I watch too much youtube, and today found myself musing about a video I would make if I were an authortuber, which I’m not. So then I thought, hey, I could record it if I were a podcaster! Which I’m not. (I was briefly but that was awhile ago now.) And then I remembered that I could just write it down, because I am a writer, and oh yeah, I have a newsletter.

Anyway, what I was thinking about was this: I have read some bad books over the last few years, and I’m pretty glad I did, because I definitely got a lot out of them. Not things the writers intended, but enough to make them valuable experiences.

I’m not going to name and shame, because one person’s trash is another person’s treasure and whatnot, and also because the point isn’t to make fun of dumb things I read. And also, “bad” is not an objective thing. These books were all fairly popular, a lot of people genuinely like them — even love them! — so chances are, I’m just not the right reader for them, and that’s okay.

Here’s what I learned through reading them…

Arrrrgh this is so bad WHY DID YOU DO IT LIKE THAT, YOU COULD HAVE DONE THIS AND BEEN GOOD INSTEAD! … wait, maybe I should do it?

So there’s this popular book. I didn’t like it. It centers around a really well-known, well-loved trope… and I really, really did not like how the trope was used. I thought the author made it too obvious. Too easy. It deflated all of the tension between the main characters. Why would you do that when you could just NOT do that?!?!

To pick a different trope to explain — it would be like if you read a book marketed as having sooooooo much mutual pining, and only one bed!! And then in chapter two, the characters see there’s only one bed, have a rational discussion about it, confess their feelings, and get together… and there are thirty-eight chapters left of the book that’s supposed to be about their relationship. Why did they stop pining so soon?? Why did the bed trope decrease tension instead of increase it?? The whole POINT is that they pine FOR AGES and then the bed thing makes it explode!! You can’t have an explosion like that in chapter two!!

Wow I’m really mad at this book I just made up for an example!

Anyway, I was frustrated by the use of the trope — it clearly works for a lot of people out there, but it’s not what I, personally, want in that kind of story. Which made my mind start to whir — what do I want in that kind of story? How would I keep up the tension in that kind of relationship? Hmm…

Anyway, my current manuscript heavily features that trope, done in the way I want it. Which obviously is objectively better.

This is so bad. Why am I still reading?? It’s SO BAD. I can’t put it down. It’s so bad, though!!

I’m finishing up a series and it’s bad. In this case, kind of objectively — the author misuses words, the prose is clunky, the worldbuilding is ludicrous and no human has ever behaved like any of these characters, and the plot is… let’s say lacking structure.

And yet note, I said I’m finishing the series, as in, reading all the books in it. Even though it is poorly written.

Here’s the thing: as not good as this series is, it’s very clear that the author wasn’t going to let anything stand between her and the ridiculous stuff she wanted to do. Everything that happens in the series is ludicrous and over the top. It’s also, at points, so compelling because it’s so unconcerned with making sense. It wants to do exactly what the writer thinks is awesome, and doesn’t care about anything else.

So, if you happen to align with the author’s taste — if you think the same ridiculous things are awesome — then you are in for a good time.

Which was a great reminder for me: don’t hold back from the cool stuff you want to do. Sometimes when writing, you’ll have an idea that you love but set it aside — it doesn’t make sense, or it’s too much, or no one would behave like that. Well, it turns out, that kind of doesn’t matter. If your Rule of Cool story elements are cool enough, people will want to keep reading anyway. Maybe you shouldn’t kill all those darlings, actually.

There is a flip side: if your taste doesn’t align with the author’s, then instead of cool and compelling, you’re going to get some eye-rolling and complaints… but ultimately, you want to write the awesome thing that moves you because what else are you writing for? If someone doesn’t get it, they probably aren’t your target audience anyway.

So don’t hold back. Sometimes an awesome mess is better than a polished yawn.

And finally… why not me?

“Spite” is not the word I’m reaching for, when I think about all of this. I’m not angry that these authors’ works are out in the world, or that they’re successful — honestly, good for them! Rising tides and all that. So no, I don’t think that I can succeed by writing to spite popular authors whose work makes me roll my eyes.

It is a reminder, though. Other people have written things that I think are pretty bad, that don’t make sense, that I don’t get why they’re so popular… but they are. If they can do it, then why not me? Publishing is a difficult industry, a bit of a crapshoot, and not a meritocracy. These writers put stuff out into that world — ridiculous stuff, not very good stuff — and it found the readers who want it, and took off. If they can do it, so can I.

Some Other Stuff

I’m pretty much off social media these days, because of, you know. The world. It can be a bit lonely, though, so feel free to email me to say hi. I made this!

In the meantime, I’m keeping busy with a new-ish hobby — pottery, I should write a newsletter about that someday — and trying to read more. One very good book I just finished up is What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo, a memoir which also digs into science and culture while remaining very personal. I absolutely flew through it. I also just picked up Doechii’s album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” and am really digging it.

What are you enjoying lately? Feel free to send me recommendations — I’m bad at actually watching things but will definitely put them on a list for someday.