THE Group for Authors! discussion

Some extremely gifted writers have produced one or more timeless classics: Louisa May Alcott, L. Frank Baum, Charles Dickens, Wilhelm & Jacob Grimm, Mary Shelley, Leo Tolstoy and Mark Twain, to name just a few.

It is very difficult to predict which of today's popular authors may eventually be included among the ranks of the literary elite named above. I personally believe that Kazuo Ishiguro, Stephen King and J.K. Rowling might be considered viable candidates.

It is very easy to determine which authors will probably not be remembered a hundred or even ten years from now. They are the ones focused upon quantity rather than quality, mass producing novels, each with just a slightly altered version of the same predictable plot and outcome. Next are the writers whose work is just a thinly disguised rehash of other authors' popular bestsellers. Then there are those who publish their work before first acquiring the knowledge and honing the skills required to produce a technically well-written, skillfully narrated and thought provoking story.

Hundreds of thousands of writers are striving to become commercially successful. Very few will succeed. Even fewer will produce a classic that will withstand the test of time, but it has been proven that it can be done; so do it.

I hope you don't mind me correcting you, but it's L. Frank Baum, not Frank L. Baum. Like my late father, he went by his middle name. L. Frank Baum was truly a great writer, one of my favorites, along with C.S. Lewis.

Lenita wrote: "I hope you don't mind me correcting you, but it's L. Frank Baum, not Frank L. Baum. Like my late father, he went by his middle name. L. Frank Baum was truly a great writer, one of my favorites, alo..."

Lenita,

I stand corrected. Thank you. I don't mind at all. As you can see, the name has been re-written correctly in the original post.

Well, yes. Good writers are good writers and not-so-good writers are not so good. Some books will still be read in a hundred years time; others are making a fortune for their authors right now.

I think we all know that.

I am not sure that it really matters all that much. There is a place for the easy-reading pot-boiler as well as for the literary classic. My supper last night was not of Michelin three star quality. It filled me up all the same.

Jim wrote: "Some extremely gifted writers have produced one or more timeless classics: Louisa May Alcott, L. Frank Baum, Charles Dickens, Wilhelm & Jacob Grimm, Mary Shelley, Leo Tolstoy and Mark Twain, to nam..."

Excellent post. I will never be commercially successful and I hope my work does not fall into the 'second group of authors' category. As far as I can tell, it does not. Glad to see that someone else thinks along the same line.

Ellen wrote: "Jim wrote: "Some extremely gifted writers have produced one or more timeless classics: Louisa May Alcott, L. Frank Baum, Charles Dickens, Wilhelm & Jacob Grimm, Mary Shelley, Leo Tolstoy and Mark T..."

Ellen,

Never say "never". J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series evolved from spur of the moment fantasy stories, created by a single, financially stressed mother, to entertain her young daughter and provide a temporary respite from her real-world challenges. It is quite possible that Ms. Rowling may have once thought the same thing about her chances of becoming a successful author as you have about yours.

I wish you success.

Jim wrote: "Never say "never". ..."

Touche! We never know when our quirky little story will wind up in the right place at the right time, on top of the building swell of a cultural tsunami that is hungry for just that story, that message...

I always maintain that we must write for ourselves (to thine own self be true) and that our work must be true, too, to the integrity of our characters. Only in this way can we be truly proud of our work. If it enhances only one person's life, so much the better. If we become bestsellers, that's icing on the cake.

I give up. I had the joy of writing a happy historical romance, spent much more money than I could afford getting it published, and now I'm to the point of just giving copies away. Hopefully sometime someone will wonder why it never made its way to be saleable. Still writing for the sheer joy it brings me. My undiscovered masterpiece is The Silver Flask and I, Betty Ruth Read, am so proud to have written it.

Betty wrote: "I give up. I had the joy of writing a happy historical romance, spent much more money than I could afford getting it published, and now I'm to the point of just giving copies away. Hopefully someti..."

Nobody can take away that joy of writing. And like Jim says, never say never. Most of us won't become household names, but we may end up writing THE story which means much to only a few, whose hearts it touches. Keep writing!

I am getting ready to order another 100 copies of my only published novel (so far). I have been two years since its publication disposing of the first 100, some of which I have given as gifts. A number of them I have swapped with other writers for their books. Last evening, I sold one (I always carry a new copy with me, encased in a poster-board sheath I made to keep it in new condition) to a young man signing up people for free inspections for remodeling needs. The conversation we struck up was well worth the time, and he was starving for an engaging, intellectual conversation, after trying all day to make some kind of quota in a dead-end job. You just never know...

There always will be. I believe we are honor-bound - to ourselves - to offer to the world our best work, and let it speak for itself. It would be nice if we all made the bestseller lists. But I won't stop writing even if I never publish another thing. Somebody above, in this message, pointed out that the bad writing - as popular as it might be today - won't be remembered. We have a better chance for our work to be remembered, whether or not we are still alive, if it is quality work.

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.

Shakespeare

I like to think of it as a kind of legacy, too, something that tells the world about me after I'm gone. If anybody comes looking, there will be that tangible aspect.

Betty wrote: "I give up. I had the joy of writing a happy historical romance, spent much more money than I could afford getting it published, and now I'm to the point of just giving copies away. Hopefully someti..."

Betty Ruth Read, tell me about your manuscript "The Silver Flask." (Is there a private messaging option here on GR for individuals to talk to each other? I haven't explored it enough to know most of the ins and outs.)

Sally, it's listed here, Amazon, Kindle, Barnes and Noble. It's published but I can't afford the expense of getting it noticed. It's a well researched novel of the Roaring 20's and two couples who dance their way to fame and fortune. Guess I've been shocked to discover how much it costs to get noticed as an author, so I'll just live on the joy of writing and hope to have two more written before I'm 100. Having fun doing so.

Jim wrote: "Some extremely gifted writers have produced one or more timeless classics: Louisa May Alcott, L. Frank Baum, Charles Dickens, Wilhelm & Jacob Grimm, Mary Shelley, Leo Tolstoy and Mark Twain, to nam..."

Thanks, Jim. Since I've surrendered to the hassle of fighting to get recognized as a novelist, I'm just going to give The Silver Flask for Christmas gifts to many friends and family members. Then I'll retreat to my little phantasy world to write more books and dream of being the 21st century Alcott. Being able to write your phantasies is what it really should be about, and for me that's the greatest of joys to have for the remainder of my life.

You go, girl!

(I like the idea of thinking of yourself as the 21st Century Alcott - why not aspire to greatness?)

Betty wrote: "I give up. I had the joy of writing a happy historical romance, spent much more money than I could afford getting it published, and now I'm to the point of just giving copies away. Hopefully someti..."

Have you tried doing readings in your local library? Even your local coffee shops? It sometimes helps to do promos like that, especially when you do them locally. Better still, it's free. It seems a shame to give up and give them away.

I've given my book to about a dozen libraries in my area, and only one has asked me to come and do a reading (part of a multiple-author showcase), but I couldn't because the program was scheduled for a time when I was out of state for a few days.

But the library idea is very good. You just have to be persistent in making sure you get the right person, whoever programs such things, and get readings scheduled. I haven't been as persistent as I should be, what with loads of other distractions (like life...).

They're doing what's called "The Author Next Door Series" in our local libraries where local authors are invited to present at a local library. I am looking forward to presenting in December.

Lenita wrote: "They're doing what's called "The Author Next Door Series" in our local libraries where local authors are invited to present at a local library. I am looking forward to presenting in December."

Lenita,

A well-rehearsed, brief presentation by an author to the local library's members provides an excellent opportunity to introduce yourself and your work. If the attendees are suitably impressed, the library's event coordinator may procure one or more formats of your book and make them available throughout the county's public library system. Suggestion: Do not broach the subject yourself. It is the coordinator's prerogative whether or not to do so.

I hope your presentation is well-received and wish you future success as an author.

Thanks for the advice! :)