I wonder . . .

rustee · ‎03-09-2010

. . . how much longer James Patterson's phenomenal writing gig is going to continue? It has been wonderful for the publishing industry!

What do you wonder about in the world of books?

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

I wonder why Bill O'Reilly hasn't done books on the other two Prez's. He did Lincoln and Kennedy but should write about Garfield and McKinley in his series.

kelsey17 · ‎04-10-2012

@rustee wrote:
. . . how much longer James Patterson's phenomenal writing gig is going to continue? It has been wonderful for the publishing industry!

What do you wonder about in the world of books?

I enjoyed Patterson in the beginning ....but once he started co-writing with others i felt the stories weren't as good......same with Mary Higgins Clark.....who i have read for so many years.....

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

@kelsey17I couldn't agree more. Once Patterson started with the co-writers, I lost interest.

I can't think of any writers who have gone to co-writers and kept me as a follower although I have found some successful series where a writer takes over after the death of the original writer.

Just a few weeks back, I read a Felix Francis mystery that was as good as those written by ****** Framcis whom I've read for years even though I know almost nothing about British horse racing!

jlkz · ‎12-02-2013

Have read many of Paterson's solo books and a few of the co-authored ones. The latter are so-so for the most part.

Presently I am reading Guilty Wives, a co-authored one, that should be holding my interest: it is set in Paris, deals with French culture and history, and has French phrases. I am doggedly going to finish it....even with the M.A. In French Literature, it is boring..............

Do not know if co-authoring really helps develop the next generation of writers....exactly how did the current great writers get that way when they didn't get the opportunity to " co-author " with anyone !

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill

rustee · ‎03-09-2010

@millieshops wrote:
@kelsey17I couldn't agree more. Once Patterson started with the co-writers, I lost interest.

I can't think of any writers who have gone to co-writers and kept me as a follower although I have found some successful series where a writer takes over after the death of the original writer.

Just a few weeks back, I read a Felix Francis mystery that was as good as those written by ****** Framcis whom I've read for years even though I know almost nothing about British horse racing!

@millieshops & @kelsey17

I enjoy the books written by James and his co-writers. I am glad he, they and the publishing industry are increasing people's interest in books (text/e/and audios).

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

Co-authoring is less about helping create a new generation of writers and more about cashing in on the name of a popular writer. A James Patterson will spend several weeks/months on the road promoting a book and not writing, and that time lost would slow the creation of the next book. Readers want a steady stream of reading material from an author and if there's a long enough gap those readers will move on to other authors. Publishers want a book a year (give or take a bit) and that's just not always possible for a writer working alone.

On a really good day, I can churn out about nine thousand usable words. On a typical day it's more like two or three thousand words. I've written books (short ones like my "Becoming Santa") in as little as three days. (Bear in mind it's only 60 pages and about 17,000 words, but still, completing it in three days is pretty good.) I've worked on some books for decades (literally) without ever publishing it and no end in sight.

Guys like James Patterson typically have a stable of writers behind them and they'll give them a general idea of how the story should go and who the characters should be, but hand the more mundane wriitng tasks over to the co-authors while they oversee their work. This lets them "write" while doing the many other things life throws in their way. Very often these authors continue "writing" long after they're dead.

Many established authors view it largely as subcontracting. Much as when you have a house built your builder generally doesn't do everything himself, but he subcontracts out bits and pieces to others to do. He's still the builder of your house, but he's not really building the whole thing as much as overseeing the building of it. Co-authoring is largely the same thing. The "author" is overseeing the creation of the story, but others are doing much of the work.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

Catty2 · ‎09-06-2014

Being an avid reader, I have never read one of James Patterson's books. It seems like he just cranks them out.

rustee · ‎03-09-2010

@Catty2 wrote:
Being an avid reader, I have never read one of James Patterson's books. It seems like he just cranks them out.

@Catty2

You are missing some great "rides."

bella-luna · ‎03-10-2010

I wonder if I should pull the bookmark on the book I'm reading (about Anne Boleyn) and read something else. The dilemma, I guess, is that it's just not holding my attention. It's good and I'm very interested in the subject matter (it's basically about the last 3 months of her life), but I started it on January 31 and I'm only on page 114 (of 347) because I'm just not reaching for it.