wake_up_bomb wrote:
It's just that there are tonnes of struggling writers out there, and it virtually impossible to sell any books, it's hard enough to get into print, but people don't buy books. And then when Christmas rolls around, those fucking idiots sell millions of books to people that don't like reading and wouldn't dream of buying a book any other time of year. They also have time to film some DVDs as well, which I, not unreasonably, assume are also horseshit. Literally if you go into Waterstones in my place of birth, where I thankfully no longer live, the shop is totally dominated by glossy books 'written' by people who are on TV, who don't have any interest in writing, and being bought by people who don't like books. Meanwhile someone will go to a publisher with a really original and beautifully executed idea, and the publishers will tell them that it's not economically viable. The whole thing is just indicative of the mediocrity that is not merely accepted but encouraged in our 'culture'.
There is a whole routine also by Stewart Lee where he talks about Chris Moyles books, which I don't think is on Youtube any more, but this is part of it:
Unfortunately, we do live in a world where mediocrity thrives and the lowest common denominator reins supreme.
You only have to look as far as the music industry as a mirror to compare with the writing industry. I know a few immensely talented musicians who are constantly scratching for pennies or have literally given up, while the likes of 'jedward' are living a 'Hollywood' lifestyle. And I mean, are you really telling me that this weeks 'number 1' is actually the best song we know in the U.K. at that particular time? We both know it isn't, and it's the same with the publishing world. There are scores of amazing, and potentially life changing books that vanish in to obscurity within weeks, or even days, of them being published - never to be seen or heard of again. And the author is quite possibly so distraught, that we also never hear from them again, either.
I think what's also quite indicative of our culture, is that Stephen Hawkings 'A Brief History Of Time' is said to be one of the highest selling books of modern times, and also one of the least read.
And you could take Stewart Lee as another example. One of the finest stand up comedians of a generation, but is still largely unknown, while bang average comedians are a dime to a dozen on our television screens and are the staple of our collective humourous psyche. And Chris Moyles? Don't get me started on that cunt.. Great clips from Stewart Lee though, and I'm really looking forward to his latest offering of Comedy Vehicle, which if I remember rightly, is going to be out again sometime this year.
