Often times when writing the writer themselves tends to pick and write toward some general audiences including teens, adults, and children. But it seems in recent times pop culture has broken those groups even further down by their growing common interests, dislikes, opinions, thoughts etc... The very things that help to characterize people themselves are what writers are using toward their benefit.
Furthermore, since those three basic audiences no longer exist there are now sub groups for teen fantasy romance dealing with the ever so popular forbidden human and vampire/werewolf love ties, children picture books have turned into the more fast track advanced books, and adults now have more serious life self help books.
It's just when you look at some of the most prestigious writers of our times like Charles Dickinson and Mark Twain. Their works are now being compared to novels like Twilight or Harry Potter. But truth be told those fantasy novels only have popularity not morals and ethics of the classic like Huckleberry Finn or the Odyssey books around for over thousands of years.
It's become more of a popularity contest, writers writing about the ever so desired fantasy love triangles it wizards novels. But in the end the classics will forever remain despite the onslaught popularity authors such as Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling have received. We will see whose story is really just a story for today and whose story is one of a lifetime.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Popularity Contest
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This is very interesting and insightful post. Scholars like Mark Bauerlein write about this very phenomenon, arguing that, because technology has made information and books are so abundant and available, people tend to insulate themselves in familiar or like-minded story and opinion. The danger here is that it stunts our intellectual growth.
ReplyDeleteConsider looking into this further for your capstone project.
This is very true. It's interesting, yet upsetting, that the world is becoming a popularity contest. Not even something as wonderful as writing and literature can escape the clutches of popularity. The "pretty" ones are famed all over the media, but the classics, although somewhat pushed aside, are unforgettable.
ReplyDeleteYou put down Harry Potter! Take it back.. TAKE IT BACKKKK! I'm just kidding, I think this post represents a hard truth. Authors use the strategy to get more readers and it works because people are becoming so like-minded.
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