Cross-posting this to Fangs, Fur, & Fey because I believe it's relevant:
So following are some comments I made in response to some extremely insulting comments a couple of people made on a writing board I frequent regarding "popular" fiction, the readers of popular fiction, and the publishers who (according to them) believe that readers are "dumb" and "dumb down" covers and content for this unintelligent mass of readers (NOTE: I IN NO WAY share these opinions!)
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I write fun, sexy, action-packed books. Something I enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing. Why SHOULDN'T they be packaged appropriately? I don't believe that sexuality is wrong, or that portraying sensual characters is wrong. I don't believe that marketing something in a smart, targeted way is wrong. I don't believe that is "dumbing down" to readers. If some more "serious" book with a plain, unremarkable cover is what it takes to be considered "talented" by some people, I will just continue on in my deluded, talentless hack sort of way. That, you know, pays my bills. By writing books I love and am proud of, so that doesn't make it "selling out" or any of those other epithets that people who don't like this type of book like to throw out.
Tired of people who can't just like their own types of books (or anything really) without feeling the need to denigrate others. Bite me, plskthx!
ETA: Re dumbing down things...this isn't something I generally throw in people's faces because it doesn't mean much in the real world really, but I technically have a "genius" IQ and graduated summa com laude with my bachelor degree and maintained a 4.0 during my entire time in grad school obtaining my Master's degree. Yet I LOVE sexy, fun book covers and the stories they contain. Many of my readers are as smart as or smarter than me (whether they went to college or not). So again, bite me!
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Related to that, here is a poignant, important blog post from someone I am extremely proud to call a friend (even though I don't get to see her NEARLY enough despite our living in the same city), the fabulous Heather Brewer. Please, read it, take it to heart, believe it! Be proud of who and what you are. I sure as hell am.
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March 16 2011, 19:49:47 UTC 1 year ago
Thank you. :)
March 17 2011, 03:22:14 UTC 1 year ago
However, what I do seriously object to is publishing companies attempting to dumb down a book by editing out any big words or unfamiliar terms(because Heaven forbid anyone ever have to stop and look something up) or slapping a salacious cover on a book that has nothing or little to do with sex or romance.
March 17 2011, 17:28:29 UTC 1 year ago
Now, I may enjoy the purient "bubblegum for the brain" that mainstream fiction provides, but you know what? These diverse genres sell into the millions, consistently. Good for you. Kudos to you all. So what if you don't get included on some artsy-fartsy list? You've touched more minds, hearts and lives than a good many of those other "quality" books can ever claim. Pfft to them.