Comments on: The Da Vinci Code - not the movie http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/ Reflections of a working writer and reader Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:09:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: john baker http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/#comment-1141 john baker Mon, 29 May 2006 14:00:52 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=129#comment-1141 Twenty billion, Jim. That's truly horrifying. (Where can I go to forget that?) Twenty billion, Jim. That’s truly horrifying. (Where can I go to forget that?)

]]> By: Jim http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/#comment-1140 Jim Mon, 29 May 2006 13:47:00 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=129#comment-1140 I'm not by any means a literary snob; I freely admit to enjoying thrillers and such. So I picked up The DaVinci Code but put it back down again after just forty or fifty pages. It was just so bad that I could not continue. I know that we live in a world where twenty billion (or however many) people have lunch at McDonald's every day, but I am puzzled that this book has sold so many copies. I’m not by any means a literary snob; I freely admit to enjoying thrillers and such. So I picked up The DaVinci Code but put it back down again after just forty or fifty pages. It was just so bad that I could not continue. I know that we live in a world where twenty billion (or however many) people have lunch at McDonald’s every day, but I am puzzled that this book has sold so many copies.

]]> By: john baker http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/#comment-1099 john baker Thu, 25 May 2006 20:49:19 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=129#comment-1099 I suspect that you're right, maxine. Traditional publishers have been making a hash of the business for some time now and seem to be run almost exclusively by men-in-suits (although there are a lot of women in there) these days. An agent was quoted recently, saying that there used to be best-sellers, mid-list authors, and new writers who were being nurtured by their publisher. But that now there is only room for writers at the top, in other words, all the lower rungs have disappeared. I don't want to get into the prediction business, but there is certainly a feeling around that change is in the air. I hope it happens, whatever it is. The industry has been stagnating for too long. I suspect that you’re right, maxine. Traditional publishers have been making a hash of the business for some time now and seem to be run almost exclusively by men-in-suits (although there are a lot of women in there) these days.
An agent was quoted recently, saying that there used to be best-sellers, mid-list authors, and new writers who were being nurtured by their publisher. But that now there is only room for writers at the top, in other words, all the lower rungs have disappeared.
I don’t want to get into the prediction business, but there is certainly a feeling around that change is in the air. I hope it happens, whatever it is. The industry has been stagnating for too long.

]]> By: Maxine http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/#comment-1092 Maxine Thu, 25 May 2006 13:06:17 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=129#comment-1092 I would love there to be a way for more people to write and publish books that spring from the creative process rather than (too much of) the commercial process. I believe (as a reader) that an author needs to provide something that the reader wants. But that doesn't mean the author has to be thinking what is commercial while writing. I would much prefer to read the wholefood organic than the mcds (not sure about the cabbages, I am a bit lost there!). On the other hand, people have to survive, including authors. I know I keep on about this, but the internet must be going to change everything, taking the power from the publishers (famously random at selecting "good" authors or indeed at knowing what will sell, eg see postings by Grumpy OB). Some combination of self-publishing and reader-popularity rankings (Google/MS books semantic matching/ranking depending on number of accesses/downloads in combination with an Amazon- reader-reviewer like system) will happen, and the regular book publishers will become a rare breed, I predict. Not that anyone can really predict, as GOB is saying again today. I would love there to be a way for more people to write and publish books that spring from the creative process rather than (too much of) the commercial process. I believe (as a reader) that an author needs to provide something that the reader wants. But that doesn’t mean the author has to be thinking what is commercial while writing. I would much prefer to read the wholefood organic than the mcds (not sure about the cabbages, I am a bit lost there!).
On the other hand, people have to survive, including authors.
I know I keep on about this, but the internet must be going to change everything, taking the power from the publishers (famously random at selecting “good” authors or indeed at knowing what will sell, eg see postings by Grumpy OB). Some combination of self-publishing and reader-popularity rankings (Google/MS books semantic matching/ranking depending on number of accesses/downloads in combination with an Amazon- reader-reviewer like system) will happen, and the regular book publishers will become a rare breed, I predict. Not that anyone can really predict, as GOB is saying again today.

]]> By: john baker http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/#comment-1077 john baker Wed, 24 May 2006 19:52:41 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=129#comment-1077 You don't even have to eat it, Steve. Just knowing it's there is enough. You don’t even have to eat it, Steve. Just knowing it’s there is enough.

]]> By: Steve Clackson http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/#comment-1060 Steve Clackson Wed, 24 May 2006 05:21:59 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=129#comment-1060 Eating cabbage gives you "a spark of hope" well I've heard it called a lot of things....:) Eating cabbage gives you “a spark of hope” well I’ve heard it called a lot of things….:)

]]> By: Debi Alper http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/#comment-987 Debi Alper Mon, 22 May 2006 15:25:07 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=129#comment-987 I've thought of another foody analogy - we're the wholefood organic collectively-owned community caff. And DB is McDonalds! I’ve thought of another foody analogy - we’re the wholefood organic collectively-owned community caff. And DB is McDonalds!

]]> By: Julie http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/the-da-vinci-code-not-the-movie/#comment-984 Julie Mon, 22 May 2006 12:06:43 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=129#comment-984 Well said! When I read Da Vinci Code (yes, I did, but I didn't <i>buy</i> it) I was particularly annoyed at the degree to which he resorted to cheap techniques for creating suspense, such as having the characters be privy to information that was withheld from the reader. There's a great story in there; too bad he told it so badly. Well said!

When I read Da Vinci Code (yes, I did, but I didn’t buy it) I was particularly annoyed at the degree to which he resorted to cheap techniques for creating suspense, such as having the characters be privy to information that was withheld from the reader. There’s a great story in there; too bad he told it so badly.

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