tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post9105236035086561201..comments2024-03-16T07:27:27.752+00:00Comments on Novel Points of View: QUALITY – DOES IT MATTER? by Gill StewartRae Cowiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10213969901991611348noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-7786967983448697912014-10-03T09:18:06.572+01:002014-10-03T09:18:06.572+01:00Thanks Linda. I agree about not battling through s...Thanks Linda. I agree about not battling through something you aren't enjoying. Life is definitely too short!Gill Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139563775181908912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-68904738767739968232014-10-02T09:05:13.025+01:002014-10-02T09:05:13.025+01:00Goodness me, food for thought here! As a writer, I...Goodness me, food for thought here! As a writer, I write to the very best of my ability, given my education and life experience. I like to think there is some quality in there but know I'm never going to make the 'classics' list!. As a reader I read to escape into another world. As one ages, time seems to go faster and I simply don't have time to read what others might deem 'quality' if I don't like it from the first page, or struggle with it, then I put it down and pick up something else. So yes....subjective, I'd say! Great post.Linda Mitchelmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10948518126405880012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-44031778021871823472014-09-29T20:16:57.998+01:002014-09-29T20:16:57.998+01:00Brilliant! Those are now on my list.Brilliant! Those are now on my list.Gill Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139563775181908912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-27078470953969887582014-09-29T20:16:25.318+01:002014-09-29T20:16:25.318+01:00Thanks so much Jenny, glad you liked the post and ...Thanks so much Jenny, glad you liked the post and yes, the more I htink about this the more I wonder... Always a good thing.Gill Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139563775181908912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-15066914703938938932014-09-29T16:58:03.366+01:002014-09-29T16:58:03.366+01:00What an excellent post, Gill! It really got me thi...What an excellent post, Gill! It really got me thinking. There are so many measures of 'good' aren't there? We all like reading different things, just as we all like wearing, eating, drinking, doing different things. And thank heavens for that. Hmm, I'm going to have to think about that one a bit more!Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-74212147691087653112014-09-29T12:49:23.024+01:002014-09-29T12:49:23.024+01:00Gill - and anyone else who is interested - here...Gill - and anyone else who is interested - here's a link to the list of titles int he Galloway Collection: http://www.gallowayraiders.co.uk/the-galloway-collection.html<br />Most people seem to start with The Raiders (much to Cally's irritation!) but there's plenty to choose from. She says try more than one before you decide you don't like him.Mary Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14688996930245857265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-31643324491621116342014-09-29T08:48:17.760+01:002014-09-29T08:48:17.760+01:00If I had the choice, I'd definitely want to be...If I had the choice, I'd definitely want to be a writer whose work people connected with, rather than a 'good' writer. And, yes, I almost put in a comment about being famour too late - I was thinking of the writer of Confederacy of Dunces. That's exactly what happened to him. And although it's great the book is out there, poor John Kennedy never got any joy from it.Gill Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139563775181908912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-68775817639022514022014-09-29T08:44:24.146+01:002014-09-29T08:44:24.146+01:00Thanks Mary. Now I will have to look out an S R Cr...Thanks Mary. Now I will have to look out an S R Crockett book and read it to see what I think of it! Any suggested titles?Gill Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139563775181908912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-9252742287625922882014-09-29T05:18:55.807+01:002014-09-29T05:18:55.807+01:00I won't hear a word against Georgette Heyer or...I won't hear a word against Georgette Heyer or Enid Blyton and think the fact their books are still in print so many years after their deaths is testament to their ability to connect with readers. <br /><br />I'm glad SR Crockett was a bestseller in his time. One NZ writer said he hoped he wouldn't some poor bastard who became famous after his death - and that is exactly what happened! <br />Zana Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08452523395857120532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-29564654068511057622014-09-28T21:19:01.108+01:002014-09-28T21:19:01.108+01:00Interesting post, Gill. I'm just back from Wig...Interesting post, Gill. I'm just back from Wigtown Book Festival where I heard a fascinating lecture on S R Crockett, a writer who was a bestseller in his day with an output of over 70 novels including historical, contemporary and children's books. Why did he practically disappear? Tastes change. Politics. The literatti decided he wrote 'sentimental slop' yet he wrote about everyday people and issues including domestic abuse so hardly sentimental. <br />I agree with your reply to Jennifer about trusting ourselves to recognise a 'good' book when we find one and not trust the judgement of others.Mary Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14688996930245857265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-88488230670412643302014-09-28T20:37:53.530+01:002014-09-28T20:37:53.530+01:00Thanks Chris. I so agree. Have never read any Self...Thanks Chris. I so agree. Have never read any Self but have tried Amis and thought No! No! Trying to be clever does not make a good book! But of course this is only my opinion...Gill Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139563775181908912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-40908578967742923312014-09-28T20:33:48.766+01:002014-09-28T20:33:48.766+01:00I agree there is such a thing as 'quality'...I agree there is such a thing as 'quality' and it's soething we should all aspire to. I'd like us all to trust our recognition of it more, and that of others less. If that is possible.Gill Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139563775181908912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-9247566702183659512014-09-28T11:49:56.554+01:002014-09-28T11:49:56.554+01:00That's a very interesting post! Many books tha...That's a very interesting post! Many books that sell by the truckload leave me scratching my head wondering where the magic that I missed went, for example 'One Day', 'The Fault in Our Stars' ... will leave it there before the cries of disagreement begin. I also get a little grumpy at the assumption in the broadsheets that anything produced by the usual, largely male, suspects (Self, Amis etc) is automatically 'quality'. I guess it's because a lot of people need to be told what's good rather than trust their own judgement.Chris Stovellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03741359642268813093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-27965688011369663952014-09-28T08:57:42.967+01:002014-09-28T08:57:42.967+01:00Fascinating. How can I keep my comments brief? I d...Fascinating. How can I keep my comments brief? I do think there's such a thing as quality and, like you, recognise it in things I don't necessarily like (I don't enjoy Jane Austen, for example, but it's unquestionably great literature.<br /><br />Quality is something i aspire to. I'd love to think that one day I will write something that's genuinely 'good'.Jo Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12976757854217324838noreply@blogger.com