The Editor's Fear: Why Success for the Creator Spells Doom for the Creation (671 hits)
Category: GeneralRating: 1.53 on 21 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by JACK0173 (View user info) at 2005-07-09 02:56:19 EDT
The sixth in the Harry Potter series of books is soon to be revealed to the world, and I - having read the previous five - will not be reading it.
The Potter franchise began well, as those who have read it will know. It may not have been a literary masterpiece, but it was most entertaining. It well written, had multi-dimensional fleshed out characterization and it made the world of wizadry seem real.
This was all made possible by tight editing. The publishers were taking a risk with unknown author Rowling, and weren't about to allow her to stuff up.
Harry Potter was an instant success. The Rowling gamble had paid off big-time, more than the publishers could ever have dreamed. They instantly made sure she would be writing the next instalment - and here things took a tumble.
Over the course of five books the novels had morphed from a 223 page pocket sized pleasant read into a 765 page monotonous monster tome.
There is no reason why this should be - the first novel has as much in it as the fifth, but does it in 542 less pages. The later novels are plodding and filled with pointless trivialities. Mundane scenarios are described in mind numbing detail. The banquet scenes, where every single tasty treat is illustrated excruciatingly laboriously, are the worst (and I thought I stopped reading Enid Blyton when I was six!!! She's back! The horror!).
Once Rowling's creation had become such a huge success, and loved by so many, it is obvious what has happened - the publishers are afraid to step in. What if the new books were not so loved? Would they be blamed for ruining it? No, best let Rowling herself look after the editing.
The editors left Rowling to her own devices out of fear - who are they to tinker with a masterpiece? And as such, the books are boring and staid.
This culture of fear is plainly obvious elsewhere - Star Wars, anyone?
During the filming and post-production of the original movies people were falling over each other to tell George Lucas what he was doing wrong (for example, the Director's Guild were particularly vocal, even kicking Lucas out for not listening to them) and the movies turned out well.
However, once they became such a huge success, no one was willing to step up to the master. What resulted was the prequels - boring, stupid and over-indulgent wankfests.
The point is that everyone, even a genius, needs constructive criticism. Even Lucas will admit that Jar Jar Binks was a mistake - why didn't someone have the guts to tell him so at the time?
Two heads are better than one, as the saying goes - and I think these two examples prove this point.
User Reviews
Submitted by pen_name (user info) at 2005-08-25 01:45:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i liked 1-4
my problem with 5 was that hp became a pissy little shit that did nothing but annoy the fuck out of me...but...
you realize that it's done that way to set up 6 (5 made hp seem like a nut, so even as he went on and on in 6, decrying the evil schemes he worked out, you never believed him).
as for the length. i never had a problem with that. i fly through these books. read the last in two or three days.
"you know how i know you're gay...."
"how...because i like cold play?"
"no...because i saw you fucking a hole in your copy of "chamber of secrets"...oh yes...i know about that"
;(
Submitted by a_reader (user info) at 2005-08-25 01:11:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Who cares?
Submitted by testify (user info) at 2005-08-14 02:04:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
I know who this is
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2005-07-18 04:40:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
The 4th was my favorite but the 5th was horrible. I read it once, and will probably never go back to it again. You were quite correct on many of your analogies concerning Rowling and lucas. I think that somebody needs to smack both of them...
Submitted by jack0173 (user info) at 2005-07-18 01:56:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2005-07-18 01:29:23 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2005-07-11 19:03:46 (#)
Ranking: 2
Books 1 to 4 were good. I especially liked the denouement at the end of the third. The fifth blew chunks.
I'm still getting the sixth, hoping to be proved wrong in my assumption that it will suck.
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Exactly my thoughts.
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I would be more inclined to say the first three were good.
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2005-07-18 01:29:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2005-07-11 19:03:46 (#)
Ranking: 2
Books 1 to 4 were good. I especially liked the denouement at the end of the third. The fifth blew chunks.
I'm still getting the sixth, hoping to be proved wrong in my assumption that it will suck.
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Exactly my thoughts.
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2005-07-11 19:03:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Books 1 to 4 were good. I especially liked the denouement at the end of the third. The fifth blew chunks.
I'm still getting the sixth, hoping to be proved wrong in my assumption that it will suck.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-07-11 18:38:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
The problem is, is that all those geeks who read them WANT 20 page expository scenes where Hermione fists Ron Weasley whilst imitating a Great Northern Dragon.
There will be only one more HP book after this one - I'm guessing it will be 1000 pages.
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2005-07-10 10:51:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I've just ordered my copy off teh Amazon so I can be the first to read it. yay!
Submitted by crazybutsolazy (user info) at 2005-07-10 10:40:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
great point, still gonna buy it the day it comes out though....I'm addicted to them
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-07-09 20:30:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
It makes sense but it's all based on conjecture at this point.
Submitted by Pr0j3ct (user info) at 2005-07-09 14:23:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
True, very true.
A little off-topic bit the movies sucked so much black cock!
The books owned but the movies were just ghey!
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-09 13:54:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I agree with your point, and I have thought this same thing for quite some time.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-07-09 09:26:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No argument here.
I hate it when writers just go on and on...
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2005-07-09 06:38:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I agree, but I'll still read it. It's gotten to the point where I have to know what happens, and it doesn't bother me whether it's a good read any more.
I used to read Enid Blyton too. Good times.
Submitted by ICO (user info) at 2005-07-09 06:09:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I agree...
Submitted by Jimmy_Esquire (user info) at 2005-07-09 05:24:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ja, I agree.
Submitted by Electro (user info) at 2005-07-09 05:01:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'll keep my eye out for copies of the 6th book...
Submitted by Lisa (user info) at 2005-07-09 04:16:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
you!
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2005-07-09 03:42:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'll still read it- I agreee though. I think the same happened with the Matrix films.
Submitted by bush_for_god (user info) at 2005-07-09 03:30:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Makes perfect sense