Cutting off your fingers to spite your nose

Hi all, just back from the Big Smoke, the Great Wen or old London town as it's more generally known. I love London and its people but only in small doses. I'm glad to get back to my regular view.

I didn't get time to look at my blog while I was away but checking it over today I see that my post entitled "Breeding Talent" provoked a bit of a response after the GOB referred to it in his blog.

One post in particular, from fellow blogger Gav, of Gav's Studio, caught my eye. I've had a look at Gav's blog and he obviously knows his way around the world of writing and has given the subject lots of thought. I'd like therefore to accord his post the attention it deserves and examine his proposals in detail. My responses are in italics.

Gav wrote:

You're kidding surely? I find it hard enough to read a book and I can read one of those anywhere. Who is going to sit hour after hour reading a novel on a small tv screen? Not the millions of people that buy books. That's a good point Gav. I guess it's the thousands of people who already read books online I was referring to. They also have the option of downloading the books and reading them after they've printed them off, pretty much as you would an ordinary book. Or they could take the next step - if they liked the bit they had read online - and order them as a POD novel. I'm sorry to hear you find it hard to read a book, by the way. For me it's one of the great pleasures in life.

Writers should really try and see it from a readers point of view. I agree entirely, Gav. Of course, different readers have different points of view, don't you think? I suspect that most writers follow your advice then go on and write the book they always intended to write. Which I guess, from what you're saying, is wrong.

With the thousands of books that they have choose from in the average shop how are they to know what is good or not? Good question, Gav. I'm not sure of the answer. Maybe they read a few pages and apply their critical faculties, if they have any? The other point you make is pretty cogent too, and hinges on how you define "good" I imagine.

We should all be aiming to write something that people want to read. Look at The Time Travellers Wife, The Da Vinci Code, or Harry Potter. People want to read them and people want to buy them. Gav, I couldn't agree more although I would add Ulysses, The Leopard, some of Conrad's stuff, Kafka, Orwell, etc. etc. etc. Actually, I think there is a problem here, isn't there. It's those bloody readers again - they have such diverse tastes, it's hard to know what they want.

There are too many people who think that just because they can type a few words into a computer they think they are writers. It's bollocks. You've hit the nail on the head here, Gav. It's almost as bad with those guys who get published. Honestly, many of them are not much better either. The only problem I see here is how we sort the wheat from the chaff. How do we decide who can call themselves a writer and who can't? Let me know the answer to this one, Gav, when you get the chance.

They should have there fingers cut off. Er, Gav, I don't wish to be pedantic but I think you mean "their" don't you? Anyway, I imagine you're speaking ironically here although in the world I inhabit away from this blog when we say someone should have his balls cut off that's exactly what we do mean.

By all means write something but don't take it personally if no-one gives a shit after. Bang on, once again Gav. As far as what you've written goes, rest assured I really don't give a shit. But don't take that personally, okay?