Charlaine Harris Blogs about Dead & Gone Criticism
Color me clueless, I didn’t realize just how cranky some of the readers were about the latest Sookie novel. Apparently the discussion on Charlaine Harris’s official site was so vitrolic that she decided to respond formally on her blog:
After the debut of DEAD AND GONE, the board was swamped with comments, conjectures, and criticisms by my readers. We (my moderators and I) expected this, though I don’t think any of us anticipated the volume of the response the book received, or the odd tone of some of the postings.
Let me tell you two true things, right up front.
- I know my books are not perfect. I know there are many valid criticisms that can be made about my writing. I will never stop trying to write a better book.
- I appreciate my readers, and I know that without them I wouldn’t have gotten to the wonderful place I’m enjoying.
Now that you know that, I want to let you know my thoughts on some more true things. The odd tone we noticed in some of the DAG discussion was due to this: a feeling of entitlement on the part of a few readers. It’s as if this handful of readers felt they should have had a vote in the plot developments of my book. They were angry with me that the book hadn’t followed their own desired blueprint. I had to quit reading the discussions on my own website, because I found that attitude incomprehensible and very distressing.
Novels are not written by committee. All the books I’ve read, barring those by the occasional writing duo, have been written by one person sitting in a room alone, working hour after hour in an effort to craft a book which will entertain and engage the reader. My novels are no exception to this rule. I create the characters. I know who they are, and I know who they are not. I understand them better than anyone. I reveal what’s happening to them in the way I’ve determined will tell the story I want to tell. As a result of the way I see the world, none of these characters are perfect, and there’s always the chance bad, even terrible, things will happen to them . . . because that’s the way life happens.
If you know perfect people who never make mistakes in their actions or their relationship decisions, my hat is off to you. If you know people to whom no evil befalls, I can only envy those people. If you know people who have no character weaknesses, well, I wish I could meet such paragons. Until I meet them, the people who inhabit my books will be flawed people who make errors in judgment, and sometimes bad things will happen to those people.
If this “policy” is offensive to you – well, I’m sorry. You may want to follow another writer. But I’m having a great time recording this long journey of Sookie Stackhouse, and I hope you continue with me to its end.
Charlaine Harris
I happen to agree with Charlaine 100% on this. How about you?
I agree also. I think it’s healthy for a reader to daydream about a series he or she likes, but to go so far as to impose those ideas on the writer is a bit extreme. I don’t think a happy and content person would get so worked up over fiction. It’s the difference between critical thinking and obstinance.
I wish these people fussing over the books in such a zealous fashion would curb their enthusiasm toward current events. The world might be a better place if people cared a little more about reality as opposed to a realm of fantasy.
One might hope these people held more appreciation toward the person who gives them such an abundant excuse for escapism.
I’ll put my two cents in and say I completely agree with the blog. What makes following a book series so great is you never know what the author is going to do with his/her characters. There should always be that element of surprise when some great or terrible thing happens to a character, if you knew what was going to happen then where’s the fun.
On a side note, I read Dead and Gone and yes since someone pointed it out I noticed the writing (in the whole series) isn’t spectacular compared to other authors but to me its the story that counts. I love reading the ups and downs Sookie and the other characters have. Books are one of my ways to escape reality and I truly appreciate this series for letting me escape the known reality and for making me think, see the world from a very different perspective.
I was very disappointed in D&G. Nothing to do with the plot, per se, (OMG U KILLED/DIDNT KILL ___!), I love unexpected deaths in books. I mean I cry every time Gandalf dies. Every damn time. And Artax? Dont get me started. I love it.
I just thought the writing/plot in general was really crappy compared to the other books. If Charlaine is blaming the reaction to this on something else, Im not hopeful they will improve.
But still, *fingers crossed*
I don’t know how you can say that the writing on Dead and Gone was “crappy” because she didn’t write any other way than she has before! Are you saying that the writing in her other books were “crappy?” I think not! Maybe you are just upset because she didn’t take her plot where you wanted it to go, but the last time I checked, the writer’s name is Charlaine Harris, not you.
Poor Ms Harris appears to have been the latest victim of the general malaise that seems to have infiltrated through the internet. There are So. Many. People these days who feel as if just because they have figured out how to log on to the net and bang on the keyboard to put in their misspelt two cents, they should also be entitled to tell everyone how to run the world, down to how one’s bottom should be wiped.
I admire anyone who actually gets picked up by a major press and is published, let me get that out.
I love the story lines and characters, I wouldn’t change a thing thus far, let me get that out.
The only criticism I have about the books as a whole and not any one book in particular is the way somethings are left dangling and never picked up and finished or brought to a conclusion and minor things tend to be over extended and given a soft option finish.
But this is something I generally see in most literature now, it isn’t just a Charlaine Harris problem.
And to any hard core critics, I will say this to you. If you don’t like her books, stop buying them, no one is holding a gun to your head at the book store. And if you think you can do a better job of it, write one and get it published (good luck with that). Otherwise, leave the harsh criticism on the bottom of your shoe where the rest of the crap is.
If you thought that the writing and the plot were crappy so what. It is not your story. Ms. Harris has an awesome imagination. If you did not like how the book was then how about you try and write your own series and see if it sells over one million copies. If you aren’t hopeful they will improve then don’t read them anymore. Don’t even bother to cross your fingers. Ms. Harris is such a good writer that she even got a television show that we all love created after her books. Try doing all of that, dealing with the fame and crap that goes along with it, book tours, and god knows however much stress then try to write the ‘perfect’ book. If the damn book was perfect no one wold like it. But, I suppose it is easy to judge when you haven’t done the things the other person has, right?
Why is criticism as a bad thing? I wrote my masters paper a couple months ago– Before I turned it in, I got a couple of my mentors to proof it for me. They sent it back COVERED in red ink. Some of their ideas were great. Some were awful. But my next revised draft kicked ass. When I turned it in, I got a full pass, which is unheard of in my department. What good would it have been to dig my heels in and get defensive about criticism, even comments I didnt agree with?
I would have expected that a professional writer like Charlaine would be *used* to criticism. Many people were disappointed with D&G, for a variety of reasons. She could have read, soaked these criticisms in, taking and ignoring them as she saw fit, and said nothing publicly. Or she could have simply said something along the lines of ‘Im so glad Ive created characters that people can become passionate about. Its every writers dream. Im sorry so many of you were let down by D&G, but I blah blah blah something touching about the writing experience. I hope to excite all my readers with my next book, set for publication next year.”
But for some unknown reason she has chosen to publish this apparent hissy fit. As an average reader who doesnt participate in her forums, this fit says nothing to me but ‘IF YOU DONT LIKE MAH BOOK UR A POOPY HEAD!’
Its very off-putting.
Like D&G, this blog post reads like someone other than Charlaine wrote it. Not the clever, witty Charlaine I loved after the first eight books.
*shrug*
ERV, Charlaine is responding to a handful of very vocal fans who are complaining because she didn’t portray one character the way that they wanted. If you read the first part of her post, she acknowledges that she does read and accept criticism and that she wants to write a book that will engage readers. It was a specific topic and volume of criticism that caused her to post a response.
Mel– Why didnt she stop with the first part? Why not the first part with a diplomatic ending? To me, the first section is just a preface for the surprisingly unprofessional hissy fit. I hope she feels better, but again, as an average reader who was disappointed in D&G, that post is extremely off-putting. “Dont say anything bad about Charlaines writing, or she might freak out on you like Beyonce without her pre-concert martini glass of yellow M&Ms.”
People dont like your work? F-em. Then go have a beer and laugh. But dont have a fit on your blog, for Petes sake…
OOOH I JUST GOT A FUN IDEA!
A vocal minority are pissed about her plot/characters? Put-up or shut-up: an official Sookie-verse short story contest!
Bad fan fic is so bad, but good fan fic is fun, and we all get more to read between book releases!!!
*giddy clapping*
You ask the question if critique a bad thing, and I say, no, it isn’t. But when you step out and go beyond criticizing the work and criticizing the person, you step over the line.
There are wonderful fan fics out there. WHy don’t you skip ahead and go there, write something yourself, and then come back and post your work, then we will be generous with you and give us our critique.
Put up or shut up.
I think Ms Harris made a valid defense in her blog. As she said, this was a matter of “entitlement”. I do visit her website, and I certainly was appalled at some of the accusations to her person and about her intent to deliberately manipulate or mislead her readers – it was bizarre.
Being that on her website, Ms Harris DOES interact quite frequently to posters, I think it was not only an appropriate tone to take, but a desperately needed reality check for those readers that crossed that line.
Are you saying ‘you’ in a vague sense, or ‘you’ as in specifically me, ERV?
By ‘criticize the person’, do you mean public figures public actions are above criticism? Thats unreasonable, and I do not agree. Or do you mean ‘personal attacks’ are out? I agree, however Im not saying “Charlaine books are awful because shes fat” or “Red headed authors make me want to puke” or “I bet her kids are suicidal over their genes”.
Im saying 1) I didnt like a LOT about D&G, but I would give her another try, and 2) she responded to *anonymous internet trolls* in a very public, very unprofessional manner, which disappoints me much more than one bad book. She should have dealt with her *forum* drama on her *forum*– like an official fan fic contest for everyone, haters and lovers.
Whats unreasonable about that?
Oh, and thanks for all these helpful, thought provoking comments, folks. Glad to see people can disagree civilly. Sure would be disappointing to get nothing but baby bawwwwwing comments… oh wait…
I don’t know about you Erv, but I laughed out loud when Sookie talked about “nailing Eric’s butt to the wall for putting her in the position of being pledged to him.” I also liked it when Sookie and Eric were in bed together and Eric asked Sookie if she would do a nude picture, and she told him no because “things like that usually come back to bite you in the butt.” Both of these statements came from Dead and Gone. I don’t know about you, but those sound pretty witty to me. I love the way that writing and humor coalesce in Charlaine’s novels.
dear mrs harris, for a woman ho can write such a great book. you shouild not have too worry what other people think. personally it because of you i started reading again. your stories have got me hooked. if you did not have people die or undyeing love than i would stop. I hopeing that your book in october is just as great or wonderful. please understand that people will say what they say, just remember your book is #3 on the best sellar list. let us true fans enjoy very ounce of your books. one more thing i the one who won the prize package from alanta records. I LOVE THE SHIRT AND THE SOUND TRACK. thank you charlene harris for making enjoy reading again.
I freakin’ loved Dead and Gone! It was awesome! Charlaine you got me reading and reading my eyes out! D&A is the best book yet!
Thank you Charlaine!
I’ve already pre-ordered TOD…can’t wait! I’ve heard grumbles from co-workers, but sheesh! If I listened to all of the noise out there I doubt I’d be where I am today. I thank you for the wonderful adventure and I can’t wait for Sookie 10! Please don’t let “them” get you down. Bring it on Girl!!!
It is so extraordinarily difficult to sit down and write one coherent, entertaining story, much less the many that Charlaine has created. I don’t love every element of her books, but it is not my right to metaphorically beat her about the head and shoulders because the story hasn’t progressed exactly the way I would have wanted it to. We may be able to kvetch amongst ourselves about things that don’t suit our personal tastes, but the only real right I have is to choose to buy her books, or not.
As Charlaine states, she’s not adverse to criticism and she knows she’s not perfect. But where do people get off attacking her personally because she didn’t write D&G they way they wanted her to? I don’t blame her one bit for posting this. Apparently some people need a smack-down, to be reminded that they aren’t entitled to tell her how to write her books. They seem to think that because they buy her books they should get to influence them. To me this is akin to saying that because I buy a ticket to a movie with a particular actor in it, I should get to know everything about that actor’s personal life. Ridiculous, and insulting.
If it were me, I wouldn’t have been near so polite.
Yes, I am speaking of you ERV.
Well Im not a hardcore critic, nor have I attacked Harris personally, so it was kinda hard to tell.
However if you really really want to read my writing, you can click on my name to reach my blag. Its written mostly in 1337/lol-speak due to the habits of my target audience, but unless you are a complete luddite, its easy to pick up.
On my front page right now you can learn about evolution, green tea and HIV-1 prevention, a new anti-HIV therapy, how GMO papayas saved organic papayas, and lots of lols at stupid Creationists/HIV Deniers. I havent sold 1,000,000 books, but I have well over 1,000,000 page views, which is quite respectable for a science blog (Im comfortably a B-lister, but nowhere near A).
Ive also had for realsie pop-science articles published, which have a different tone, eg: http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/3596/
I dont know why youre interested in my writing, though, other than the fact I dont like D&G. But youre more then welcome to read and comment on my blag as you like.
Hey I also dont like David Bowies ‘Lets Dance’, even though its one of his most popular albums. I think its crap compared to his earlier work. Would you like me to upload my cello concerts from college?
If this is any indication of the way dissent is treated on Charlaines forums… *shrug*
Well, I’m not necessarily interested in your writing. Just if you are a criticizing a person’s book, criticize the book, not the person. SHe has a right to her own defense. To deny her that is to deny her own vision. As she said she doesn’t write her books by committee.
Your attemos at critique was very akin to leaning over a mother’s new born child and saying “Jesus, lady, what an ugly baby, just like you,”
And beware who you suggest is a luddite. A luddute is a narrow minded, low browed mouth breather without a hint of style and class.
Great scientific article, by the way, but far from creating a unique and incredible world in which to emerse yourself.
Try your hand at fiction and see if you can write something as refreshing and entertaining, if it is flawed. It is harder than you think.
I think its more akin to a critic saying ‘Windows Vista is crap compared to XP’, and losing respect for Bill Gates after he tells critics to STFU on his blog, and then a mob of fan-boys freaking out on the critic.
Or maybe its like what it is. A reader being disappointed in D&G and saying so on a random blog, and losing respect for Harris after she tweaks on her blog, and then a mob of fan-girls freaks out.
And, a ‘luddite’ is usually defined as a person who resists technology. For instance, I would call Sookie a luddite– shes not only computer illiterate in 2009, she actively dislikes them. So Sookie, a luddite, would likely have a hard time following my blog. I havent heard your definition before, and its not what I meant.
Luddite is a word far older than the computer age.
You must have too much time on your hands to keep remarking on this. Take some friendly (or however you want to take it) advice. Find something else to do.
random side note: the person was not saying that a luddite had to do specifically with computers, only that a luddite is someone who is resistant/against technology. he simply used the example of sookie being actively against computers as an example of a luddite. for what it’s worth, in the scheme of words, it’s not THAT old.
i think that the point is while people shouldn’t get all crazy and insane that a book didn’t go the way they want, it seems a bit silly for the author to go and respond and acknowledge this group of people. could you imagine if every celebrity responded to every magazine cover rumor that was said about them? it’s not that they don’t have the right. it just seems silly.
Oh my, has this caused quite a stir. I didn’t love D&G, but I certainly WILL buy the next one & read it. I firmly believe the writer can do with his/her story whatever they feel. I just think that this book had alot of fluff, and not the tasty white fluff you put with peanut butter on a sandwich. Occasionally it would be nice for story lines to be wrapped up or discussed for that matter and the idea of dragging it out to sell more books is what has me a bit distressed. I have no problem with the criticism, but I am sure she is responding with emotion over this because of the backlash and I can only imagine what some of the posts have said. They are her books and we can read them or do away with them & as much as I dislike things she does sometimes, I will not give them up. I am addicted to “B”
*he he, get it Aslinn!!
D&G was definitely not my favorite book of the series, but it is essential to the story that Mrs. Harris is trying to tell, and I have enough sense to realize that. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but to try to encroach on an authors work is simply ridiculous…lol. Some people can be so HIGH HANDED…lol. I love the series and I love the complicated characters that Mrs. Harris has created. I will continue to read this wonderful story until THE END!
Well, there were things that I didn’t like about D & G, a few things that made me go ‘huh?’ but at the same time i couldn’t put the damn thing down until I finished it! And that’s a sign of a good writer. And yes, I certainly will buy the next one! Can’t wait!
I have been distressed as well by the tone of some of the people writing in various places angry about characters dying and not behaving the way they want them to.
If books never surprised you, made you sad or angry what would be the point in reading them. If you know everything that is going to happen and if the characters follow predictable paths the books would quickly be boring.
I think some people have become so invested in these characters and books they feel a sense of ownership. I have certainly seen people saying things like, they will be angry if such and such doesn’t happen that Charlaine owes to her readers and they forget that they don’t speak for all readers
In some sense this is the downside of success.
I have read and reread D&G a number of times and I like it very much.
My only complaint is that its too short and I have to wait too long for the next one.
Charlaine Harris is absolutely right. People seem to think they have a right to say what she should do with HER characters. It is one thing to make CONSTRUCTIVE critique but it is another to think you have the right to her plot lines and characters. Like many of you out there, i work in a retail situation and for those who don’t, let me just tell you how weird some people are. I can understand Charlaine’s concern. What if ONE person took it too far? It only takes ONE crazy lunatic to do something stupid. It seems like most of us here know the books are fiction but believe me there are fanatics out there that just get crazy about this stuff. And I am sure that is who she was talking to on her blog. So to say she is having a hissy fit is just unfeeling. Who knows what kind of hate mail she gets. If you are a writer and you have kids how would you feel? Threatened? Worried someone would do something to your home or family? I would. And it may even make me worry enough to just stop writing the series altogether figuring it wasn’t worth the trouble.
One of the fanfic writers, I forget which one (maybe Malanna), almost quit writing because people were getting so vicious with similar comments that the writing was no longer fun. They were tellingher to rite faster etc.
You know it is so easy to type something out on a blog and complain about something but would you be so brash and daring to go up to Charlaine and say these things to her face? I think most of us have better manners than that and I think we should apply those manners as well to internet blogs, especially those on a person’s own website.
It is okay to not like D&G, we all have our favorite book in this series. I also think that many people who anxiously waited for its debut for months such as I did may have made their expectations of this book so high that I am not sure the book could live up to those. Remember she says she still has about 2-3 books for sure that she knows she wants to write so what would happen if she just hurried through all the material? The series would end and we would be sad. At least I would anyway.
I agree with What SG says, books, and life for that matter, wouldn’t be great if they didn’t have highs and lows. How happy would you be if you were happy all the time? You would have nothing to compare it to really. Life would be predictable and boring. It is the highs and lows that make life interesting.
I also liked D&G and thought we got some good info from this book. And I patiently wait for the next installment.
ERV-
You are brilliant. I slept through all science classes from sixth grade through college, yet I find myself wanting to read your scienc-y blog.
I didn’t know that Charlaine Harris actually addressed criticism from fans, but when I read her note, I laughed out-loud. Seriously? Please, what a joke. I have never been to her web-site, and now I am certain I will never go. If you can’t handle comments, DON’T OPEN A FORUM for feedback. If you don’t like criticism, don’t publish it.
As amazed as I am at the CH “response”, I am even more flabbergasted at some of the commenters on this post. Our country is at a 9.5% jobless rate right now and CH is angry that a very small number of her fans, who probably are overzealous, are “crossing the line” and posting their comments in a forum that CH provided to them??? It might have been wiser for her to ignore it with grace and thank the stars that people are still buying her 27.99 hardback.
I don’t understand all the haters on this book. I read the book, I enjoyed it, it flows with the rest of the series and I liked the darker turn of events. As for the characters, I found the whole turning of events interesting to see how they develop/ react to everything. I feel Charlaine Harris is correct in her post. These are HER books, HER stories & HER characters…I feel it’s very rude to tell her what she needs to write and how to go about it. I really liked Dead and Gone and cannot wait for the next book!