Wednesday, August 3, 2011

If Stephenie Meyer Writes Poorly Or Not Is No Longer The Point

A question was posed on a group I belong to on facebook a few days ago that has started quite a lively discussion.  A fellow writer asked "Does anyone else think that 'Twilight' was poorly written."  Immediately, my facebook page started to light up.  In fact, my message system had to piggyback the posts, they were coming in so fast.  With the exception of two diehard 'twi-hards' everyone weighed in that they thought, in fact, it WAS poorly written.  I found that interesting.  People indicated their English professors hated it, they hated it, they themselves couldn't drag themselves through the first of the whole series, even.  Huh.

So, now I will weigh in.  I read all the books.  I will agree, they are not ever going to become literary classics.  Stephenie Meyers had a good, well-timed concept.  She had some unusual plot twists, ie: softball-playing vampires in thunderstorms, the concept of imprinting werewolves, the "sparkly" thing, werewolves doing mind reading, and vampires having different, special abilities.  Some things she overused.  Her commas were tragic, her run-on sentences and wordy paragraphs epic, in my opinion.  But there is one thing Ms. Meyers did exceptionally well.  She gives good tension.

Open any of the books to any page and the angst leaps off and spurts all over you.  The introspection from her lead, Bella, is legendary.  The damn girl is always thinking!  She must not own any Nike products.  You know....Just Do It?  She thinks everything to death.  But this is how you get an ass-numbing 700-plus page book....half the damn thing is her thinking the hell out of everything before she makes a move.  But that's what teens do.  Have you ever seen My So Called Life?  Angela Chase AGONIZES over everything.  I'd try to name some teen show today, but seriously, there is none.  Everything comes with a laugh track and nothing tackles the heavy topics.  When one does, I'll write about it.  Freaks and Geeks came close and they canceled it.  Figures.

And here's another thing.  It is REALLY bad form to trash talk an author that has made it.  A) it looks like sour grapes.  B) its just not classy.  C) who the hell are you anyway? They are caring about your puny opinion all the way to the bank.

 Let me just add up the score.  An agent loved their work, a publishing house loved their work, nine hundred million fans loved and BOUGHT their work and another eighty trillion people ponied up for the movie tickets, posters, t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, clothing line and amusement park family pack, so again, don't think they really care.  And since Ms. Meyers is now PRODUCING a movie based on her favorite author Jane Austen, I don't think she cares at all.  She is living the dream.  And shoot me here if you need to, but I would SWEAR the dream has lately included a touch of cosmetic surgery, because her last photo showcased an entirely more 'streamlined'-looking Ms. Meyers, if you know what I mean.  But, hey, given the money, I would get hair extensions myself, so whatever.  Move on.

I just have one final thing to say on the topic and actually, I will let MY favorite author, Stephen King, have the honors when he compared the current favorite hot-topic series right now:

"Harry Potter is about doing what is right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important having a boyfriend is" - Stephen King ♥

5 comments:

  1. I too read all the books. My opinion on them will remain unsaid. As you pointed out, it is extremely bad form to bad mouth another writer who has "made it".

    I have seen My So-Called Life. Bella reminds me of Angela too.

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  2. Loved the post! Totally agree, and I'm glad you did it because it would more than likely consume me from ranting on about her xD

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  3. Fabulous blog!! I couldn't agree more!xoxo
    Kymberlee

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  4. Twilight is what I call a Popcorn book, and sometimes you want popcorn.

    Easily consumed, easily forgotten.

    The reason so many people got their panties in a bunch is because millions of people evidently like popcorn.

    I don't want to write it. The vast majority of the time, I don't want to read it. Once in a while though, popcorn is not a bad thing.

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  5. i get right. I hated Stephen King but only because of his comments. He's been all up in Meyer's bid for some time now. And yeah it looks like sour grapes. I mean he's written loads of books, and she has written five or seven "rubbishes" and she's selling like hot buns..... Popcorn or chewing gum who cares, she's selling and that's what counts..... Has nayone read fallen, now what did you think about that. Y'all should go and read my reviews...

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