Thing four
At writers' group this morning [ok, this was, like back in 2000] we were talking about best sellers. At one time I spent my time despising best sellers, thinking--I can write better than that. But lately, I've realized that it's not productive. There is something in these books that people want, something that makes them appealing to a wide range of readers even though the writing in many of them (in my opinion) is not very good.
Many readers, given a good story, don't care all that much about the writing. I like to think they enjoy good writing when they get it, that good writing broadens the appeal even more. I also believe--or like to believe--that it isn't necessary or even wise to 'pander' to the audience. But analyzing the basic appeal is more than worthwhile because it helps me to look at my own writing and to see, for example, that while maybe it's beautifully crafted with complex and interesting characters, the story is just flat-out boring. And then you have to figure out why.
John Grisham writes about ordinary people (more or less) who get caught up in things much larger than they are and who manage to triumph. In 'The Client' there's a smart-mouth kid from a trailer park and a lawyer who's had to move back in with her mother and lost custody of her children to her ex-husband. They're people who don't have much power in every day life. But they know right from wrong and when push comes to shove they push back. They are 'small' people who speak truth to power and manage to be heard--something the tiny, repressed idealist in many of us long to do ourselves, though we're not always sure we really would.
Danielle Steele writes about perfect people to whom bad things happen. Mostly undeserved things perpetrated on them by jealous others, but also by the hand of fate. Their perfection, though, shines through and finally lifts them up to the place they've always deserved. People either recognize their goodness and stand aside or try to tear them down because they (the people who try to tear them down) are petty, mean, jealous people. In Danielle Steele novels rewards are material.. Good people get wealth and beauty and love--though they must pass through many trials to get there.
Flawed people who do good.
Good people who rise to their destiny.
Both of these are powerful 'stories.' Many of us want to read them again and again. The appeal is not universal. I can no longer read 'good people are beautiful and deserving' stories myself any more. In some ways they're telling us the same 'story'--that doing the right thing and trying are important.
And even though I no longer really believe that merit rises, I do still figure that doing the right thing and working hard are worth it in their own right.