8 ms·
This used to be true because most published books were well written. I don't think that's true anymore. Too much noise and too little signal so to speak. I fee
by Kon5ole 25d ago
This used to be true because most published books were well written. I don't think that's true anymore. Too much noise and too little signal so to speak.
I feel a growing trend where books read like the author's main inspiration is TV shows, down to villains surprising the main character by jumping out from "behind the camera" and dialogue that reads like the book has no ability to convey thoughts and emotions except by having the characters explain them to another character.
Maybe I've just gotten more picky with age but I have a hard time finding anything readable lately. Sure there's the literary prize winners, but they tend to be dull and slow - I want solid pageturner pulp! :)
- defrost 25d ago> I want solid pageturner pulp! :) In good news for some, Chuck Tingle isn't the only name in dinosaur-themed romance novels: https://nerdist.com/article/pulp-romance-novels-meets-paleontology-with-these-smutty-dinosaur-novels/ https://nerdist.com/article/pulp-romance-novels-meets-paleon...
- amunozo 25d agoThere are more written books that a regular person can read in their entire life. Even if what you say is true, no need to only read modern books.
- Kon5ole 25d agoYou are correct but there must surely be good modern books too. Problem is finding them. Could also be an unavoidable effect from reading many books I guess, the more you read the harder the competition is for the next book.
- amunozo 24d agoFor sure! I am rereading my comment and was really poorly written. What I meant is that, even if all modern books were bad (which as you say, there must be good ones), there are still tons of older books which are really good and that have survived the effect of time and therefore are easier to spot. I don't think there is a need to read modern books in most cases though, so I am lately prioritizing older ones, especially fiction.
- shiandow 25d agoA sense of which writing is better is the very thing that reading lots of books helps you discover. And I don't think only reading "quality" literature is necessary, you just need to not mindlessly read the same thing over and over again. I've found my enjoyment of all media improved massively when I stopped trying to find what made it bad and started to look for what made it good. Though some techniques start to feel cheap, like how fast food makes everything palatable by being crunchy salt and sweet.