-soon list.
Abraham:
If we can agree that watchblogging is the version of this which is plainly about complaining without affirming, decrying without declaring, could you give me an example or three via links to blog posts from any source which fall into the “not effective” category as you have here summarized it?
As I said in my response to your post on improved blogging, publishing a scandal sheet of evangelical kookery and saying, “that’s bad, bad, bad” instead of saying, “this is what we ought to affirm, this is why, and this is an example of what goes wrong when we don’t” is simply bad blogging. But I think you and I are talking about two very different things.
I’d actually like to be wrong about that, so if you could steer me toward some things which, um, implement a style and method which you think is unhelpful, that’s be great.